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An open letter to political parties and civic leaders from WOZA

To:

  • First Secretary and Chairman, Zanu PF – R. G. Mugabe and John Nkomo; and
  • Presidents/Chairmen of all other political parties:

Movement of Democratic Change (MDC) Presidents Tsvangirai and Mutambara, PF ZAPU, ZAPU 2000, Zanu Ndonga, UPM, UPP, PUMA, DP, Zimbabwe Peoples Democratic Party, Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance; and

  • Leaders of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civic Movements.

Your Excellency, Honorable Members of Parliament, Senators, Chiefs, Mayors, Councilors, Comrades and Friends,As we write this open letter, Zimbabweans are living in a state of fear and uncertainty. They suffer discrimination in all its forms and are unable to earn a living. Levels of poverty are high; unemployment is at 82% and inflation at four figures. Non-existent service delivery also makes life difficult. Access to education, housing and other basic needs is now only for the rich. The HIV/AIDS pandemic, which has created thousands of orphans and child-headed households, is a social catastrophe compounded by a failed healthcare system and little or no access to ARVs. Further loss of valuable human resources is happening due to people leaving the country in large numbers. People have been unsuccessful at holding their government accountable due to a raft of repressive laws and shrinking freedom of expression/media space. Corruption at all levels of government and the politicisation of all aspects of society has led to chaos and disorganization in every sector.

Women and men of WOZA have initiated a non-violent campaign with the aim of mobilising Zimbabweans to demand social justice from their leaders. The time has come to put the past behind us and start building a better tomorrow. We plan to hold existing leaders accountable and mobilise people to demand leaders who will deliver all aspects of social justice and a genuinely people-driven constitution.

This resolution was made after an eleven-month, nationwide consultation process. During 2006, over 284 meetings, consulting almost 10,000 rural and urban people on social justice were conducted. The people spoke clearly about what they want in a new Zimbabwe and their contributions are contained in the People’s Charter attached below.

Please open up your heart and read it sincerely knowing that it contains the dreams and desires of a heartbroken nation. We are looking to ALL leaders to provide a public reply and endorsement of the People’s Charter and would be happy to have this by Valentine’s Day on 14th February 2007.

WOZA looks forward to working hand in hand with any political or civic leaders who have publicly endorsed the People’s Charter to deliver social justice and honour the wishes of the Zimbabwean people.

Woza Moya – siNdebele edition – May 2007

UKUKHULUMA NGENKULUMO
IMBONO YEWOZA/MOZA
INDLELA EZILITSHUMI EZINGALETHA IZIMBABWE ENTSHA

IWOZA ilokhu ibala njalo isizwa ngenkulumo okumele zibe khona ifuna ukutsho imbono yayo.

Okokuqala sifuna ukwazi inhloso kamongameli Thabo Mbeki lo mongameli Kikwete labafowethu beSADC ngenkulumo lezo. Bengabe bejonge ukuletha uhulumende omutsha kungela nguquko kwezombangazwe, kwezomnotho, lenhlalakahle kazulu? Kumbe inhloso yabo ngeqotho? Ukuze kucace ukuthi bangomlamulankunzi abaqotho kumele babone ukuthi uhulumende okhona uzasekela njalo avumele ukuphendlwa kwendlela yenguquko engangeneli njalo atshiye umbuso ukuze kube lenguquko eqotho. Sizaqhubeka sibakhuthaza ukuze benze lokhu njalo sizaphendla indlela ezenza izizalwane zeZimbabwe zikholise ukulingana lokuzotha eZimbabwe.

Umlandu kazulu weZimbabwe ngowani, ngoba yithi esithwele ubunzima njalo sithola kunzima ukuthi siphile?
Umlandu wethu ungavezwa ngalindlela. Siyazi ukuthi iziko lingaphi njalo ukuthi kulembiza ebilayo. Asibuzwanga ukuthi kuzaphekwani njalo ngubani ozakudla sekuphakululiwe. Silokhu simelele ukubizelwa etafuleni yokudlela silokhu sitheza inkuni sizaziletha eziko ukuze abapheki bazibone bakhwezele ngazo. Nxa umlilo usucitsha inkuni zethu zizasetshenziswa ukukhwezela lokubasela ukuze imbiza ibelokhu ixhwatha. Nxa sekuphekiwe sizafuna indawo etafuleni ukuze lathi sidle okuphekwe zinkuni zethu. Kungaphekwa imboza sizakwala ukudla njalo sicele indlela yokupheka engcono. Sithanda ukulikhumbuza ukuthi omama bayingcitshi ekuphekeni.

Singaqhubekela phambili sisithi omlamulankunzi labezombangazwe kumele bapheke ngendlela ezilandelayo ukuze ukudla kwabo kubemnandi njalo kukholiswe ngamaZimbabwe onke:

1. Udlakela lwendlela zonke kumele luphele, ukuze kube lendlela eziletha inguquko, ezizaqala indlela yokuxolisa.
2. Kumele kube lomhlangano omkhulu ozakwenziwa kunxuswe abalandelayo, wonke amabandla ezombangazwe zonke inhlanganiso ezizimele zodwa, abezenkolo, izisebenzi osomabhizimusi, ulutsha labomama, bonke behlangana ngokulingana. Injongo yabo ingeyokuthi kubelenguquko ezaletha uhulumende owesikhathi esithize njalo babeke lendlela yokubhala isisekelo selizwe esitsha. Uhulumende owesikhathi esithize kumele enze okulandelayo:
3. Athathe amandla ombuso esule imthetho encindezela ilungelo lokukhuluma santando lelokubuthana enjengePOSA leAIPPA. Sifuna kuphele ukusetshenziswa komthetho kukhethwa.
4. Kumele bahluzisise izisebenzi zikahulumende, abagcina umthetho, labezomthethwandaba ukuthi indlela abasebenza ngayo kabasekeli uhlangothi. Abephuli bomthetho kumele bafundiswe kutsha imisebenzi yabo, bayehlanza izigaba kumbe bajeziswe. Uhlangothi olukhangele ngezokugcinwa komthetho (Law and Order) lwamapholisa labatsha abafundiswa udlakela kufanele bachithizwe njalo bafundiswe ukubalobuntu. Ibutho lihlale ezinkambeni lifundiswa umsebenzi walo.
5. Kumele sivusele ubudlelwano lamanye amazwe sijonge ukuthuthukisa umnotho wethu lokudala imisebenzi.
6. Kumele kubelezindlela zokuhluza ngokwabiwa komhlabathi okulinganayo njalo ubengumniniyo sikhuthaza indlela zokuthola ukudla.
7. Kumele siqale izindlela zokubhala isisekelo selizwe esibalulekileyo lendlela ezigoqela uhlelo lwenguquko elungileyo kudingwe imbono yamaZimbabwe wonke alapha lasemazweni.
8. Impumela yembono yesisekelo selizwe lezinqumo zikahulumende owesikhathi esithize kubelokhetho oluzaqhutshwa yiSADC.
9. Silungisele ukhetho, ukuguqula uhlangothi olubona ngokhetho silungise imithetho yokhetho emitsha sikhethe abaqhubi bokhetho abazimele bodwa, sikhethe iqula elibona ngemngcele lilungise amabhuku okuvotisa njalo balungiselele ukhetho, siyabe sesivalelisa uTobaiwa Mudede lendlela zakhe sobuqili.
10. Kuqiniseke ukuthi ukhetho luzaqhutshwa ngaphansi kwezinqumo zeSADC njalo lenhlanganiso zomhlaba wonke jikelele lezeAfrica kulabameli bomhlaba wonke leZimbabwe. Uhulumende owesikhathi esithize uzanikeza umbuso kubanqobi bokhetho.

“Kangingakhulekeli ukuthi ngivikelwe ezingozini kodwa ngikhulekela ukuthi ngibelesibindi sokumelana lengozi. Kangingaceli ukuthi ngingezwa ubuhlungu kodwa ngicela inhliziyo yokuthi nginqobe ubuhlungu.” Rabindranath Tagore (Imbongi yeIndia)
Izinqumo Ngokuthula
* Asisoze silimaze muntu njalo asisoze siphindisele udlakela
* Sizaba lokuthembeka siphathe wonke umuntu ngenhlonipho ikakhulukazi abezomthetho
* Sizaveza imizwa yethu kodwa asisoze sigcine inzondo
* Sizabalokunakekela abantu abaduze lathi sinika uncedo oludingakalayo.
* Njengabagcini bokuthula sizavikela abanye ekuthukweni ledlakeleni.
* Ngesikhathi sokutshengisela asisoze sigijime kumbe senze izenzo ezethusa abanye
* Singabona umtshengiseli esethusela abanye sizangenela sehlise umumo. Nxa abatshengiseli bangaba lodlakela, njalo sehluleke ukubakhuza sizahlukana labo.
* Asisoze sebe kumbe sibhidlize impahla
* Asisoze sithwale ingqe yisiphi isikhali
* Asisoze sithwale kumbe sinathe utshwala kumbe imithi edakayo ngaphandle kweyokwelapha.
* Sizagcina isivumelwano esisenze labanye abatshengiseli nxa kungaba lokungavumelani sizanyomuka ngokuthula.
* Sizavuma umlandu wokungabi lodlakela asisoze siqambe amanga ukuze sibalekele impumela edalwe yizenzo zethu.

Uma uvumelana lesinqumo sokusebeza ngokuthula njalo ufuna ukubalilunga leWOZA thumela incwadi zakho kukheli elithi P. O. Box FM 701, Famona, Bulawayo. Utsho ukuthi ungubani njalo kungani ufuna ukuba iliunga leWOZA. Ungabhala ngolimi oluzwisisayo, uthumele ku vulophu elekheli yakho lesitampa, ukuze sanelise ukukuphathi sela isibopho sabomama. Ungaze ubhalele usithumele sizakuthumezela igwaliba lakho elokuba lilunga encwadini yakho eyesibili layo kumele ibelekheli lakho lesitampa.

Get used to a free Zimbabwe where we can speak out without fear, tune in to…
SW Radio Africa is Zimbabwe’s independent voice, broadcasting on shortwave 4880kHz between 7 – 9 pm. For all the news you need to know.
VOA Studio 7: Evenings from 7 pm to 8 pm on 909 AM, and at 4930, 11975 and 17895 kHz shortwave. Studio Seven in the Morning broadcasts for a half hour Monday to Friday beginning at 5:30 am on 909 AM and at 4930 and 6080 kHz shortwave.

‘Talking about TALKS’ – WOZA/MOZA’s view – ‘ten steps to a new Zimbabwe’

WOZA has been reading and hearing about “the talks” and wish to express our views about these.

Firstly, we would like to know exactly what South African President Thabo Mbeki, Tanzanian President Kikwete and our SADC brothers and sisters want to achieve by their mediation. Is their role to bring about a new government without any political, economic and social reform? Or is their objective something more meaningful? To establish themselves as genuine mediators, they should secure the cooperation of the present government in allowing the transitional process to go ahead without interference and press them to step down from office to allow for an effective transition. We shall continue to pressure them to do this, thereby paving the way for a Zimbabwe where all Zimbabweans can enjoy equality and live with dignity.

What is our role as ordinary Zimbabweans, carrying the heaviest burdens and finding it impossible to survive?
Our role can be described in this way. We know where the fireplace is and that there is a pot boiling. We have not been consulted about what is to be cooked and who is to eat the meal when it is ready. While waiting to be called to the table to share the meal, we are busy collecting firewood and bringing it to the fireside so that those currently doing the cooking see it and put it in the fire. If the fire starts to go out, it will be our firewood that is used to light it again so that the pot can keep boiling. When the meal is cooked we will demand a place at the table to share in the meal cooked with our firewood. If the meal is badly cooked, we will refuse to eat and ask them for a better recipe. And just a reminder that mothers make the most memorable meals!

We can go further to say that those mediating the talks, and the politicians involved, should be thinking of the following ingredients if the meal is to be delicious and enjoyed by all Zimbabweans:

1. Violence, in all its forms, should be stopped to allow for a transitional process that can begin the healing process.
2. An all-stakeholders’ conference should be convened with the following participants: all political parties, non-governmental organisation, churches, labour, business, youth and women all meeting on an equal basis. Their agenda is to devise a transitional process consisting of putting in place an interim authority and outlining a process of constitution making. The interim authority should undertake the following:
3. Assume legislative power; repeal oppressive legislation against freedom of expression and assembly such as the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). We also call for an end to the selective application of other laws.
4. Conduct an audit of civil servants, the judiciary and law enforcement agents as to their professional and non-partisan conduct. Offenders should be sent to re-training/community service or for prosecution. The youth militia should be disbanded and the defence forces should be confined to barracks for retraining.
5. Begin the process of re-engaging the international community with a view to rehabilitating the economy aimed at job creation.
6. Carry out a land audit to lay the basis for a permanent and equitable solution to land reform, while promoting immediate resumption of food production.
7. Initiate a constitution-making process, including a plan for transitional justice, consulting all Zimbabweans both at home and abroad.
8. Take the resulting constitutional and transitional justice proposals to a referendum supervised by Southern African Development Community (SADC).
9. Prepare for elections, including reconstituting the Registrar General’s department, preparing new electoral laws, appointing an independent electoral commission and delimitation commission to prepare an electoral roll and prepare for the election. We will be saying good riddance to Tobaiwa Mudede and his crooked systems.
10. Ensure elections are conducted according to the SADC protocols and under international and regional supervision with international and local observers. The interim authority will then hand over to the winners of the election.

Legal Update on 2 matters before the Courts

WOZA members are currently facing two separate matters before the Courts

Criminal Nuisance Charges 7 February 2012 Defended by Nikiwe Ncube and Mr Lizwe Jamela Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. Current status: the 10 appeared in court on the 13 February for Trail which failed to begin. The 10, including Jennifer Williams appeared in court on 21st February 2012 but no response to an application for refusal of further remand was forthcoming. The response will be submitted on 1st March 2012 by Magistrate Vivian  Application for refusal of remand— Jenni and others , State case 7 feb 2012 .

Kidnap and theft Charges 21 September 2012 by Jennifer Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu Defended by Kossam Ncube and Advocate Perpetua Dube deployed by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights

Current status – Trail Began and state case closed:
1.    Application has been submitted in the High Court for the a review of the Magistrates refusal to discharged the duo at the close of the state case.
2.    Application to the High Court for stay of proceedings pending the outcome of the review process explained in number 1.
3.    If application number 2 is denied the duo will appear in court on 28 February 2012.

 

WOZA Leaders Jennifer Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu delivered a letter of complaint to the Zimbabwe Republic Police Bulawayo headquaters on the treatment by the activits on 7 February by members of the Riot Squad. complaints about 7 feb treatment with police receipt stamp

WOZA Shosholoza for love at Parliament but get bashed by police

Five hundred members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) in two separate protests marched to Parliament to commemorating Valentine’s Day and WOZA 10th Anniversary under the theme – Shosholoza for love!  The first protest arrived and was stopped 50 meters from the Parliament door by 8 baton stick and shield wielding Riot Police who refused to allow them to pass.

The activists took the opportunity to sing their love songs to the police and chant their slogans. Four leaders took the opportunity to address the gathering on the constitutional reform requirements of members and the role police should have been playing instead of stopping the peaceful activists.

A 20 minute impasse was broken up by the arrival of a police Landover. The second protest arrived and was also blocked. A senior officer then began to demand the activists disperse and pleas to allow one person to hand over the Woza Moya newsletter with demands fell on deaf ears. He then threatened to use ‘minimum’ force to disperse the gathering but before he could give any orders, a bigger vehicle arrived with over 30 riot police who did not speak to the officer but started to use their shields to push the women and men away from the road. One officer with the tear gas gun cocked the weapon in the air making as if to shoot it.As they pushed members away, some police officers began to beat the peacefully dispersing crowd and this cause pandemonium and people started to run away at speed.

One of the participants was beaten by 4 police officers at once taking turns to slay her across the neck and shoulders.  She apparently was being beaten met with this level of severity for telling them -‘the thieves are going free while you beat us’. After they set up her she then told them off saying – you are now the ones starting violence.

Ten members had to seek medical attention for soft tissue bruises and lacerations caused by baton stick injuries.

WOZA call on the police officers to be more professional. It is illogical to beat people as they are actually dispersing and a sign that police officers have too high an appetite for violence. WOZA also wish to draw comparison between the semi professional behaviour of police at parliament who go through the motions of engaging protest leaders whereas in Bulawayo the police offices just jump from their truck and thump anybody in sight showing a greedy appetite for violence. On 7th February the Bulawayo edition of the protest was violently dispersed by police officers and over 30 members had to seek medication for abrasions and bruises.

An opinion by Lawyer Andrew Makoni WOZA counsel 2009 on the role of police from the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23)…..the legislature is aware that processions inevitably interfere in some way with other people’s movements, hence the provisions of section 29 (1) (c) which prescribes what a police officer may do if a regulatory authority has not received a notice of the intended procession more than 48 hours before the gathering, where such notice is required. In terms of this subsection, an officer may restrict the gathering to a place or guide the participants along a route. This section does not give the police the power to arrest in the event of an unlawful gathering but the power to regulate the gathering. Neither does the act provide police officers with the right to brutally disperse peaceful human rights defenders.

Appearances in Court and 1 arrest

On Thursday 22 March 2012, Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) Leaders Jennifer Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu appeared before Magistrate Godwin Sengweni facing Kidnap and Theft charges. Defence lawyer Kossam Ncube produced a High Court order to ‘stay all criminal proceedings’ in Regional Court A and applied for the two activists to be removed off remand appearances in Court pending the outcome of the Review of the Magistrates decision to refuse to discharge Williams and Mahlangu at close of state case.

As has now become a bad habit the state opposed the application and Magistrate Sengweni remanded to activist to 26 April 2012 when he will
give a ruling on if they are to be removed off remand.

On Friday 23 March 2012 Jennifer Williams and 9 other members arrested on 7 February 2012 in Bulawayo and charged with ‘Criminal Nuisance’ appeared in court 1. Their lawyer Lizwe Jamela, Chief Law officer of ZLHR, submitted an application to take a challenge to the Supreme Court. The Prosecutor and Magistrate will respond on 27 April 2012.

This Supreme Court application is in response to the State insistence on charging the activists with peaceful protest related laws when
there is a landmark ruling won by Williams and Mahlangu for their right to protest to be unhindered. This landmark ruling has been
successfully used by scores of activists but the Williams and Mahlangu cannot seem to enjoy it as a legal precedent.

On the 22nd March, Riot Police surrounded the Tredgold Magistrates court monitoring closely the movement of WOZA leaders and members.
Seven police officers chased anyone standing close to the activists so as to isolate them and scrutinise their movement. They even chased
away a mother breastfeeding her baby on the pavement outside the court.

When the 2 members walked across the road to meet another member, 2 Riot police followed them and searched them. One member was found with a WOZA branded scarf – standing up for my rights – which was immediately judged to be seditious and she was surrounded by 4
officers who held onto her clothing and marched her for one city block until a back up vehicle with a truck load of Riot Police arrived to
pick her up and took her to Bulawayo Central police station. She was advised that she would be detained but two minutes later Mr. Jamela of
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) arrived the Law and Order plain clothed police officers indicated that she was not under
arrested but was merely picked up for profiling (personal details and affiliations). She was questioned about a ‘proposed’ demonstration
later that day. However WOZA was not planning a protest so she replied that she knew of no such demonstration only Court appearances. She was  then released.

WOZA wish to warn the Police that the public outcry surrounding the searching and arrest our young member should send a strong message
that members of the public are getting irritated with the constant presence of Riot Police in the street conducting arbitrary searches
and chasing people standing in groups away from the city centre. Zimbabweans patience with the military-style policing is wearing thin.

WOZA application to magistrates court to go to Supreme Court 23march2012

Rural WOZA members released without charge

The WOZA members arrested and detained at Filabusi Police Station today were released without charge just after noon. Police returned all the t-shirts and scarves that they had confiscated but kept all the placards and copies of the People’s Charter to submit to provincial leaders.

Minutes before the peaceful protest was about to begin, a police vehicle arrived at the Post Office, the starting point of the demonstration. An officer armed with an AK 47 assault rifle alighted and approached two members. He said to them – “you are always talking about rights, but why don’t you say what rights you are talking about.” He then ordered them into the vehicle and drove them to the police station. Approximately 150 other members decided to follow and hand themselves in. Police stopped recording down their names after an hour, saying they were tired.

When the female officer in charge asked them why they were there, the women briefed her on the hunger in their homes, their inability to pay school fees and the fact that they were no longer allowed to dig for gold to help themselves. She apparently sympathised with them saying she also found it hard to make ends meet in her home. She then called the District Administrator to attend the ‘meeting’. He listened to the complaints; telling them food aid would soon be coming and that they should set more affordable fees, as parents. He accepted the People’s Charter and placards, saying that he would pass them on to his seniors and that a reply would come to them soon. They were then told to go home.

When lawyers attended shortly after their release, police denied that any women had been arrested – they had merely had a meeting with them. The lawyer did overhear some police officers planning to locate the whereabouts of Jenni Williams who was in the area to monitor proceedings however. Fortunately Williams was able to leave in the company of the lawyers before they could make good their plan.

WOZA declare a victory for non-violent protest and acknowledge the ‘sisterhood’ from the officer in charge who treated the WOZA activists with respect. We look forward to the promised food aid, hopefully without any political strings attached, from the District Administrator to be fulfilled.

WOZA and others arrested yesterday remain in police custody

WOZA and others arrested yesterday remain in police custody, still not charged.

The nine WOZA members along with other bystanders who were arrested during a WOZA demonstration yesterday remain in custody tonight with their position unclear. Last night they were told that they would be charged with failing to notify the police of a demonstration. This is rather inexplicable, since that charge applies only to the organiser of a demonstration, not to participants, and certainly not to bystanders. However, today, no charges were preferred, and the lawyer who attended in the morning, Nikiwe Ncube, was eventually told to return after lunch. When she returned she was told that the docket had disappeared. Quite extraordinary that a docket relating to well-known activists could be lost from one day to the next! It appeared that there was a struggle going on between two divisions within the police station – one insisting that all be released as they had committed no offence, and one claiming to be acting on orders “from above” to find a charge. At the end of the day, the lawyer had learned nothing and was told to come again tomorrow.

It has meanwhile turned out that there are nine, not eight, WOZA members arrested and five others. None have been released, including the minor. And all are complaining of mistreatment. Last night they were kept in the open cage when it was quite chilly after rains; only at 2 a.m. were they placed in the cell. Today they were forced to sit in the burning sun without any shelter for three hours. One of the WOZA women collapsed and was then taken to hospital by the police; it transpired that she had also been kicked by a police officer during arrest. The doctor at the hospital ordered an abdominal scan, but instead of being taken for it she was forced to walk back to the police station, a distance of three kilometres. One of the bystanders was a vendor selling juices; she also had to be taken to hospital, and her condition is not known except that she had spent the day crying.
Several of those who were not arrested but had been beaten had to be treated for bruising in their homes, as they found the riot police were waiting for them at the private clinic where any injuries are normally catered for. We believe that no one has any serious injury, except possibly the member who is in police custody.
We wait for developments tomorrow. By law the police must either release or charge those detained and bring them to court by 4 p.m., 48 hours after their arrest. We trust that the police officers will not further violate their rights.

Those who wish to express solidarity, please phone the Bulawayo Central Police Station.

263 9 72515 (general number)
263 9 60204 (Superintendent, Crime)

Request that they release all those who are not WOZA members, especially the minor, as they cannot be suspected of committing any crime.
Request that all rights of detained persons be respected, according to Zimbabwe’s constitution and other legislation, and according to the rights of detained persons enshrined in international law – especially that they be protected from inhuman, cruel and degrading treatment and torture.

For further information please call Magodonga Mahlangu at 263 772 362 668