FIVE hundred members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) marched in two separate processions to Parliament at noon on 27th November 2012. This protest is the launch of the WOZA 16 days of Activism against Gender Violence under the international theme: From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence against Women! But WOZA will use a shortened version – PEACE NOW!

The protest groups merged 5 meters from Parliament entrance and closed the distance between them and a squad of Riot police manning the entrance door into Parliament. As the activists arrived, Police immediately tried to send them away from the door but the determined human rights defenders began their protest program. The program included the singing of a Shona language song and kneeling in prayer.

WOZA National coordinator Jenni Williams then went to the entrance to deliver the Woza Moya Newsletter containing the 16 Days demands. Two ‘shivering with fear’ parliamentary officers managed to take the document before being shoved out of the way by glaring intelligence officers. The intelligence officers attempted to ensure Williams only spoke with them. As this engagement happened Williams was roughly pulled by the arm from the back by a suited man who seemed to be a parliamentarian intent on violence, he pulled Williams out the way to get into the chamber.

Seven members then made short speeches outlining the demands.  A male member chanting a WOZA slogan ‘you strike a woman and you strike a rock’ to the amusement of male bystanders, spoke of the need to remove the Zanu PF militia who are now manning boreholes and politicizing the distribution of water.

The protest programme was then closed with more slogans. Journalists who were in attendance then began to ask questions of Williams and other participants and a mini press conference ensured. Impatient Riot Police took exception to this and became loud in their attempts to disperse Williams and the journalists.
Many members of parliament were seen looking through the windows and smiling their encouragement. WOZA pray that they took time to read the list of demands contained in the Woza Moya newsletter.

No members were beaten or arrested during the protest and apart from over zealousness on the part of some junior officers who threatened to beat members at the back of the protest, police behaved with restraint.

WOZA members demand a strong Declaration of Rights a.    Equality – right to equality on basis of gender – women to have equal access to jobs and employment, equal pay, to acquire land and inherit property. b.    Right to education – free but quality primary and affordable secondary education and access to vocational education. As a way to correct the injustice of the past 10 years of prioritising defence over education we demand this right be fully justiciable. c.    Right to protest and assemble freely (section 4:16) and the police to respect this right and to protest without clearance. d.    The Right to personal liberty and right to be informed of the reason for arrest.  We want the right to free and safe streets and personal security. e.    Affordable and quality health care. f.    Clean water, sanitation, clean environment. g.    There should be a better provision for children’s rights and expansion in the bill of rights including social economic political and cultural rights. For example the right to earn a living (protection of informal sector). h.    Labour rights – the right to strike, safety, non-discrimination in employment on ethnic basis

WOZA members general DEMANDS
1.    A Ministry of Women’s Affairs to promote affirmative action
2.    There must be separation of powers and members feel that devolution will help promote total people participation in how they want to be governed.
3.    Members said the executive must not interfere with the judiciary and must let the judiciary be independent and for justice to prevail in the country.
4.    Members said they want the rule of law to be protected and promoted in the new constitution.
5.    Members want to see a change in the police force behaviour and in the way they do their job. They believe that the presidential appointment method is the root cause for politicisation of the security sector.
6.    Members want equal representation of women in all elected institutions and commissions.
7.    Strong Human Rights Commission that will fully recognise and protect all human rights ensuring that all cases of human rights are dealt with.
8.    National Peace commission for transitional justice which will provide for restitution from perpetrators for Gukurahundi crimes and those victims will be compensated.
9.    Culture Commission to promote traditional culture that respects human rights
10.    Development Commission to identify disadvantaged and provide affirmative action
11.    Independent Land Commission for distribution of land ensuring that women benefit the most as they are serious farmers.
12.    A strong Provincial and Local Government. Members want a devolved system of government and that can effectively administer devolution for development within its region and ensure natural resources develop their immediate community. Members said they want devolution of powers ‘high and low’ but are prepared to accept a start toward this system and develop it by amendments to the constitution. They do not accept Zanu PF’s version – decentralisation as it has already been in place and has not resulted in shared and devolved decision making.

a.    Members said they want policy change. They want to elect their provincial governors as a principle of democracy.   b.    Members want a Local authority that has the power to control natural resources and make all development decisions.  c.    Fair distribution of revenues between centre and provinces.

MEMBERS of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) enroute to vote at 6am on 31st July 2013 were surprised to see strange A4 flyers with WOZA logos thrown all around the Mpopoma suburb in Bulawayo. Members then called the WOZA leadership to notify them of the logo theft.

WOZA national Coordinator then contacted the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party secretary general who confirmed that the flyer had not been authored by her party. The MDC Tsvangirai party was also then notified through party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa that the flyer had not been authored by WOZA.

The timing of the distribution of this flyer was obviously an attempt to swing voters by once again hiding behind our WOZA skirts instead of winning the election by a good manifesto and honest campaigning.

Unfortunately, members of the MDC T party reacted to the flyer and several of our members were visited and threatened. Our members were told by these members whose names are withheld , “We will sort you out when we take over next week.” WOZA call on the MDC Tsvangirai leadership to ask the Mpopoma/ Pelandaba ward leadership to instruct members to ignore this obvious attempt by this hidden hand to cause unnecessary violence.

This is the second time the WOZA logo has been stolen and published with hate speech and discriminatory content which is obviously divisive and designed to promote violence. (see the link to the first flyer http://wozazim.org/?p=1421)

see the flyer here

The 16 members, seven women and nine men, arrested in Masvingo on Tuesday for playing netball and football remain in custody at Masvingo Central Police Station. They still have not been charged. There is deep concern for their well being as members taking food to them last night reported that police had beaten them, one by one, yesterday afternoon. The extent of their injuries is not clear.

Police are apparently still trying to force them to pay admission of guilt fines although they have committed no crime and have not been charged with anything.

Lawyers are now considering filing an urgent high court application for their immediate release as police are apparently refusing to take them to court today and the 48-hours that they are allowed to be held will soon be up.

The group has now spent two nights in custody. Also in custody is the soccer ball, although the netball evaded arrest.

It is still not clear why they were arrested in the first place although it is obvious that it is part of the ongoing campaign of police harassment of human rights defenders in the country.

It is bitterly cold in Masvingo at present and as the group was playing sports at the time, many are not wearing warm clothing. Police have not allowed extra clothing to be brought in to those in custody.

The group had been engaged in their game at Macheke Stadium yesterday afternoon when two members of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) approached them and questioned one of the members. They then took him away. Shortly afterwards they came back and arrested the rest of the group.

Whilst over 300 members demonstrated in Mutare on Monday without incident (see story below), there have been no recent protests in Masvingo.

Please continue to ring Masvingo Central Police Station on +263 39 62221 to protest the continued detention of the group and that police stop the harassment and beatings of human rights defenders in Zimbabwe.

WOZA Bulawayo members will march to hand over an open letter to Minister of Primary Education Minister Dokora. The open letter covers the view of members, adults and children who object to the manner, spirit and implementation of the national pledge.
Open leter to Minister Dokora 6may2016

Against brute force and injustice the people will have the last word – that of victory. Che Guevara, South American revolutionary

STAND UP FOR YOUR CHILD

The election has come and gone and WOZA would like to pay tribute to Zimbabweans for the peaceful way they went out to vote and for the patience they have shown while waiting for ZEC to get their act together. A week has passed without the results and ZEC are taking our patience for granted. Some of us went to vote as a protest knowing that there was a high chance of the result being rigged or stolen. Politicians are trading insults and threats whilst Zimbabwe burns. When you read this, please think about your child and the dreams you had of a better life for them. Think about what your children are doing. Are they in school studying hard and doing well or sleeping on their desks without teachers? Are they queuing for water or looking for firewood? Or are they far away in a foreign land? Is this the future you imagined for them? As long as the results are held hostage we cannot get a new government and demand the social justice we need and deserve. For how much longer can we wait for the results when we have seen them outside polling stations and know that we voted for a change? Last week, people used the polls to speak out – but our voices are being ignored. Today is the day to take peaceful action to remind ZEC and politicians that WE, the voters, are the owners of the election and WE will not allow them to ignore us. We made our decision with our X and it must be respected.

Today is the day to end the silence.

YOUR CHILD EXPECTS YOU TO DO SOMETHING RESPONSIBLE AND PEACFUL TO DEFEND YOUR VOTE AND LIBERATE THE TRUE RESULTS.

Today is also the day that we continue our struggle for social justice.

Our vote last week was just another way in which we reminded our leaders that we want and deserve social justice which 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.

This is what we were thinking of when we went to choose our new leaders. We want leaders who prioritise the following:
· Full enjoyment of all social, political, economic and cultural rights
· An equal society including gender equality with full respect for all 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), including adequate and affordable food
· Access to affordable education
· 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

As Zimbabweans we deserve the social justice that we talk about but we can only get it if we are prepared to stand up and demand it from our leaders. Make a start today.

Now is the time to keep standing strong for your child’s future.

OVER 600 members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) took to the streets of Bulawayo this afternoon, marching straight to Mhlahlandlela Government Complex to demand the immediate forming of a new government as outlined in the 15 September power-sharing deal. Despite this complex being directly opposite the Zimbabwe Republic Police Drill Hall, no members appear to have been arrested at the time of this release.

On several occasions, police officers walked by the protest looking the other way. Workers at the three government complexes along the route met the peaceful procession with big smiles. They demanded copies of the September 2008 Woza Moya newsletter covering our position as regards the power-sharing agreement. At Mhlahlandlela, the security guard received the newsletter and some placards with a broad smile and handed them in to the receptionist.

The protest began at the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) where participants delivered a protest note, complaining about poor electricity supply and high tariffs. Bystanders shouted out – ‘Well done, good job – good job!’ The procession then proceeded several blocks to the government complex where it ended.

The theme of the protest was ‘actions speak louder than words’. Despite it being 15 days since the deal was signed, no progress has been made in forming a new government although it was to have been implemented immediately. Food prices are soaring, electricity and water cuts are increasing but no one seems interested or able to deal decisively with these issues and the ordinary citizens continues to carry the ever-increasing burden. WOZA members, along with the rest of the nation, are starving but unable to access food aid despite recognition in the deal that the situation is urgent.

WOZA is therefore demanding immediate action regarding the formation of a new government that will begin to work on solving urgent social issues, like food, electricity and water. We also requested that the mothers of the nation arise and demand a liveable peace.

During the protest, WOZA members chanted in Ndebele – ‘ayihlale phansi ihambe umthetho’ (sit down and maintain discipline). This was sang both as a way to ensure that the activists maintained non-violent discipline and also as a message to politicians to sit down and respect the deal. Other songs sang include a WOZA favourite – ‘this is an issue that men are failing to solve’.

Some of the placards written by members read – ‘we can’t eat empty promises’; ‘once bitten twice shy’; ‘we are hungry’ and ‘three principals, the talk show is over’.

The protest was also a test to see if freedoms of expression and assembly have opened up and WOZA commend the police for looking the other way. In our view police did not act to arrest anyone because they are fed up and personally support the protest issue.

To read a copy of the newsletter carried by the protestors and which outlines WOZA’s position on the power-sharing agreement signed by the political parties, see below (September 2008 Woza Moya English Edition).

Bulawayo Province CHARGE SHEET – Bulawayo Central 311/10/08
1. JENNIFER WILLIAMS 46 YEARS
2. MAGODONGA MAHLANGU 36 YEARS

C/S 37 (1) (a) (i) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23
“Acting together with one or more other persons with him/her in any place realizing that there is a real risk or possibility of disturbing peace, security or order of the public”

In that on the 16th day of October, 2008, the accused persons MAGODONGA MAHLANGU and JENNIFER WILLIAMS one or more of them unlawfully and acting together with one or more other persons with them gathered at Mhlanhlandlela government complex singing, chanting slogans and carrying placards realizing that there is a real risk or possibility of disturbing peace, security and order of the public.

STATE OUTLINE
Bulawayo Central 311/10/08
C/S 37 (I) (a) (i) of the Criminal Law Codifaction and Reform Act Chapter 9:23

16/10/06 – 1115HRS – MHLANHLANDLELA COMPLEX, BYO
JENNIFER WILLIAMS 46 years and MAGODONGA MAHLANGU 36 years

THE STATE
The accused persons in this matter is Jennifer Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu who belong to a certain organization called “Women of Zimbabwe Arise” (WOZA).

The complainant in this matter is the state.
On the 16th day of October, 2008 and at around 1115hrs, the two aforesaid accused persons led a group of about 300 women and proceeded to Mhlanhlandlela complex singing, chanting slogans and carrying placards with various messages. Some of the placards were written ‘ideal lenu selibulele ilizwe, umangoye uselala eziko; sifuna amatisha esikolo”. (Translation: Your deal has destroyed the country/ the cat is using the stove as its bed (implying there is no cooking)/ We want teachers in the school)

When this group arrived at Mhlanhlandlela, they were addressed by Jennifer Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu. The group was then ordered to disperse by police but the two above accused persons refused to comply to the orders leading to their arrest.

The accused persons had no right whatsoever to act in the manner they did.

WITNESS STATEMENT

BULAWAYO CENTRAL IR: 11129/08
STATEMENT

SIBANDA F. 064876R
RES: ZRP ROSS CAMP
WITNESS QUARTERS
BULAWAYO

1. I am a male adult aged 23 years serving in the Zimbabwe Republic Police stationed at Nkulumane Police station but currently attached to Bulawayo Provincial Reaction Group.
2. On the 16th October 2008 at about 1130hrs, I was at PRG base together with my collegues when I was summoned by OIC Byo Central to proceed at Mhlanhlandlela Complex where an unlawful demonstration was taking place.
3. On arrival I found a group of about 300 women some sitting down and some standing holding placards being addressed by Jennifer Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu.
4. The gathering was ordered to disperse by OIC Central and some complied but Jennifer Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu refused to disperse and they were arrested.
5. The placards had different messages written in Ndebele some had the following message:
a. Ideal lenu seli

Update – 6pm

Five members, four women and one man, will spend the night in Harare Central Police Station tonight following their arrest this morning whilst trying to hand in a petition to the Minister of Education. Lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights have not been allowed access to their clients so the details of what they will be charged with are not known. Food has been allowed in to the group this evening.

Nine members have had to receive treatment for the vicious beatings they received from riot police. All have been discharged however. Most injuries were deep tissue bruising from being beaten with baton sticks – deep welts can be seen on most of those that received treatment. One woman has a fractured toe from where she was stamped on by a booted police officer. The woman for whom the ambulance was called has a serious injury to her knee. She had been trying to protect her seven-month old baby from being beaten and was begging police not to hurt her or her baby. This obviously angered the police who then proceeded to single her out for a more severe beating. She is unable to walk and had to be carried home. Many others received beatings but as police were circling the Ministry continuously, they obviously were not able to make contact with the support team to receive treatment.

In the meantime the trial of WOZA leaders Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu on charges of disturbing the peace is set to resume tomorrow in Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court.

******

Hundreds of members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA) delivered a petition to the new Minister of Education, Senator David Coltart today in Harare. Whilst leaders tried to deliver the petition to the minister, with whom they had an official appointment, riot police indiscriminately beat the peaceful group that were waiting for the minister to come and address them. At least 10 members have been arrested. The full extent of the injuries sustained are not clear but at least one woman is unable to walk and an ambulance has been called for her.

The group of 450 members handing in the petition converged on the Ministry of Education from three different directions. The first group to arrive was immediately set upon by the riot police detail that is based at Parliament. Whilst they were being beaten however, the women appealed to the police reminding them that their children are not going to school either. The police stopped the beatings and the protestors re-grouped outside the Ministry to wait. A police vehicle full of riot police arrived shortly afterwards however and again started to beat the group. They were joined by a second vehicle, again full of riot police who were banging their shields and singing, “today we are going to beat you” as they descended on the group and viciously began to beat them. They later changed their song to “why are your husbands’ allowing you to demonstrate?”.

As they were driven off towards Harare Central Police Station, the women under arrest were heard to be singing “we want education for our children.” More details of their arrest will be given once lawyers had been able to attend to them.

The Minister, who had been delayed by an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister, finally arrived to accept the petition of approximately 25,000 signatures. He expressed regret and sorrow that the group who had had an official appointment with him should be beaten and arrested and said that these kinds of incidents were exactly what the MDC was trying to change by joining government. He also stated that he had heard the pleas of Zimbabwean parents and would do everything in his power to ensure that every child goes to school.

The petition and the protest are part of WOZA’s Take the Step campaign, designed to encourage Zimbabweans to continue with the civic participation that they demonstrated in March 2008. The signatures on the petition were collected by WOZA members in a door-to-door campaign in recent weeks. The petition text reads as follows: ‘Please put our children’s education first. I am a parent whose child did not learn well in 2008. There were no teachers, no textbooks, and I cannot pay the new forex fees. Please declare the education system a national disaster and allow all children to repeat 2008 at no cost. Those that do not want to repeat will need help so that the children do not suffer. Please campaign to lure teachers home with dignified salaries, adequate supplies, furniture and equipment in schools.’

More information will be made available as it is received.

The four women and one man arrested in Harare yesterday remain in custody at Harare Central Police Station. The docket has been handed over to the Law and Order department. Although the boss has confirmed receiving the docket, he has not yet assigned an investigating officer. Human rights lawyer, Alec Muchedahama attended this morning and was asked to return at 2pm. At 2pm, no one was able to attend to him. At this time there is no progress on what charges are being proffered and no sign of them being processed to appear in court. The 48 hours allowed by law will expire on Friday at 10:30 am.

Muchedahama briefly saw his clients and they advised him that riot police assaulted them all when they were arrested at the Ministry of Education offices. Members present at the protest also confirm hearing the riot police singing another song, ‘tinoda hondo’ (we want war).

In the meantime, WOZA leaders, Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu appeared in Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court today. They face charges under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act with disturbing the peace for a 16 October 2008 arrest and under the Miscellaneous Offences Act (which was replaced in 2006) with breaching the peace for a 2004 case. There were remanded out of custody to 5th March 2009.

Defence lawyer, Kossam Ncube, also took the opportunity to file an appeal against the Magistrate’s ruling from the 28th January in which she refused to quash the charges against Williams and Mahlangu.

State witnesses, including a high-ranking superintendent, were present and were asked to return on 5th March; the Magistrate taking time to apologise to them for any inconvenience caused.

When the pair appeared on 28 January 2009, the Magistrate had refused to quash charges despite a factual argument from the defence. She had insisted the trial proceed there and then. The defence had asked for time to prepare, and was promptly denied. With no alternative, the defence lawyer had appealed to the High Court to overrule the Magistrate’s refusal to allow time to prepare for trial. The
Magistrate, on receiving a copy of the appeal, had ruled that the case could not proceed until the High Court ruled on the matter. At the time of the hearing today, no decision had been received by the High Court so it should have been a simple matter of remanding the matter to another date pending a ruling.

It was therefore a total disregard for due process to hear the prosecutor, Lovemore Chifamba state that the trial would begin today. Expressing dismay at the prosecutor’s actions, the defence lawyer
argued that the Magistrate could not proceed to trial as she would be in effect overruling herself and sitting in appeal of her own ruling of 28 January 2009. Faced with standing by her ruling and remanding the activists to a date months away, she decided to adjourn the court for two hours. Upon her return the state had put a second prosecutor, Mr Moyo at the bar. The Magistrate then mumbled that in light of the submissions, she would postpone the matter by one week.

During the adjournment, the defence lawyer was summoned to see the Attorney General’s representative, Mrs Cheda, who attempted to put pressure on the lawyer to participate in ‘fast tracking’ the appeal to the High Court so that the trial could go ahead. The fact that this was presupposing any ruling would go the way of the state was lost on them in their haste to take Williams and Mahlangu to trial. The lawyer declined to be put under pressure.

The farce parading as ‘justice’ continues on 5th March 2009 and could result in the High Court being forced to fast track this case over other backlogged cases and the trial being forced through. WOZA has a case from 2004 still waiting for a ruling in the High Court.

It should not be overlooked that Williams and Mahlangu were peacefully demanding that the food emergency be declared a national disaster and the Attorney General’s Office’s enthusiasm for fast-tracking trials would be more appropriate for those cases which have been pending for
years and in which the accused persons are in custody, as the state has no money to feed them.

Over 1,000 members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA) marched through the streets of Bulawayo today to articulate their demands to the power-sharing government. They chose to protest today as the first 100 days in office draws to a close. The protest started at four different locations, converging on Mhlahlandlela Government Complex. There have been no arrests reported at the time of this release.

The song sung by the peaceful protesters rang out through the streets of Bulawayo – ‘We are not scared to reveal failures of this inclusive government, boboza (expose it’).

Two protests began earlier than scheduled as members were eager to start. On arriving at the government complex, they handed over their list of demands and placards to the guards at the gate before sitting down to await the arrival of the rest of the participants. Bystanders were amazed to note the peaceful women and men arriving in waves and join each other seated in at the complex. Many followed the protestors to receive the newsletter outlining WOZA’s demands and to observe the spectacle. Five thousand copies of the newsletter were distributed during the four processions; all were grabbed by eager bystanders, not a single one remaining to litter the streets. People reading the list of demands were heard to be debating the content as the demonstration went by.

10 police officers came out of the Police Drill Hall as members sang their songs at the complex but they just watched and then moved off, going about their business. There were many police officers around the four starting points but they did not take action other than to call or radio in that a protest was underway. At one location, police officers were heard commenting that WOZA should not have allowed the 100 days to elapse before demonstrating. A man in plain clothes was overheard telling the civil servants at the gate, “these women are helping you.”

After the peaceful group had disbursed, a police vehicle with two officers arrived and were seen leaving with placards and copies of the newsletter left with the guards at the gate. Some placards read, ‘restore the rule of law’, ‘provide social welfare’ and ‘fix the education system’.

The protest and the list of demands handed over to the government complex today follows wide consultations with members in Bulawayo and across the country. WOZA has been conducting meetings and workshops preparing members to hold the power-sharing government accountable for the promises they make. This has been part of the Take the Step campaign, designed to encourage Zimbabweans to continue with the civic participation that they demonstrated in March 2008.

As part of our campaigning we have been reminding people to look beyond the words and promises – ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. As we march today, government should get the message loud and clear – enough talking, more doing. We have been patient for long enough.