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WOZA court update

SEVEN members arrested in Bulawayo on Wednesday 17th June appeared on remand in Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court on 10 September. They had been remanded out of custody but were reporting to their closest police station every Friday. Defense lawyer, Kossam Ncube, successfully applied for their reporting conditions to be relaxed. They will reappear in court on 7 October 2009.

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’.

Another matter still before the courts is the arrest of Jennifer Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu on 16 October 2008. The matter is still before the Supreme Court as a ruling promised in July is still pending. They will appear on remand in Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court on 14 October 2009.

WOZA MOYA Valentine’s Day Edition 2006

WATCH OUT FOR WOZA ON VALENTINE’S DAY 2006 WE ARE MARCHING FOR BREAD AND ROSES!
We want more than day to day survival – we deserve roses and the dignity they stand for. This year’s theme is inspired by the `Bread and Roses` strike led and won by American women textile workers in 1912. For women in 2006 the bread stands for the need for affordable food and the roses represent the need to be dignified and the call for social justice.

WOZA IZATSHENGISELA IFUNA IZINKWA LAMALUBA!
Sikhathele ukuphilela usuku ngosuku – sifuna ukuzotha okumelwe ngamaluba.

WOZA IRIKURATIDZIRA NEZVECHINGWA NEMARUWA!
Tinoda zvinopfuura kurarama kwepazuwa nepazuva – tinokodzerawo maruwa nerukudzo.

Twelfth January 1912 was the anniversary of the start of the Bread and Roses strike in Lawrence, United States; one of the most important struggles in the history of the U.S. working class. A new law had reduced the working week and cut the average wage – the last straw for workers living on the edge of starvation. Thousands of women and men started a spontaneous strike that rippled through two dozen textile factories. Some 23,000 people left the mills and poured into the streets. The Lawrence strike was different in two ways: women led it and there was an effort to unite workers of all nationalities around four demands: a 15-percent wage increase, a 54- hour work week, double pay for overtime and the rehiring of all strikers without discrimination. The workers also saw the strike as part of a broader struggle – they wanted to fight for social justice; dignity as well as basic needs.

Police threw the women in jail but they refused to pay the fines. As soon as they were released they returned to protest. One lawyer commented, “One policeman can handle 10 men, while it takes 10 police to handle one woman.” The strike went on for over two months. Children were starving and had to be sent to nearby towns. When they tried to leave, police responded by attacking women and children, forcing the children to stay. That was the turning point. An international outcry forced the government to investigate, putting more pressure on the bosses.

Finally on March 14, the strikers won a 25-percent increase, pay for overtime and no discrimination against strikers. This strike had shown that low-paid, oppressed workers of diverse nationalities could unite and organise a powerful struggle against ill-treatment. It stands as a shining example of how to build unity with women in the lead. One reporter wrote of the Lawrence strike: “It was the spirit of the workers that seemed dangerous. They were always marching and singing. The strikers not only wanted decent pay, but also a chance to enjoy the good things of life. They carried signs saying, “We want bread and roses too!

And they sang: “As we go marching, marching, we battle too for men, for they are women’s children, and we mother them again. Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes; hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses.”


Omama labobaba kweleAmerica batshengisela mhlaka 12 Zibandlela 1912. Babetshengisela befuna izinkwa lamaluba, ngoba umthetho omutsha usuqume amalanga okusebenza njalo usuyehlise iholo lokhu kwenza izisebenzi ezazivele zilamba zithwale nzima. Kwatshengisela omama labobaba abayi 23 000, kwavalwa amafemu amanengi. Ukutshengesela lokhu kwakukhokhelwa ngomama ababefuna into ezine: ukukhwezelwa kweholo nge15%, ukusebenza amahola ayi54 ngeviki; ukuhola okuphindwe kabili nxa bengazebenza amahola edlulisileyo; lokuthi labo ababexotshiwe betshengisela babiselwe emsebenzini kungela bandlululo. Izisebenzi zabona ukutshengisela kuyingxenye yokulwela ukuzikhulula. Babefuna ukulwela inhlalakahle, ukuzotha, lokuthola okufaneleyo impilweni. Amapholisa abajikela omama laba emajele kodwa bala ukuhlawula imali yokuthi bonile. Besanda kukhululwa babuyela bayatshengisela. Omunye ugqhwetha wathi “Ipholisa elilodwa lingabopha amadoda alitshumi kodwa kuthatha amapholisa alitshumi ukubopha umama oyedwa.”

Mhlaka 14 Mbimbitho, abatshengiseli banqoba, iholo lakhwezwa nge25%, bathola ukuhlawulwa amahola adlulisileyo, ababexotshiwe babiselwa emsebenzini. Ukutshengisela kwezisebenzi ezihola iholo elincane njalo zincindezelwe zivela kuzizwe ezehlukeneyo zingabambana, ziqoqane ziyenze ukutshengisela okukhulu. Intathelizindaba yabhala yathi, “Ukuzinikela kwezisebenzi kwesabisa….. babehlabela behamba. Ababetshengisela babengafuni iholo elithuthukileyo kuphela babefuna into ezithokozisa impilo. Babethwele imbiko ethi ‘Sifuna izinkwa lamaluba futhi!” Babehlabela besithi, “Sitshengisela nje sitshengiselela labobaba, ngoba bayinzalo yabomama, njalo singomama babo. Impilo yethu ayisoze ibengeyezithukuthuku kusukela sizalwa size sife; inhliziyo ziyalamba kanye lemizimba ngakho ke lisinike izinkwa, kodwa lisinike lamaluba.


Musi wa 12 Ndira 1912 vakadzi nevarume vekuAmerica vakaratidzira. Chiratidzo ichi chainzi Chingwa neMaruva. Mutemo mutsva wakanga waderedza basa revhiki zvichiita kuti vaomerwe neupenyu. Zviuru zviviri nenhatu zvemepfumbamwe zvevanhukadzi nevanhurume vakaratidzira vachivhara mafekitari. Kuratidzira uku kwaitungamirirwa nevanhukadzi vaive nezvinangwa zvina: kuwedzerwa kwemari inopiwa vashandi nechikamu chinoita gumi nechishanu kubva muzana, ma hour makumi mashanu nemana ekushanda pavhiki, kupiwa mubhadharo wakapetwa kaviri kana vakapfuura nguva yakatarwa yekushanda uye kudzokera kwevaratidzira kumabasa pasina rusaruro. Asi vashandi vakaonazve kuratidzira uku sechidimbu cherusununguko rwakakura – vaida kurwira magariro akarurama anemutsigo uye kuwana zvakakodzerana neupenyu. Mapurisa akasunga vakadzi ava asi vakaramba kubhadhara Mari yeusungwa. Vachingobudiswa mujere vakadzokera kunoratidzira zvekare. Rimwe gweta rakati “mupurisa mumwe anochengetedza varume gumi asi zvinoda mapurisa gumi kuchengetedza mukadzi mumwe.” Kuratidzira uku kwakaenderera mberi kwemwedzi miviri.

Pakupedzisira musi wa 14 Kukadzi varatidziri ava vakawana kukwidzwa kwemari inopiwa vashandi nezvikamu zviviri nechishanu kubva muzana, kushanda kupfuura nguva dzakatarwa uye varatidziri vachidzoka kumabasa. Kuratidzira uku kwakataridza kuti vashandi vanobhadharwa mari shoma, vakadzvanyirirwa vendudzi dzose vanokwanisa kubatana, kurongeka, uye kuratidzira hondo yakasimba. Mumwe mutori wenhau akati, “Wanga uri mweya wevashandi wanga uchityisa…vaigara vachifamba nekuimba. Varatidziri vaisada muhoro wakawanda chete asi vaida neupenyu wakanaka. Vaitakura mifananidzo yakanyorwa kunzi ‘tinoda chingwa nemaruva zvekare.’” Uye vaiimba kuti, “Patinofamba, patinofamba, tonorwirawo vanhurume zvekare, nekuti vana vevanhukadzi uye tinovachengetawo. Upenyu hwedu haucharwadzi kurarama dakara tafa, moyo uchiomerwa semuviri, tipei chingwa nemaruva!”


Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) hosted an initial consultation on the subject of Social Justice, two hundred delegates from WOZA, other civic organisations, and two Zambian activists attended.

Consultation Objectives

  • to bring the national discourse back to the issues that concern ordinary people, giving them back the initiative
  • refocus attention on the basic and fundamental rights that belong to us all
  • ensure that the voices of grass-roots communities are consulted and heard
  • construct a new agenda of social justice around which we can all mobilise for action
  • create and raise expectations of people as to what political leaders should deliver and how to hold them accountable

Initial consultation overview

Social justice can be defined as a system where people have equal opportunities/access to social, economic, cultural, religious and political needs regardless of race, gender, creed or any other form of discrimination.

It can be the way we interact with others and a method of governance which includes the following:

  • Full enjoyment of all social, political, economic and cultural rights
  • An equal society including gender equality
  • Respect for human rights including women’s and children’s rights
  • Freedoms including speech, assembly and association
  • Respect and tolerance of diversity – culture and religion
  • Transparency and accountability
  • Equal participation in political and economic decision-making
  • Equal application of the law – access to justice and understanding of the law
  • Correction of past injustices such as Gukurahundi and Murambatsvina
  • Gutsaruzhinji/inhlalakahle yabantu (Good living)
  • Access to affordable education
  • Adequate and affordable food
  • Access to affordable housing, electricity, sanitation and clean water
  • Access to affordable healthcare and medication including anti-retrovirals (ARVs)
  • Equal and fair access to fertile land, inputs, equipment and secure ownership
  • Equal opportunities to resources, employment, self-help projects and the right to earn a living wage
  • Development of adequate infrastructure and access to affordable transport
  • Environmentally sustainable usage of resources

The consultation process continues – we would like your opinion on how we can make Zimbabwe a socially just nation. Email us at wozazimbabwe@yahoo.com or write to us. Join us in the street to see how your dreams can become possibilities…

WOZA and MOZA demand real schools with real teachers for a real education in Harare; 3 arrested

Update Wednesday 20th Jan – 10am:

It has emerged that Tabitha Taona was released last night under unclear circumstances. She is at home and is in good spirits.

******

Update Tuesday 19th Jan – 5pm:

Thabita Taona is set to spend another night in Harare Central Police Station as Law and Order officers refuse to assign an Investigating Officer to the case. Until an Investigating Officer is assigned, charges cannot be formally brought against her. Attempts by lawyers to have the case against her speedily dealt with have come to nothing as police are obviously engaged in delaying tactics. She has been allowed to see her lawyer and has received the food brought to her. She has also been interrogated extensively about who was in the demonstration.

The man caught ‘in the cross-fire’, Comfort Nyakura, was released last night after his employer confirmed that he had been at work at the time of the demonstration and was merely on his lunch break.

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Update Monday 18th Jan – 6pm:

A woman, Thabita Taona, and man, Comfort Nyakura, arrested earlier today after a peaceful protest to the Minister of Education, will spend the night in custody at Harare Central Police Station. Nyakura was arrested after taking a photograph of the demonstration with the camera on his mobile phone. The third person arrested, journalist Andrison Manyere, was released earlier this afternoon with a caution. Lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) are in attendance. It is unclear at this stage what the two will be charged with.

It is not the first time that WOZA members have been arrested for asking for a better education for their children. The last time WOZA protested peacefully at the Ministry of Education in February 2009, they were brutally beaten by riot police and five members arrested. Nor is it the first time that a bystander has been arrested for merely observing a WOZA demonstration.

As with the demonstration in Bulawayo last week, the peaceful protestors received great encouragement from bystanders, both along the route and outside the Ministry. In fact, it is believed that Ministry officials were on their way to join the demonstration when the riot police arrived. Even the soldiers outside the Ministry of Defence next door to the Ministry of Education were vocal in their encouragement to the demonstrators. As the group sang ‘tinoda dzidzo‘ (we want education), bystanders were overheard congratulating the WOZA members for speaking out about this issue that is close to the heart of every Zimbabwean.

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Members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise marched to the Ministry of Education in Harare at noon today to hand over their report on the education system in Zimbabwe entitled – Looking Back to Look Forward. The report covers recommendations and a list of demands that parents want addressed by the Minister of Education, Senator David Coltart. Police interrupted the peaceful demonstration, arresting three people, a woman and two men. One of the men is an accredited journalist that was covering the march. At the time of this release, riot police were still actively stopping any group of people walking together in central Harare and interrogating them.

As is standard WOZA practice, three separate demonstrations started simultaneously and converged on the Ministry of Education offices. Two of the groups, approximately 250 people, managed to reach the Ministry offices; the third demonstration was broken up by riot police before it could arrive at the Ministry. It is still unclear how many people, if any, were arrested during this process.

On arrival at the Ministry, a small delegation went to meet with the Minister, Senator David Coltart, to give him a copy of the report. Before he could come downstairs to address the peaceful group outside, a truckload of riot police arrived, beating their baton sticks on their shields. The journalist and the man were arrested at this point and the rest of the group dispersed. The woman who is currently under arrest was arrested near Parliament, over a block away from the Ministry of Education.

The full text of the report on education can be found below as can the text of the newsletter the protestors were marching with.

Members arrested at public meeting on ZESA today

Two members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise were arrested today at a public meeting convened by the Competition and Tariff Commission at the Large City Hall in Bulawayo.

Two hundred members of WOZA and MOZA attended the public meeting in order to present their views to the Commission on ZESA. As the delegation were due to answer questions, two members, Million and Mavis Sibanda, took the opportunity to go to the toilets, which are in the reception foyer. As soon as they entered the foyer, they were grabbed by two plain clothed police officers who searched their bags. The police officers then insisted the two members accompany them to Central Police Station. This incident took place under the eyes of the Commission Secretary who was registering attendance in the foyer.

WOZA National Coordinator announced to the meeting of the arrest of the two members, asking the Commission and the Permanent Secretary of Energy and Development to explain this harassment when members had come to engage ZESA as consumers. She then called on the members present to hand over their ‘yellow cards’ and leave. Whereupon all 200 members present processed to the front stage to hand over the cards and walked out.

WOZA leaders then questioned the Commission Secretary as to why these people had been arrested and she referred the matter to her boss. Two of the ‘bosses’ came out of the function and were informed of the arrests. They agreed that as organisers they would follow up and asked WOZA members to come back in to the meeting. They declined until their members were released.

At the police station, Million and Mavis were being interrogated as to their objective in the meeting and a bunch of ‘yellow cards’ found on Million were confiscated. They were mwade to narrate their life history which was noted down on a profile form. Some other police officers then apparently came to their rescue asking why they had been arrested. Upon hearing the explanation, they said they are also suffering from high electricity bills and long cuts and that WOZA should be allowed to protest on this issue. They then insisted the two WOZA members should be released. Upon confirmation of their release, the rest of the WOZA members went back into the meeting.

WOZA would like to condemn the continued harassment of human rights defenders and questions the commitment of the state to allow citizens to participate in public forums.

To read a copy of WOZA’s ‘yellow card’, click here: ZESA yellow card

To read a copy of WOZA’s report on electricity services in Zimbabwe, click here: WOZA report on ZESA

20 WOZA members remain in custody in Masvingo on International Women’s Day

Update – 9pm
20 WOZA members remain in police custody in Masvingo tonight – their third night – in direct contravention of the 48-hours maximum period allowed under the Public Order and Security Act (POSA). Police gave the excuse that their equipment was not functioning properly so they could not take the statements of all 20 in time. Lawyers also blamed a go-slow at the courts for the inability to bring an urgent High Court application before a judge to demand their immediate release. The group was arrested at noon on Tuesday whilst launching the People’s Charter. The group is expected to appear in court early tomorrow morning (Friday).

The 17 women and three men are split between Masvingo Central and Chikato Police Stations. Please call these stations and demand to know why they are insisting on holding WOZA members illegally.
Masvingo Central – +263 (0) 39 62221.
Chikato – +263 (0) 39 62308

Zimbabwean Receives International Women of Courage Award

Secretary Rice spotlights Jennifer Williams, founder of WOZA

By Jim Fisher-Thompson
USINFO Staff Writer

Washington — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spotlighted the achievements of Zimbabwean human rights activist Jennifer Williams with an International Women of Courage Award presented at the State Department March 7.

Williams, founder of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) — a civil society organization established in 2003 to protest government abuses — accepted the award in the name of the group’s more than 45,000 members.

“The award is a great honor, but the real award will be a free and independent Zimbabwe ,” Williams told USINFO during an interview at the State Department on the day of the ceremony.

The Zimbabwean was one of 10 recipients of the courage award chosen from among a field of 82 women activists nominated by U.S. embassies worldwide.

The ceremony was held on International Women’s Day, during a month that the United States celebrates as National Women’s History Month.

Announcing the award for Williams, the department cited the “harassment and physical abuse” she suffered under President Robert Mugabe’s regime and commended her for “providing an example of courage and leadership by working for change through peaceful and nonviolent means.”

In establishing the award in 2006, Rice said, “Women of courage are standing up for freedom and human dignity and the United States stands with them. We must not forget that the advance of women’s rights and the advance of human liberty go hand in hand.”

Arrested more than 25 times for leading protests against Mugabe’s regime, Williams said, ” Zimbabwe supposedly got independence in 1980.” But under “dictator” Mugabe’s disastrous land-seizure policies the economy is being destroyed and the country is turning into a beggar of international food aid.

Because of resulting malnutrition and lack of proper health care, she said, “Women are dying at age 34 [median age]; men, at 37. You can’t earn a living. The authorities tear down houses that are not squatter houses and stop you from making a living.”

Hardships fall especially hard on women, Williams said, because it is the children “who beg mama for more food or want to know why they can no longer go to school” when there is no money for school fees.

Williams, a Matabele from Bulawayo , has paid a high personal price for her social and political protests. She received death threats following her arrests. Her thriving public relations business is defunct and her husband and children live in “economic exile” in Britain . A Matabele is a member of the Bantu people native to southern Zimbabwe .

Despite the personal sacrifices, the activist said she feels empowered because WOZA’s strength lies in its community members “who have ownership” in the organization. “It is because of our united struggle, hand in hand, that we are going to get the Zimbabwe we want,” she said.

“Another very important aspect in saving our [protestor’s] lives is the solidarity we get from people around the world,” Williams said. And in that regard “the American Embassy in Harare has been very helpful.”

“On the 12th of December I was arrested along with 300 others at parliament,” she related. “It was an incredible thing to see a U.S. Embassy vehicle parked right there where we were seated on the ground under arrest. One police official after another tried to get the Americans to move but they just kept sitting there saying, ‘we are just here to observe the process.’”

“That gave us a lot of courage,” Williams said. “We had been brutally beaten just two weeks before at a demonstration and we just needed to know that someone was watching out for us this time around. And at the demonstration at parliament, the police allowed us walk away free, which had never happened before.

“So, we think it is important for the diplomatic community to play a role in helping us achieve our struggle,” she added. “We can do it ourselves but it helps when the Mugabe authorities know the world is watching.”

WOZA declare a victory after successfully launching The People’s Charter at Parliament in Harare

More than 800 members of Women Of Zimbabwe Arise and Men Of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA) today marched to Parliament in Harare to launch the People’s Charter. Two groups started at different locations in central Harare, converging on Parliament at the same time. Upon arriving at Parliament, the two groups were met by riot police and arrested.

Police hold members of WOZA/MOZA outside Parliament in Harare

Police held the group of approximately 350 people, who were sitting peacefully, for more than an hour in front of the Parliament buildings before unexpectedly releasing them. WOZA/ MOZA members were made to sit for more than an hour under police guard whilst riot and uniformed police were seen conferencing and seemed to be in a dilemma as to what to do with the group. Several people, including parliamentarians, came out of the Parliament Buildings to observe the proceedings and to read the placards the group was holding, and many took copies of the Peoples’ Charter.

Members had come from all around the county to join the march – from Bulawayo, Mutare, Chegutu, Gweru and some rural areas. After the brutality with which police attacked WOZA members in Bulawayo two weeks ago, members had braced themselves for a similar response. They were surprised however upon being told that they could go back to their homes after being warned that they were demonstrating illegally and that they were not allowed to walk or even sit like they were doing! What was even more surprising was that Jenni Williams, WOZA’s National Coordinator, was invited to address the group before they dispersed.

At one stage a senior police officer asked the group who the leaders was and when he was told everyone is a leader, he then took five members from the main group, including two men and an elderly woman on crutches, loading them onto the back of a police vehicle and taking down their names. A Human Rights lawyer who was on site questioned this and some time later the five were made to rejoin the rest of the group.

The response to the People’s Charter from Zimbabweans all over the world has been overwhelming and today was no different. Pedestrians in downtown Harare rushed to receive copies of the Charter from the marching groups and in fact, the only WOZA items that remain in custody tonight is the People’s Charter and placards including those calling for 2008 Parliamentary and Presidential elections.

The reaction of the Zimbabwe Republic Police today was a victory for WOZA’s non-violent strategy and for the power of social justice. The WOZA leadership would like to commend the Zimbabwe Republic Police for showing that they are human beings also requiring social justice in their lives. However WOZA would also like to warn them that if they are turning over a new leaf it should be apparent every day, not only today but also in the future.

Having successfully launched the Charter in Harare and Bulawayo, WOZA is now planning to roll out launch demonstrations across the country. We will be coming to a town near you! Join us in demanding a socially just Zimbabwe.

Heavy police presence ignored as hundreds march but 20 arrested and released

Twenty members have been arrested in Bulawayo around noon on 22 August 2011. These arrests followed protests to the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Company over poor service. Five hundred members, in four separate protests managed to converge on the Power station to deliver 63 000 signatures that remained after police seized the million signatures on the ‘anti abuse of power’ petition signatures. As they marched they distributed flyers. They also delivered ‘red cards’ and 4 mock coffins symbolising the need for ‘parliament to bury ZESA’ or remove the monopoly.

Town looked perfectly normal until 11:30 am when large contingent of police were deployed. Over one hundred police officers, many in full Riot police gear conducted arbitrary ‘stop and search’ of anyone walking. Other officers stopped every commuter omnibuses enroute into the CDB and searched handbags and people’s pockets. The police officers told some members that they were looking for WOZA material.

Plain clothed Criminal Investigating Officers were also present in their large numbers in the vicinity of the protest.  This dragnet resulted in 10 members from one area were arrested as they waited for their demonstration to start. Due to heavy presence of police around town, two of the four processions had to relocate members to their plan B beginning points. These last minute changes resulted in some members being too frightened to March or getting lost in the relocation.

As the 3 protests arrived at the Power stations officers, they dropped off the coffin and red cards and the petitions before dispersing. The fourth protest arrived as the ZESA office staff, were taking in the petitions and coffin, as the peaceful activists arrived carrying the 4th coffin, the staff actually thanked them for the coffin and took it into the office.  Passersby commended the activists for dealing ‘with ZESA’ and said at least the police ‘allowed’ them time to dance at the ZESA office.

After the protests two more groups, bringing the number of arrests to 20, with at least two members being handcuffed. Lawyers have been deployed.

WOZA national coordinator, Jenni Williams who participated in the procession issued this comment: ‘I wish to pay tribute to WOZA members for showing determination to deliver a strong telling off to ZESA despite being searched and intimidated’. With the huge presence of police, who were thoroughly searching each person, I did not expect any procession to get started, but members strategised. They sneaked into town all their reds cards, flyers, petitions with 63 000 signatures on petitions, 4 huge cardboard Coffins and placards and managed to march and deliver their message.

WOZA would also like to thank members of the public for saving at least 5 members from arrest by plain clothed police officers by tipping them off that the officers were talking about arresting them.  A similar protest on 10 May 2011, to the power station resulted in over 50 members being beaten.

Members of WOZA and MOZA did research on 1434 households last year and found that:
1. The average home spends 101 hours per month without ELECTRICITY that is over 15% of the hours in one month. This year power cuts have doubled.
2. Most people spend 3/4 of the cost of the ZESA bill buying alternative fuel so they can cook food!
3. More than 50% of homes pay a fixed charge, if they don’t pay they are cut off, they don’t get any discount for power cuts and are charged interest on back bills and estimate bills.
4.  Of the 1434 homes, only 42 homes had prepaid meters. These are some of the reasons WOZA are giving ZESA a red card – they are a danger to our pockets and they don’t have customer care or improve their service.  Millions of Zimbabweans are being robbed. ZESA is abusing POWER and parliament must remove the power monopoly. WOZA members want prepaid meters and affordable, fair electricity service, with actual bills and proper load shedding timetables.

more pictures available on WOZA facebook page and You Tube  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfIXW1tUx5s

195 arrested during Valentines Day protests, 50 beaten, Bertha remains in custody

Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) members in Harare and Bulawayo conducted their traditional Valentine’s Day protests and both protests were marred by beatings and arrests. This is the 11th year WOZA has conducted such a protest and this year’s theme is under the theme – One Love.  One hundred and ninety five were arrested then released after some hours but one woman remains in custody.

At 2 o’clock on 13 February 2013, Harare members marched towards parliament in two separate formations.  Riot Police based at Parliament disrupted the both protests and fired 5 canisters of tear gas to disperse the over 1000 strong protest sending members and bystanders scurrying for cover. Many people were affected by the tear gas and some children were seen crying. Business came to a standstill due to this indiscriminate use of force to disrupt a peaceful protest.

Over 25 members had to seek medical attention including the 8 members who were arrested at parliament and beaten by the 8 Riot police during the 20 minute wait for the police van to take them into custody. A ninth bystander a male, had his cell phone taken and was separated from the others and beaten for over 20minutes between the police reaction group headquarters in Harare’s Cramborne Barracks and Harare Central police station.

The 8 arrested were Jennifer Williams, Magodonga Mahlangu, Clara Manjengwa, Hilda Murapa, Enia Mazambare, Tambudzai Manangazira, Siphetheni Ndlovu and Maria Majoni. As the women arrived at the Police station, the receiving police officer chided his uniformed colleagues for ‘arresting WOZA’ and told them to take them away. For over 2 hours no progress was made and it was unclear if the 8 were in detention or not but their liberty was obviously curtailed. After they were release all 9 including the bystander spent another 3 hours lodging a formal complaint about the beatings, tear gas and abuse they had suffered. A police report number is available for the complaint. All nine then were taken to hospital for treatment and x-rays for the brutality meted out on them at Parliament.

On 14February 2013 members in Bulawayo conducted their Valentine’s Day protest. Members decided to march to the police Headquarters in 9th Avenue, at Southampton House. Members wanted to demand that the Police respond to formal complaints about police beatings and brutality. Police brutality prevailed during a Water protest on 12 November. WOZA then marched to hand over a protest on 29 November but no response was forthcoming.

The 4pm protest began with smoothly but when the 8 protest groups number 800 members neared Southampton house, Riot police swooped and began indiscriminately beating members. WOZA leaders Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu managed to regroup the protest and after many skirmishes managed to get the members to sit down on the pavement so that official proceedings could begin. As this began senior ranking officers repeated order for Riot officer to beat the two activists who were still recovering from the Harare protest assault.  Police officers began arresting any male person they observed with a camera, numbering 6.

The police boss then requested Williams to go upstairs to the officer to dialogue with the police provincial leadership. After obtaining assurances that nothing would befall the members and that the 6 men arrested would return with Williams, her and a colleague went upstairs.

The meeting was to be short-lived as the officers were obviously not cooperative and kept blocking progress by insisting on a formal letter requesting an appointment to receive feedback on the many complaint letters.  The meeting came to an abrupt end when Williams was telephoned by Magodonga Mahlangu to say all the participants had been arrested by the Riot Reaction group and taken to the Bulawayo Central Police station. Williams then walked out of the meeting and handed herself into custody with 179 other members. The 6 male members were also still in custody at Southampton house.

The same police bosses who had attempted to meet Williams, then arrived at the station and misled the meeting with Williams had been fruitful and that they did not know why or how the members came to be in the police station but that they should leave immediately. Williams then addressed members say they would leave police custody but only if the missing 6 male members were also released as they had all been together. Without any further dialogue the officers barked order to the Riot Reaction group to remove the 180 members forthwith from the police station.  A few members were then beaten again.

It transpired that of the six men that remained in custody only 1 is a WOZA members, the others bystanders who took photos of the protest. They were this night tortured by intelligence agents and then released home for the night with instructions to return at 9am on 15 February.

The woman, Bertha Sibanda is in custody for ‘indecent exposure’. She was one of the 180 in custody and she stripped naked in the police station in frustration at not having her complaints addressed. She is one of the 11 members who were in a Water protest that police violently disturbed and was subjected to tribal insults about Gukurahundi when she lost family to this massacre. complaint police harrasment to ZRP 13nov incident and Follow up letter 14 Feb13 police complaint

Meanwhile 6 members had medical attention, one of who has to have 3 teeth pulled due to batons stick injury to her mouth. Several members have reported being called by police officers requesting information about the protest plans and made the offer of money for information. Two of the calls were made from Bulawayo number 60248 Code (00 263 9). WOZA suspect this number to be of an intelligence office. WOZA invite activism to assist us in holding this intelligence office accountable for harassment and beating of WOZA members in an attempt to curtail their right to protest.

WOZA handed over their demands contained in the February 2013 Woza Moya Newsletter.  Woza Moya Feb 2013

16 Masvingo members released – 2 more arrested

The 16 members, six women and nine men, arrested on Tuesday afternoon for playing netball and football were all finally released this afternoon. Police harassment of WOZA continued however as two other members, Winnie Sadeya and Eurita Singemde, were arrested at lunchtime whilst taking in food to the group. The two women are still in custody tonight.

Six members, who had been tortured and were in a lot of pain, paid admission of guilt fines and were released earlier today. Three of these members received medical attention; two for beatings on the soles of their feet and the third potentially has a broken hand from beaten with a baton stick.

The circumstances of the release of the remaining ten were not clear as the support team awaiting their release had to leave town after being chased by Law and Order officers. The lawyer had indicated that when was leaving the station, the group had been instructed to remain behind to await a lecture by Dispol (the district police authority) about their behaviour. It seems that the authorities in Masvingo are extremely rattled by social netball and football – sports fans beware!