Women of Zimbabwe Arise  – (WOZA) express solidarity with the people of Burma in their ongoing struggle to free themselves from the tyranny of military rule. We recognise the need for all people’s movements to join together in a common effort to build genuine democracies, which can work to bring the benefits of collective wealth to everyone and not just the privileged few.

We are inspired by the courage and determination of the tens of thousands of Burmese citizens and urge them to believe in their own power to achieve their goals however long it takes and despite the sacrifices. May we all work in solidarity to create a just world which values the life of every human being.

Hundreds of members of WOZA and MOZA took to the streets of Bulawayo at lunchtime today, 12th February, to mark WOZA’s sixth Valentine’s Campaign. No arrests have been reported as yet.

The aim of the peaceful protest was to encourage Zimbabweans to stand up for their children in these times of extreme hardship and as an election looms. WOZA was formed in 2003 amidst severe political violence to demonstrate love and courage to all Zimbabweans. In 2008 this motivation is still equally relevant.

800 men and women processed for four city blocks through central Bulawayo, singing and handing out red roses and Valentine cards to passers-by. The response from people was exceptional with huge groups forming on pavements and motorists hooting to encourage the procession. Many people stepped forward to receive the cards and roses.

As the procession stopped for slogans outside the police administrative headquarters, bicycle police attempted to stop the procession but were informed that they would cause a pandemonium and that they should stand aside and allow the procession to reach its final destination. Those holding the banner proceeded to raise it up and over the police and continued to march.

A block later a senior ranking police officer arrived at the front of the procession and consulted with WOZA leader, Jenni Williams, who informed him that the march was under control. Obviously wanting to be reasonable, the officer allowed the group to reach their final dispersing point. He and several other officers then escorted the jubilant group to the main taxi rank to ensure that they did disperse. Later a truck load of riot police equipped with baton sticks and shields, as well as two carloads of plain-clothed officers were later observed moving through the rank. No arrests or assaults have been reported to date.

All WOZA and MOZA leaders were able to evade being arrested as they dispersed. In WOZA’s experience, it is often individual officers who try to be ‘heroes’ and arrest leaders after a call for peaceful dispersal would have already been made.

The 14 members arrested on 28th May appeared on remand in Harare Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning (Friday 20th) and were further remanded to 3rd July. Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, who are still in custody at Chikurubi Women’s Prison, were remanded in absentia as the truck bringing them from prison did not arrive on time. Williams, who is facing extra charges of communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the state and causing disaffection amongst the police force, was also remanded to 3rd July on those charges.

Williams and Mahlangu are now entering their fourth week in prison. They remain in good spirits despite the conditions in Chikurubi. Lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers from Human Rights (ZLHR) are continuing to work on appealing their continued detention. The two would welcome visits from anyone who would be able to make it to Chikurubi.

Meanwhile, two other WOZA members, Trust Moyo and Cynthia Ncube, go on trial in Bulawayo on Monday 23rd charged with distributing materials likely to cause a breach of the peace after being arrested in a peaceful demonstration on 5th May.

Click here to see a copy of the appeal launched in the independent Zimbabwean press Free Williams and Mahlangu appeal

A quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: “Women are like teabags. We don’t know how strong we are until we are in hot water.”

Freedom in a fortnight? A view from the trenches

This view represents a consulted way forward recommended by Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA). We are an organisation owned by its 60,000 members who hold qualifications in daily survival and degrees in nonviolence despite the deeply polarised political environment in Zimbabwe since 2000. WOZA was born in the community and seeks to draw the attention of preoccupied politicians to people’s needs, namely bread and butter issues; or as WOZA likes to put it, bread and roses issues – bread representing food and roses representing the need for lasting dignity.

At the moment, the highway that is Zimbabwe has two ‘vehicles’ going in opposite directions, Zanu PF, the so-called ‘liberation war’ party and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). These parties speed along preoccupied with their own importance, hardly ever taking the off-ramp to consult with the suffering masses.

What do we want policy makers to focus on? The reality on the ground for Zimbabweans right now is tantamount to torture. For representatives of political parties to sit at the negotiating table cutting an elite power-sharing deal whilst ignoring the crashing economy and the undeclared civil war by Mugabe against ordinary people is a crime against our humanity. We suspect that they do not understand the day-to-day struggle of ordinary Zimbabweans. As a result WOZA is determined to hold our placards up high to get their attention and demand that they address our needs.

Our placards will be drawing attention to the following points:
1.    Daily life is form of torture ·    We cannot get food without being forced to take sides with the ruling Zanu PF who currently controls access to all food in the country. As we have seen before during election periods, they have also banned distribution of food by international NGOs so that they can further control our fundamental need to eat. Many of our members try to get humanitarian assistance but because they speak out, are punished by Zanu PF and denied food or blackmailed into support in exchange for food. Hunger is the price for their courage. ·    As Zimbabweans go about their daily activities, youth militia, police, army and war veterans subject them to harassment and intimidation. Even a neighbour can no longer be trusted, as with the widespread hunger, one can be sold out in exchange for food. Lists of names of all those that oppose the regime exist at ward, district, province and national level. This highly sophisticated ‘reign of terror’ was re-established between March 29 and June 27. It is an open secret that Zanu PF did not campaign in their normal violent manner in the run up to March 29 and therefore lost the presidential race. They reverted to type and put in place their structures of evil after March 29, resulting in the farcical run-off and Mugabe inaugurating himself.

2.    Undeclared civil war during Thabo Mbeki’s watch. It was during the SADC mediation process, led by Thabo Mbeki, that Mugabe has continued and intensified his campaign of murder, mutilation, abduction and rape. As a result our placards will also state that we no longer have confidence in Thabo Mbeki. During his watch, babies have been mutilated for their parents’ democratic beliefs – their blood is on his hands. The South African mediation team stressed that the aim of the mediation was to have ‘an election whose result cannot be contested’. Yet two elections have been held and the results of both are contested. A second SADC team was mandated to deal with the economic chaos but they seem to have disappeared or have become too baffled by too many zeros to do anything. We therefore demand that:

·    The Africa Union and SADC have provided a reference group to the mediation team and it is our view that the political parties also need an on-the-ground reference group made up of civic society representatives who can provide input and receive feedback.

·    The status of the second SADC team dealing with the economy is clarified and their recommendations be made public so Zimbabweans can know what is to be done about the crashing economy.

·    The United Nations is allowed to come in to assess humanitarian needs and set up structures to address these urgently.

3.    Zimbabweans have lost faith in politicians’ ability to return life to the living. We do not think power sharing or a government of national unity (GNU) can work in Zimbabwe. We need an independent and impartial transitional authority under African leadership. African leaders should not dictate that a GNU be the only solution to our crisis. Zimbabwe is not Kenya and their solutions cannot be imposed on us, especially with our historical experiences of 1987. We need a solution to address the specific of the Zimbabwe crisis.  In Zimbabwe, the military elite runs the show not only on military might but also on political partisanship. For the ordinary soldier, police officer or prison officer to keep their job they have to follow political orders. This is the situation at any police station in the country. A transitional authority would be better placed to address this problem. A neutral person from Africa must be found who, supported by Zimbabwean technocrats, can form an interim authority that will neutralise the pillars of state, including the police. The violence can only be stopped when the victims can once again report abuses to an impartial body and trust that the perpetrators will be arrested and put on trial no matter who they are. For this to happen, magistrates and judges will also need to know that they will also be watched to ensure that there is justice through the courts for all equally.

We would want an engendered transitional authority to have the following mandate during their eighteen-month term of office:

a.    Stop the political violence. Depoliticise the police, army and other defence forces. Any political violence must be reported, investigated and prosecuted through the courts without any form of favour or political influence.

b.    Dialogue with the business and professional community to develop policy designed to bring about economic recovery.

c.    Supervise the addressing of the humanitarian crisis together with the United Nations.

d.    Even constitution making has become the sole preserve of politicians. It was the constitutional referendum in 2000 that intensified political violence with catastrophic results and therefore we need an independent person to oversee the consultative process. A transitional authority must neutralise this position and return constitution making back to the people of Zimbabwe.

e.    Depoliticise the issue of land reform, conduct a land audit and consult on a fair and equitable land reform programme. If the economy is to be stabilised, we need our land to be made productive fast.

f.    Form a body to consult and develop a transitional justice plan of action designed to bring healing and reconciliation and then deal with justice and restitution for victims in the new Zimbabwe.

g.    Bring about a truly independent electoral commission to oversee first a referendum on the new constitution and then a truly free and fair election process and a peaceful transition to the winner.

Thousands of WOZA members have been arrested for exercising their freedoms of expression and assembly. Some were even denied bail and imprisoned for marching to the Zambian Embassy to deliver a petition to the SADC chair, Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa. They remain undaunted by this repression and fully intend to continue to peacefully march for bread and roses, placards held high until their messages are taken seriously at the negotiation table and in the corridors of power. Of course if they had civic representatives at the table, their voice would be better heard than from the streets.

Strike a woman and you strike a rock

Eleven WOZA members, eight women, three men and two babies, were arrested in Nketa, Bulawayo today. They were about to attend a meeting, which was disrupted by riot police before it could commence. The 11 members were sitting outside a church when riot police arrived there after failing to find anyone at the appointed meeting place. Police allowed the mothers and babies to be released into the custody of their lawyer for the night but nine remain in custody tonight. Two university students arrested close by were also arrested with the WOZA members but have been released into their lawyer’s custody.

On Monday WOZA meeting venues were also surrounded by police but no members were arrested and the meetings took place as planned.

WOZA members outside Dudzai High School, Zengeza

Members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) in Harare continued with the campaign to directly engage school authorities over unreasonable demands on parents today. Representative groups met with school authorities at 12 schools across Harare and Chitungwiza to outline the concerns of parents and to deliver copies of petitions protesting against the extra demands placed on parents by schools, in particular the demand for stationery and cleaning materials.

At Seke 7 Primary School in St Marys and Seke 1 High School in Zengeza, both headmasters welcomed the representative groups with enthusiasm, commending WOZA for the work it is doing, and encouraging the parents to continue to defend their children’s rights.   The reception was less welcome at Seke 1 Primary School in St Marys but at least the headmaster met with the representative group and responded to their concerns. At Dudzai High School in Zengeza the headmaster refused to meet with the representative group unless they had a letter from the district education office. The petitions were therefore left with the bursar.

The district education officer later contacted leaders in the area, after petitions had been presented at the three schools, commending WOZA for the good initiative. He complained that parents did not speak openly at meetings about levies or simply did not attend. He advised WOZA to encourage parents who are struggling to pay fees to attend the meetings.

In Chitungwiza North, the headmasters of Tamuka and Farai Primary Schools were very cooperative after they had seen the petitions. They explained that the USD 50 charged for levies covers the cost of the text books and to maintain the grounds. At Farai, the school authorities admitted that the school was not very clean and promised to do something about that soon. At Kambuzuma 2 High School, the headmaster explained that the teachers’ fee of USD 10 is used to buy chemicals and pay the grounds men.  He complained that parents were not actively involved in the improvement of the school and did not attend school meetings yet were quick to criticize.

In Dzivarasekwa, the headmaster of Dzivarasekwa 4 Primary School welcomed the representative group and was happy to discuss their concerns. When asked why his school was sending pupils home because for failure to pay fees, he said it was an agreement with parents who had attended a meeting when schools opened and they had agreed that if school fees was not paid by the 5th March, then pupils should be sent home. He said half of the levy paid was given to teachers as an allowance. The teachers at the school had started boycotting classes saying their salaries were poor. The headmaster of Dzivarasekwa 6 Primary was having a similar problem with teachers as they had told him they would not be teaching again until their salaries were reviewed. Both heads encouraged parents to attend and participate in meetings that affect their children.

In Glen View, the headmaster of Glenview 1 High School refused to meet with the representative group but the headmaster of Glen View 2 High, Mr Masiiwa, was more friendly, even addressing the parents who had gathered outside. He told them that extra allowances for teachers had been stopped since they had been instructed by the ministry to do so. He also said both school fees and levies could be paid in instalments as long as the parents approached the school authorities to make an arrangement to do so. No pupils have been sent home since schools opened. The headmaster of Glen View 7 Primary was also happy to meet with the representative group and address their concerns.

WOZA would like to commend the school authorities that took the time to meet with the representative groups of parents and address their concerns. As in Bulawayo, we would also like to encourage all parents to take an active role in participating in the running of the schools that your children attend and take responsibility to hold the school authorities accountable for the funds given to the school.

The seven members arrested in Bulawayo on Wednesday 17th June appeared again in Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court  today. The case had been postponed from 19th October in order for the magistrate to give her ruling on the defence’s application for them to be removed off remand. Despite the state still not being ready, the magistrate refused to remove them off remand. Her reason – the state witness are waiting to testify and can’t keep coming and going to court! It does not appear the magistrate appreciated the irony inherent in her ruling.

Defence lawyer, Kossam Ncube, immediately notified the court of his intention to lodge an appeal with the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the charges. The activists are charged under Section 37 1 a of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act – ‘disturbing the peace, security or order of the public’.

In another matter, 20 members in Masvingo will appear on trial in Masvingo Magistrate’s Court on 28th October 2009 for an arrest on 7th March 2007. The group had been removed off remand on 16th July 2007 by Magistrate Nyamukomba and the state ordered to proceed by ways of summons. The group had appeared in court five times in 2007 with two trials failing to take off because no witnesses were willing to come forward. They are charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Both cases indicate the continuing repression against human rights defenders and the worsening situation in Zimbabwe.

WOZA has produced a booklet ‘A guide to understanding the Constitution’, which has been included below.

The booklet is to aid people to contribute in consultations as well as to help members decide on their minimum standards and principles for a constitution. WOZA prepared the booklet to empower people with issues to debate publicly prior to the public consultations and to empower them to speak out during the consultations.

The English version: Helping Zimbabweans to understand and write their own Constitution

The Shona version: Kubatsira mhuri ye Zimbabwe kunzwisisa ne kunyora Bumbiro ravo re Mitemo

The Ndebele version: Ukuphathisa amazimbabwe ukuba bazwisise njalo balobe iSisekelo Sombuso sabo

Two women, Sibongile Matupe and Rose Rukwewo, an elderly woman, have been arrested in Mutare today following the peaceful protest in that city yesterday. The two women are currently at Mutare Central Police Station and look set to spend the night in custody. It is unclear why they were targeted for arrest or what charge, if any, will be laid against them.  Lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) are in attendance but have not been given access to the women. Law and Order officers are insisting that they finish ‘interviewing’ them before they will allow the lawyer access to his clients.

Police went door-to-door in Sakubva, a suburb of Mutare, searching for people who took part in yesterday’s peaceful protest action.  The two women were taken from their homes.

The arrest of these two women is a blatant violation of civil rights, as is the fact that they are being denied access to their lawyer.

Please call Mutare Central to protest the arrest of these women and to demand their immediate release on (+263 20) 31543 or 64212 or 63813 or 63814.

Four WOZA members, Jenni Williams, Magodonga Mahlangu, Clara Manjengwa and Celina Madukani, have instructed Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights to sue the co-Ministers of Home Affairs, Theresa Makone and Kembo Mohadi, over the conditions in Harare Central Police Station. The case refers to the six days that the four women spent in the holding cells at Harare Central Police Station in April for a peaceful protest to the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) over poor service and unfair billing practices.

ZLHR will also apply to the Supreme Court, for a declaratur declaring the conditions at Harare Central Police Station Holding Cells, cruel, inhuman and degrading, and thus a violation of section 15 of the Constitution.

To read a full copy of the notice of intention to sue, please click here: Notice-of-Intention-to-Sue 25.08.10

More information about WOZA’s electricity campaign can be read in the electricity category folder to the right