100 Days of the Government of National Unity – an analysis of priorities

10 months have passed since the Global Political Agreement was signed. They promised to “build a democratic and just, inclusive society free of fear, violence, patronage, corruption and to ensure a better life for all Zimbabweans”. They promised to “arrest the fall in living standards and reverse the decline of our economy”, and “an end to violence, respect for human rights and freedoms of expression and assembly, economic and social justice, security sector reform, constitutional reforms and national healing.”

On 11 February this year, Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as Prime Minister and a few days’ later ministers and deputy ministers were sworn in. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said in his speech, “For too long our people’s hopes for a bright and prosperous future have been betrayed. Instead of hope their days have been filled with starvation, disease and fear. A culture of entitlement and impunity has brought our nation to the brink of a dark abyss. This must end today.” He promised “jobs for those who wish to work, food is available for those who are hungry, and where we are united by our respect for the rights and dignity of our fellow citizens. This is the debt we owe to our liberation heroes and our democratic movement heroes who paid the ultimate price so we could all live together free from fear, hunger, and poverty.” He said he would restore a free media, the rule of law and Zimbabwe’s devastated agricultural sector. He promised to open a “new chapter for our country” and told us he had three priorities: 1.Democratisation 2. Ending the humanitarian crisis 3. Stabilising the economy

SO WHERE ARE WE NOW? WOZA heard them talk and reminded each other that – actions speak louder than words. We continued to encourage each other to Qhubeka/ Take the Step /Yendera Mberi. We continued to demand respect for human rights and social justice through non-violent protest. We waited to see what they would do during the first 100 days. We know that our country has been destroyed and cannot be fixed overnight BUT we also cannot just sit and watch and do nothing. The 100 days has come and gone. Now we have to remind politicians we are impatient for a better life – we deserved it yesterday and want it TODAY. We march today to demand concrete progress on the promises made.

WOZA consulted members in Bulawayo on what they thought the power-sharing government should have prioritised in their first 100 days in office. They responded to this question:
If you were President or Prime Minister or even Minister of Finance or Education and you had 20 days left what 20 things would you concentrate on first?
We then selected the top five answers out of 20 and compiled this list of priorities. 6,520 members completed the petition and below is a summary of contributions.

1. Fix the education system:
•    We want free or affordable better quality education, with resources for our children and teachers who are motivated by descent salaries.
•    Teachers still look at parents as their employer while the real employer, government, looks on helplessly.
2. Urgent reforms to stabilize the economy:
•    Reintroduce local currency as soon as possible because not everyone can access foreign currency and afford to use it. Find a way to bring back a stable Zimbabwe dollar currency.
•    Audit finances at RBZ and Gono should be investigated for corruption and either be fired or resign.
3. Restore the healthcare system:
•    We need affordable fees for clinics and hospitals and enough affordable medicines.
•    Pregnancy no longer means celebrating a birth but pain and suffering due to high costs; demands for bribes and bad service. Nurses and doctors must be told to treat patients with respect. They must also earn a living wage that dignifies them.
•    Please allow people a dignified death – buy more storage fridges and clean up mortuaries.
4. Better quality, affordable and efficient service delivery from ZESA, City Councils and Tel One:
•    They keep increasing their tariffs but at the same time they decrease their service. Make sure people are getting a clean supply of water. Reduce telephone tariffs and improve service.
5. Create employment and opportunities:
•    We want jobs for all and those with jobs require a living wage that enables them to afford to get to work and eat three meals a day.
•    Offer civil servants a decent salary.
•    Allow people to get trading licenses and tell police to stop treating vendors like criminals.
•    Encourage informal and cross-border trading by capacitating ordinary people with self-help projects and training so that they will be able to create more business on a small scale, which will automatically boost industry.
6. Restore the rule of law:
•    Enforce the rule of law and respect for property rights.
•    Police corruption is steadily increasing; weed out corrupt police officers. We demand an end to the public looting of vendors’ goods by police. Citizens need to be protected against indiscriminate harassment. Implement the deal points about training of police.
•    End the violence by police on citizens. There is too much police brutality.
•    Withdraw trumped up charges against prisoners.
•    Repeal the sections in law (POSA sections) that violates civil rights immediately.
7. Basic commodities – food for all:
•    Food needs to be affordable and available. Reduce prices on a par with regional prices to stop profiteering
•    Free and unhindered access to food aid for those who cannot feed themselves.
•    Adequate food for prisoners.
8. Fix transport infrastructure:
•    Repair roads. Improve transport for the easier movement of goods and passengers.
•    Make fuel more affordable and accessible.
9. Housing:
•    There needs to be affordable housing for all – make rents reasonable and build more houses.
•    A special compensation programme of housing for Murambatsvina victims.
10. Resuscitation of industry:
•    Inject funds into industry.
•    Encourage investment to get our economy back on its feet.
11. Provide social welfare:
•    A decent pension for elderly, care and support for orphans and the disabled must be catered for.
12. Start a national healing process:
•    Make the President apologise to the nation.
•    There should be an investigation into human rights abuses and crimes against humanity and those guilty should be removed.
•    We need peace and an immediate end to violence. We need to feel safe in our own country and own homes.
13. Have media freedom:
•    Fair and equal coverage of all government officials. We want to hear them speak on ZBC and not have voice-overs telling us what they are saying. We want the truth from our media.
•    We want more independent media – newspapers, radio and television.
14. Write a new constitution followed by elections:
•    Speed up the process for a new people-driven constitution. No president can hold more than 2 terms of office.
15. Equality for all:
•    Stop discrimination. Equal allocation of resources to all provinces and people.
•    Support gender equality programmes to gain women’s participation in all aspects of life – business, leadership.
16. Improve international relations:
•    Restore international relations – not only East or West, but all. Make sure that we have good (and equitable) trade relationships with regional and international countries.
•    We would like to thank our neighbours and the international community for helping us in our time of need. Please keep it up.
17. Re-establish agriculture and initiate a genuine land-reform programme:
•    Stop selective distribution of land. Stop illegal invasions. Be serious about agriculture because our country depends on farming. Give land to productive people.
•    Fair distribution of inputs. Biased distribution means starvation.
•    Compensation for those who had their farms taken.
If I was the Minister of Home Affairs:
•    Remove Police Commissioner Chihuri who allows officers to abuse peoples’ rights and loot their goods.
•    Reduce the cost of passports.
•    Allow people to get birth certificates and identity documents at regional offices and make it easy for them.

We demand REAL SCHOOLS with REAL TEACHERS for a REAL EDUCATION

Looking back to look forward – Education in Zimbabwe by WOZA

The education of their children has been a major driving force for WOZA members and the motivation behind much activism. In the first decade after Independence, the education system in Zimbabwe was praised as the best in Africa. But since 2000 it has declined because of power and politics – our children’s future sacrificed. We look at how this decay took place to expose this injustice and to demand it be fixed immediately. Our children deserve excellence. They deserve teachers trained to deliver it and we will not rest until we get it.

By 2009 education was in crisis with neither state nor parents able to afford the cost of quality schooling. Buildings had fallen into disrepair and teaching materials disappeared. Huge numbers of teachers left the country due to a worthless salary. Those who stayed spent more time on strike, neglecting their teaching. Tens of thousands of children dropped out of school because it was not worth staying to learn little and then fail exams after paying high fees. Even children who passed could not find jobs, so they thought it was better to drop out and earn money in black market dealing, gold panning or cross-border trading.

In February 2009 Senator David Coltart was appointed Minister of Education. He inherited a complete disaster. And he had to face a nation of parents who still wanted their children to be educated and expected him to perform the miracle of providing a good, affordable education. Although he managed to reopen the schools and keep them open, thousands of children continue to drop out because they cannot afford the fees, high levies and top-ups teachers demand. Despite good intentions, he was unable to provide the quality of education parents wanted. Now the education system not only needs massive amounts of investment, it also needs a new curriculum, if it is to give children of Zimbabwe hope for a better future.

When we look back at the history of education we are shocked to discover that the quality of education before independence for both the white minority and the elite black minority was at a higher standard than the education being provided for those ‘born free’ in Zimbabwe. President Robert Mugabe was a product of a higher quality education system than he has provided for our children. One of the promises of the liberation war was free primary education and affordable secondary education for all Zimbabweans. And so the immediate goal of the new government after Independence was to open up education opportunities equally for all races. Government also insisted that all must have equal schooling but they only wanted academic schooling. And so they developed a new curriculum but it made intelligence more important than empowering people with skills. Vocational and commercial skills training streams were closed in almost all schools. There was nothing in the curriculum that covered civic education or any emphasis on practical, vocational or technical subjects, which would have allowed the children to grow into employable citizens, knowing and exercising all their rights.

In the post-Independence expansion they catered for quantity of children in schools. Expansion of education during the 1980’s was great, with numbers in secondary schools multiplying four times in six years. Obviously school places were not available and there were no teachers or enough textbooks. Instead of opening up high quality education to all Zimbabweans, there was mass education at a very low standard. Because there was no training in practical or vocational subjects, Zimbabwe produced large numbers of poorly and inappropriately educated youth who considered themselves too educated for manual labour but were not prepared for any specific employment.

By the late 80’s, however, the amounts that government was channelling to schools for operating costs was decreasing or being diverted to other budgets such as the defence forces. Someone had to begin to pay the bills. Parents committees were told to charge parents levies to cater for the purchase and repair of textbooks, furniture, cleaning equipment as well as capital development and major repairs. Teachers earning meaningless salaries looked to parents to provide them with top ups or else went on strike. In 2009, teachers came back to work for an ‘allowance’ of US $100 a month, which was later, increased to US $150. Urban primary schools in high-density areas paid US $5, a little more for secondary schools and primary schools in low-density areas and rural primary schools did not have a fee. But this money was not enough to kick start schooling so parents’ committees were told to increase levy amounts to cover expenses. Since February 2009, the Ministry of Education has struggled to keep the schools open and the teachers in place. Teachers do not bother themselves with teaching children in their official morning sessions but in the afternoon transform into private tutors motivated by direct cash payments by children whose parents can pay them. Many teachers are now earning more than the vast majority of Zimbabweans – most of them working only half a day.

Looking ahead in 2010 – putting our children first and demanding excellence

Education was financed from government income supplemented by large amounts of assistance from donor governments in the early 80’s. They funded everything from school and classroom construction to teacher training to curriculum development to administration. Most of this assistance was channelled through government.  But since 2000, they have been chased away. If we are to get education back on its feet we need the international community to help us but they will not give money to the ZANU PF-controlled part of government who have diverted aid money direct into party coffers or private pockets.

So parents are on their own carrying a heavy burden when they are unemployed and cannot trade without police harassing them. Should parents continue to pay fees, levies and top-ups for an education that will not make their children full citizens who can earn a living? Should parents continue to pay for a standard of education lower than the colonial education system when they were promised free primary and affordable secondary education? Zimbabwe needs to produce qualified young people who do not shun hard work.

PARENTS PUT THE EDUCATION OF YOUR CHILDREN BACK IN YOUR OWN HANDS. DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT AND DEMAND THE MINISTRY DELIVER EDUCATION FOR ALL FOR REAL.

Recommendations

What is needed to deliver a better education system that can make our children employable adults is the following:

• They must start afresh and write a better curriculum with vocational subjects – both commercial and technical that will produce a skilled school-leaver who can provide adequate self- employment.
• Teachers must teach by developing understanding and skills and not learning like a parrot to prepare for exams. Teachers and administrators will need to be re-trained to accommodate new approaches to teaching and learning.
• The administration of schools needs to be democratic with more participatory decision-making. Stop the violence in schools. Discipline is acceptable but we say no to violence.
• A subject which teaches human rights, good governance, and democratic practice will need to be introduced to the curriculum in order to re-orient both teachers and pupils to a society which values individuals, imagination and creativity for full understanding.
• Examinations and the fees systems will have to be changed – we cannot pay for our children to fail because they have not learnt anything.

In January 2010, ahead of the new school year, WOZA has the following demands:

• Teachers must produce quality teaching and show that they are committed to the learning of all their pupils equally.
• Education authorities must utilise the vehicles that are being purchased to supervise teachers and demand more discipline in schools.
• Teachers must stop demanding top-ups from parents and the Ministry must prohibit this practice.
• The Ministry must work to produce a new and relevant curriculum as recommended above.
• Parents will do their best to pay reasonable fees set by Ministry and levies set by properly constituted and democratic parents meetings at the beginning of each year – we will not accept any fee or levy changes in 2010.

To all Zimbabweans on Valentines Day 2010, our message is simple:

Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses too. Shine Zimbabwe Shine! Khazimula Zimbabwe Khazimula! Penya Zimbabwe Penya!

It is not enough that bread has returned to our shelves. Our hearts are also starving for a people-driven constitution. We demand a living constitution that will give us bread and roses too! Just like the thorns on a rose, love comes with pain; we must be willing to fight through the pain to get our new constitution. Demand your Rose – stand up for love.

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Report on Democratising Zimbabwe – our opportunity to shine!

In 2009, WOZA shared what we think the building blocks of democracy are with over 11,000 members, urban and rural, through a booklet and workshops. We wanted to raise awareness that Zimbabwe needs a democratic form of government committed to making sure that all the building blocks of democracy are in place for all citizens to enjoy social justice. As 2009 closed, a further consultation of the state of our democracy after the power sharing government was conducted. 4,016 people gave us their views.

Did the power sharing government bring more democracy or lessen it?

Members felt that the power-sharing arrangement has decreased democratic space. There is no genuine sharing of power; too much legal and actual state power is still in the hands of one person – Robert Mugabe. The other two principals are not active enough at wrestling power away from ZANU PF or enforcing the 15 September 2008 GPA. The general feeling was that the power-sharing government may have stabilised the economy but it did not bring democracy. Members also expressed sadness that despite MDC’s holding cabinet positions they have not managed to reduce the harassment of their own members or to increase their member’s freedoms of expression and assembly as well as their free movement. How therefore can they be expected to deliver more freedom for the people of Zimbabwe?

If an election is called and no electoral reform is conducted, will you feel confident that your vote will count?

There is little confidence in an election before the constitutional process is complete, as we need a new system of checks and balances if our votes are to be respected and counted. Some said voting is a risk worth taking as it is the only way to choose the leaders; people will take the risk because they want to have a government made from one party that will rule and concentrate on the constitution-making process. We need SADC, African Union and the United Nations monitors and observers. We need a more transparent appointment process of Zimbabwe Electoral commissioners.

Do you feel that the parliament-led constitutional consultation process can still bring a people-driven constitution?

People want to give their views and write their own constitution but worry that the current consultation process has too many loopholes that can be manipulated to change their views into those wanted by politicians. Because of the public bickering over resources, people are losing confidence in the select committee. The delays are foul play so that time is lost and people are forced to settle for the ‘Kariba Draft’. As long as Mugabe or parliament is the last to verify or debate/finalise the draft, people will not trust that their views will be included. Will it still be called a people-driven constitution if there are only a few prominent persons who have the final say?

Has government spending become more transparent?

We do not see a spirit of transparency and embezzlement and corruption are still rampant. We worry that funds are still being diverted for personal use of politicians. Most people agree that they believe that public funds should go through the Ministry of Finance but the Minister must also be transparent about what he does with it. Mr Biti, why are youth militia employed as civil servants and get paid for beating and maiming people in the name of the ZANU politics. Mr. Biti where are the road repairs you promised when you introduced the tollgates? Pay civil servants a living wage so they stop demanding bribes from ordinary people.

Are civil rights more respected under this government?

The personal security situation for ordinary people is not secure – anyone can be arrested for anything and end up forced to pay a bribe or a fine without any clear wrongdoing. Bring back banned newspapers for a clear signal of open media space.

Has the rule of law improved or become worse?

Most people polled believe that the rule of law in the country has worsened for the following reasons: police officers apply the law selectively or solicit bribes and are not working professionally to reduce crime. Court orders are ignored and law officers still follow political orders when making judgments. Vendors are criminalized and are always on the run despite the need to revive the economy. Illegal land grabs from ZANU officials are continuing.

Has the power sharing government made your personal life better, worse, or nothing has changed?

It is still survival of the fittest. There has been some change for those who are rich but for the poor nothing has changed. The dollarisation of the economy stabilised prices and the economy in general but the gap between rich and poor widened. The reason is simple – there was no increase in employment opportunities and genuine encouragement of informal trade. The few who are employed are paid too little to survive or to put back into the economy as disposable income. Service delivery remains hijacked by too much political interference in local councils; people continue to suffer flowing sewages, increased electricity and water cuts, and many homes going without services for weeks at a time.

As we finalise this report, the power-sharing government turns one year old. The promises made upon its birth filled us with hope and gave Zimbabweans an opportunity to shine. Remember what they said on 15 September 2008 and then again on 12 February 2009 during the swearing in ceremony? “Concerned about the recent challenges that we have faced as a country and the multiple threats to the well-being of our people.”

One year later, this ‘baby’ is taking steps – learning how to walk. The baby has taken the first step – the economy is a bit more stable and food is on the shelves, with a quiet promise of jobs. WOZA, the mothers of the nation, would like to see steps toward a full democratisation of Zimbabweans systems. These are the eight building blocks of basic democracy we need:

1.    Elections – Before the referendum, we need to have confidence that a voter’s roll will be transparently prepared and displayed for viewing. We need a truly independent electoral commission.
2.    Opposition – we need to see democracy in action – a genuine welcoming of different political voices.
3.    Civil rights – we are citizens with rights and must be allowed to enjoy all our rights without fear or harassment. We look forward to the passing of the bill amending POSA. We need to see the promised security sector reform with special attention on police reform because it is police who abuse our rights on a daily basis.
4.    Rule of law – start to prosecute perpetrators of politically motivated violence urgently – everyone must obey the law or be punished.
5.    Separation of powers – the presidential appointment of Tomana and Gono has resulted in a further mixing up of the functions of government. For judicial reform, Tomana and other political appointees in the Attorney General’s office must go and be replaced by professional people who will balance the scales of our justice system.
6.    Equality – we are writing this into our new constitution. Please Parliament Select Committee do not betray this ideal by cheating us when we give you our views.
7.    Transparency and accountability – as long as we have a politically partisan Reserve Bank governor, there will be no investor confidence, jobs will not be available and workers receive a living wage – therefore Gono must go. Minister Tendai Biti, we need more transparency and accountability from you. Studying your strategy from the trenches, it looks you want to squeezing money out of poor peoples pockets to fund the recovery. You need to do better to cushion the poor! You must stop the police from criminalizing informal traders. Please don’t forget about the children’s education, they are our future.
8.    Participation of the people – Our report is called ‘hearts starve as well as bodies – give us bread but give us roses too!’  We want our ‘rose’, which is our own constitution! Allow a genuine people-driven process for the constitutional consultation for our full participation. Disband militia camps and let our children come home. The police must stop arresting people without good reason; you police officers are crucial to allowing people to feel free. To the three principals, you promised us a society free of violence, fear, intimidation, hate, patronage, corruption and founded on justice, fairness, openness, transparency, dignity and equality.

ZIMBABWEANS lets us ALL participate in democratizing our country: people must participate and politicians must practice it – this is our opportunity to shine!

WOZA members march to Southampton House in Bulawayo

Following on from a peaceful march to Parliament yesterday, 1,200 members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe marked International Peace Day with a peaceful protest to Southampton House in Bulawayo this morning. Southampton House is the provincial headquarters of police in Bulawayo. No arrests have been reported as yet but as several police vehicles are still driving around central Bulawayo, this may change.

As in Harare, the aim of the peaceful protest was to highlight community safety issues and police behavior in communities and to hand over a set of demands for members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Police Commissioner and the co-Ministers of Home Affairs to police officers stationed outside Parliament. The full list of demands can be found below.

Four separate groups converged on Southampton House where leaders addressed the peaceful group, calling on police officers to revive their Service Charter and Service Standards. As the demonstrators arrived, a senior-ranking police officer was leaving the building. He was presented with the list of demands, which he accepted and took back into the building. As plain-clothed officers came downstairs to make arrests, the last group arrived on the scene, swelling the numbers of protestors. Leaders also called upon all those present to arrest themselves if as much as one person was arrested. The officers decided against arresting and merely observed as the group then peacefully dispersed.

As the group processed through the streets, a uniformed police officer was overheard commenting that “these women are telling the truth” as he read the Woza Moya newsletter.

Meanwhile the 83 members arrested in Harare yesterday remain in custody. It has also come to light that a MOZA member, Lazarus Mandondo, was severely beaten with baton sticks by police officers during a routine counting exercise last night. It is unclear why he was beaten but there is some concern for his welfare as apparently the beating was severe and witnessed by all detainees.

More details about yesterday’s demonstration and arrests can be found in the previous articles below.

Please continue to phone Harare Central Police Station on +263 4 777777 to demand that the WOZA activists be released immediately and that they be treated with dignity and respect.

For the full list of demands and more information on WOZA’s observations of police behaviour in Harare and Bulawayo over the last four months, click here: Woza Moya Sep-10

For more information on the ZRP Service Charter, Service Standards or the SARPCCO Harare Protocol Code of Conduct, click on the following links: ZRP Service Charter, ZRP Service Standards, SARPCCO Hre Protocol-Code of Conduct

The 83 members arrested after a peaceful protest to mark International Peace Day appeared in a routine remand hearing in Harare Magistrate’s Court this morning. They were further remanded out of custody to 3 January 2011. This was to allow the usual prosecutor to return from leave. The state had provided a public prosecutor that had no record of the case.

When the group last appeared in court on 1 December, the magistrate had promised that they would be removed off remand if the state’s case was not in order on the 29th. Yet magistrate Donald Ndirowei chose to ignore this earlier promise. 

The group has been charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 46, as read with Section 2(v) of the Third Schedule to the Criminal Code – ‘criminal nuisance’.

Masvingo:
TWENTY members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) appeared on trial before Magistrate Nyamukomba in Masvingo last Monday, charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. The prosecutor, D. Charamba, appealed for a postponement with the excuse that no witnesses were willing to come forward and he needed to get advice from the area senior prosecutor before he could proceed. The magistrate refused to allow the extension and granted the defence’s application that the accused be taken off remand. The State was ordered to proceed by way of summons when it had its house in order. The Masvingo 20 were defended by Mr Shumba, a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

The members had been arrested on 7th March whilst launching the People’s Charter in the Masvingo provincial capital. They had been required to report to the police station weekly as part of their bail conditions and had appeared in court four times previously. Two previous trial dates had failed to take off.

Bulawayo:
WOZA National Coordinator, Jenni Williams will appear in Bulawayo Magistrates court on Monday 23rd July after being issued with a summons for an arrest during a peaceful protest in 2004. Police had summoned her on two previous occasions for the same arrest but had no docket ready on both occasions. The current summons was served on Williams when she was last in police custody on 6th June. The second appearance will be on 2nd August; again for a 2004 arrest for peaceful protest. Williams has been arrested approximately 30 times in the last five years and has spent the equivalent of two months in custody, with one arrest lasting five days.

Gweru:
In a busy week for WOZA in the courts, the 26 members arrested in Gweru for launching the People’s Charter in the Midlands capital in March, will appear on trial in Gweru Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday 24th July. They are charged under Chapter 37 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act – ‘participating in a public gathering with the intent to cause public disorder, breach of peace or bigotry’. As these were the same charges faced by the Masvingo 20, it is hoped that a similar outcome will occur.

AT 1030am 29 November 2013, one thousand members started 11 separate processions so that they could march to Bulawayo Mhlahlandlela Government complex to hand over a petition to the resident minister Eunice Moyo covering WOZA demands. The petition was successfully handed over to her office but pandemonium prevailed as police disturbed a peaceful protest.

The city had riot or reaction police on most street corners to prevent the start of any protests. Two out of eleven protests arrived at the entrance of Mhlahlandlela without incident but the other eight protest groups were set upon by reaction groups’ police who beat members with baton sticks. One protest was stopped and seated in the tarmac by 16 police officers and when there was not clear instruction as to if they were under arrest, member left and continued their peaceful march.

Two members have been treated for dislocated knee and grazed elbow from baton stick injuries. Over 50 other members report baton stick injuries but were treated with painkillers.

Hundreds of members managed to re- group and made their way to Mhlahlandlela determined to petition as is their right under the constitution.

One single police truck seemed to constantly pick up arrested members who were then released and others arrested making the number of arrested hard to estimate.

WOZA national coordinator, Jenni Williams who had delivered the petition to the minister’s office, then called members to regroup at the complex entrance and told members that the petition had been delivered and signed for and she then signaled that members should peacefully disperse in procession to the nearby bus terminal. After this address, Williams and Mahlangu lead members away but new group of police officers arrived with batons sticks and shields and stopped the dispersal. Police officers surrounded Williams and Mahlangu with huge shields pressed against their bodies and forced them into the police Drill hall opposite the government complex. These officers beat any members who attempted to walk in with the 2 leaders but 3 members managed to accompany their leaders.

As the leaders were being led away, police officers started to drive the hundreds of members enraged at the arrest of their leaders away from the complex down the street in the direction of the Batch Street. After several surges to come back to the Complex failed and the group was chased by police officers with dogs. The dogs were held on the leashes but the officers kept threatening to unleash them, these officers and their police dogs drove the crowd at a run for 5 kilometers towards the Mpopoma fly over. Some members were driven into the bush on either side of the roads in the Thorngrove suburb adjoining the light industrial area. These officers also said they did not want members to board commuter omnibuses, but chased them out of town saying they would regroup and resume the march. Police officers quickly manned road blocks on the Khami road to prevent the return by commuter of the members they had chased with their dogs. The Reaction Group officer in charge based at Drill Hall Inspector Mzombi issued the orders for beating and arrests and generally disrupted the peaceful protest and curtailed the right to protest now protected under the new constitution.

Police officers who remained at Mhlahlandlela chased away any woman in the vicinity, members or non- members of the Mhlahlandlela complex was then chased away but men were allowed to continue with their business undisturbed by the gender discrimination.

Meanwhile WOZA leaders Williams and Mahlangu were held for 3 hours without any explanation at the Drill Hall until they were driven to the Bulawayo Central police station and united with 12 other members who had been arrested. They remained there for another hour before Chief Inspector Musvuti the officer commanding Bulawayo released them. He flippantly advised Williams and Mahlangu and the 12 members that there was no problem and that they were free to leave. He said he did not know why they had been arrested. He offered not explanation about the violence and brutal manner in which the right to protest had been curtailed. See the Woza Moya Newsletter distributed Woza Moya November 2013

Zimbabwe joins citizens of the world in commemorating Valentine’s Day, a day to give each other a red rose that represents LOVE. Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) members, the majority of them are women and some brave men are still drawing attention to the need for LOVE in Zimbabwe.
The love WOZA members wants is LOVE that brings dignity.
Dignity will help us rebuild our lives and our country.
Dignity also comes from Zimbabweans being able to exercise and enjoy all their rights including the right to earn a living.
This year our theme is – Demanding Dignity – Demanding Women’s Empowerment!
These are the roses we want from our Government!

Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) members have been conducting Valentine’s Day marches since 2003 demanding LOVE from their Government and asking Zimbabweans to chose LOVE over hate. After 13 years of Valentine’s Day marches, we still need and want the same things.

While we recognise progress it is only words and no deeds to match these high and mighty words.
1. The election promise was one million jobs but lip service was not followed up by the promised jobs. Members continued to try to survive by informal trading.
2. Members thought the ZimAsset would bring jobs, but the document once again lifted our expectations only to crash them down. The very people who wrote the document are ignoring it and enriching themselves.
3. The Constitution has a good complement of the issues we wanted, including the right to earn a living and the right to protest but we are tired of hearing that they are still aligning the laws. Stop making excuses and let us enjoy our Constitution.
4. Even the latest monetary policy is full of promises for empowerment, will these promises be delivered?

WOZA has been busy conducting civic education programmes for members to ready themselves for socio-economic empowerment – we are marching now to say we are ready to receive rapid empowerment.
We have read the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe ‘Chapter 2-National objectives’, sections 13 on National development , 14 on Empowerment and employment and section 15 on Food security and Chapter 4 section 51 – right to human dignity’. We understand that the word ‘Republic’ means –
A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them.

We – the supreme citizens – elected representatives who immediately forgot about us. They squabble amongst themselves occasionally sending nonsensical directives like introducing prepaid water meters and removal of vendors from the streets. Chombo where is the directive to create jobs? Instead you order the City council to chase vendors off the streets. Mr Chombo enough is enough with your nonsense please reread the national objectives and put Zimbabweans – women – first.

Whilst members wait for the promised jobs, they survive on informal trade which is their source of livelihood and disregarding this survival strategy will increase poverty. Members stated that through vending they are able to feed their families, educate their children, clothe them and pay rent for a decent standard of living. The solutions are clear and known – but lack implementation – the root cause of prolific informal trading is lack of employment. Directives issued that only address the effects – informal traders everywhere – will not fix the problem.

As the supreme citizens, we demand our elected leaders convene an urgent country wide consultation to map a collective way forward on how to create one million jobs and revamp the economy putting women and youth at the centre of the economic empowerment action plan.

Having watched and waited to see if anyone would mobilise nonviolent action and having seen none to date, around 800 members of WOZA and MOZA began their rollout of peaceful actions in Bulawayo today.

The group started their protest at the provincial court on Herbert Chitepo and Leopold Takawira. They processed for several blocks through the city centre to the High Court. The targeting of the High Court was to lodge a people’s protest at the delay in announcing results. The group toyi toyied at the steps of the Court singing an iSindebele traditional (Sangoma) song – ‘Yindaba enjani ehlula amadoda’ (the vote is an issue men are failing to deal with). The leaders then took time to address the crowd, demanding that the results be announced, whereupon they placed their newsletters and placards on the steps before dispersing. This was all carried out much to the bemusement of police officers and court workers who man the entrance.

Police were seen to respond several minutes later, picking up all the flyers left outside the High Court – those that hadn’t been scooped up by eager bystanders. Leaders are still ascertaining whether all those that took part in the peaceful protest have made it home safely.

The aim of the march was to add WOZA’s voice to those calling on the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) to release the true results of the presidential election. The march was also to call for an end to state-sponsored violence that is reported to be happening in rural areas in retribution.

As they marched, the men and women handed out flyers (the text of which is included below) to the lunchtime crowd that rushed to see what was happening when they heard the singing. Such was the excitement caused by the procession that a group of 100 – 150 people followed the demonstration for the entire route, talking excitably amongst themselves, waiting to see what would happen. When the placards and flyers were left on the steps of the High Court, many people dashed forward to collect them, including several vehicles that stopped long enough for either passengers or the driver themselves to pick up the flyers. During the march, several cars were also observed to be hooting their horns and calling out support to the demonstrators.

WOZA was formed in 2003 amidst severe political violence to demonstrate love and courage to all Zimbabweans. At this time in our country, these motivations are particularly pertinent. WOZA would like to pay tribute to the brave men and women who in the face of great uncertainty and talk of repression defied the threats of a dying regime to speak out clearly and demand that their vote be respected. WOZA would also like to salute our brother and sisters in the police and army who demonstrated today that they are with the people.

WOZA has been encouraging Zimbabweans for the last few months to stand up for their children. People responded by going out to vote on 29 March. Now is the time to keep standing strong – a better future for our children is within our reach – we must just continue to demand it peacefully.

To read a copy of the newsletter, protesters were handing out, click here April 2008 Woza Moya newsletter – English/Ndebele

Sungano Yemadzimai (Sisterhood Bond)

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WOMEN OF ZIMBABWE ARISE – WOZA
P. O. Box FM 701, Famona, Bulawayo
By Women for Women and with Women, across Race, Colour, Creed, Class or Political Persuasion. Empowering Women to be Courageous, Caring, Committed and in Communication with their Communities.

WOZA SISTERS’
SUNGANO YEMADZIMAI

Zita rangu ……………………………………………………………………………………………

Ndirikuvimbisa kuti ndichabatsirana nemamwe madzimai. Tichabatana mawoko pakurwisa kuti ticherechedzeke pakudzosa Zimbabwe murunyararo, muutongo whakajeka, nebudiriro.

Apo kurwisa kuchienderera mberi ndichayeuka zvinotevera:

1. Kutaura nokukurudzira mamwe madzimai kuti aite saizvozvo kuti inzvi remadzimai rinzvike. Madzimai aafanirwi kushupika akanyarara.
2. Mukusanganira nevamwe tichi kurukura nezvinotishungurudza nokusimuka tichiita panekungo gununguna.
3. Kuva munyaradzi nomuteereri kusimbisana. “Kukurukura kunotapudza shungu nenhamo”.
4. Kuratidzira rudo no kusatya mudzimba medu nemu vavakidzani, ndichibatsira kubvisa kutya muvanhu.
5. Madzimai, mamai eZimbabwe yose. Saka, ngaa wane chiremera.
6. Kuva, mumiririri wezvinhu zvisina hukasha, kuratidza vanhu kuti tinogona kugadzirisa nyaya dzinotinetsa kusina vhingamupopoto.
7. Kuva ne chido chokubatana pakunzvirana nemadzimai anepfungwa dzakafanana.
8. Kukurudzira zviitiko zvinokururama muna mwari. Nokurarama pakumuziva.
9. Kumiririra kuva Democratic, nekuzvininipisa mune zvakawanda, zvinobva muvanhu.
10. “Kurwadzisiwa komumwe wedu, kurwadzisiwa kwedu tese”.

Ndinovimbisa!

Ndatsidzira : ………………………………………… Zuva: ………………………………………………

Mupupuriri : ………………………………………… Mupupuriri : ………………………………………

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