Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) members are to participate in a ‘Right to Water’ civic society organised coalition march at 10am friday 14 november 2014 in Bulawayo. The march will start at the Egodini bus terminus and end at the city Hall. The City Mayor is expected to address participants along with civic society leaders.

The march focus is against the installation of prepaid water meters which Civic Society leaders view as a violation of the international instruments covering the right to water. The march sees the launch of a petition drive for residents of the city to get council to reverse the decision to install prepaid meters.

Bulawayo Residents Right to Water Campaign – SAY NO to Prepaid Water Meters Petition

In late 2013, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) revealed that it would be introducing prepaid water meters as a means of water management in Bulawayo, with the concept set to be piloted in Cowdray Park’s Hlalani Kuhle area. With prepaid water meters, people pay for water up-front before accessing it, in the same manner that they purchase airtime first before being able to make calls. Research by Bulawayo civic society organisations found that prepaid water meters are unworkable in poor communities such as Cowdray Park, and indeed anywhere else in Zimbabwe due to the current economic situation. They would inevitably lead to residents consuming less water than they need for a healthy life, leading to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera. Consultations have also revealed that the majority of residents of Bulawayo are against the move. BPRA in association with several CSOs in Bulawayo is thus carrying out a Right to Water Campaign, which among other things seeks to compel the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to reverse its decision to install prepaid water meters.

• The BCC resolution seems at odds with the new constitutional dispensation which reads – every person has a right to A) safe, clean and potable water B) sufficient food. These two points are interlinked as the one feeds the other and help people survive!
• Pre paid meters will destroy the spirit of “ubuntu” as people will no-longer be free to share water – this is a taboo in our culture.
Sign this petition and JOIN the campaign for the RIGHT TO WATER. Together we can make BULAWAYO CITY COUNCIL (BCC) REVERSE its decision to install prepaid water meters.

CHECK OUT THE MARCH PHOTOS AT facebook.com/woza.zimbabwe

The 158 members arrested today in Bulawayo were all released late this afternoon. The 127 women and 31 men were held in Southampton House all afternoon. Police Internal Security Intelligence (PISI) officers questioned two leaders, Williams and Mahlangu whilst the others had their names recorded. Attempts were made to keep Williams and Mahlangu in custody but the rest of the members refused to be released without them and vocalised this.

Two Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) officials, Maphosa and Ndebele, also attended and recorded the life history of Williams, advising her that they would now be frequently visiting her home and monitoring her movements. None of the activists arrested were charged in the end.

The message delivered by WOZA was delivered loud and clear and whilst we recognise that police restrained themselves from brutality today, WOZA will continue to protest for an end to violence against all Zimbabweans and for a constitution-making process that has people at heart.

FOURTEEN members appeared yesterday morning, 26th August, before Magistrate Doris Shomwe in Harare Magistrate’s Court. They had been arrested near the Zambian Embassy in Harare on 28 May 2008, where they were to hand over a petition to the SADC chair calling for an end to post-election violence.

Magistrate Shomwe allowed the state’s application for the trial to be postponed to 15 October 2008 on grounds that the prosecutor, Zvekare, who was familiar with the case, had fallen ill and could not be in court.

Harrison Nkomo, the defence lawyer, had requested that the group be removed off remand on the grounds that the state was obviously not prepared as they had failed to deliver the court papers by 18th August as promised and the continued appearances in court were prejudicial to the accused. He also argued that the state had not provided any evidence that Zvekare was actually ill, what he was suffering from and how long he had been ill for.

The replacement prosecutor Kaka had the activists speechless with his antics. He insisted that the state was ready to proceed and could immediately hand over copies of the docket but when the defence followed him to his office following the hearing; it became apparent that the docket is not complete.

Just another day in a politicised court system. WOZA look forward to the day there will be a democratic transition in Zimbabwe that results in the judiciary and police being depoliticised so that long-harassed human rights defenders can access a just and fair legal system.

WOZA, the acronym of Women of Zimbabwe Arise, is an Ndebele word meaning ‘come forward’. Now with a countrywide membership of over 75,000 women and men, WOZA was formed in 2003 as a women’s civic movement to:

• Provide women, from all walks of life, with a united voice to speak out on issues affecting their day-to-day lives.
• Empower female leadership that will lead community involvement in pressing for solutions to the current crisis.
• Encourage women to stand up for their rights and freedoms.
• Lobby and advocate on those issues affecting women and their families.

The WOZA solution – TOUGH LOVE
Based on the principles of strategic nonviolence, through our actions, WOZA creates space to allow Zimbabweans to articulate issues they may be too fearful to raise alone. WOZA has conducted hundreds of protests since 2003 and over 3,000 women and men have spent time in police custody, many more than once and most for 48 hours or more. These frontline human rights defenders are willing to suffer beatings and unbearable conditions in prison cells to exercise their constitutional rights and fundamental freedoms.

WOZA was formed to be a litmus test proving that the power of love can conquer the love of power. ‘Tough Love’ is our secret weapon of mass mobilisation. ‘Tough Love’ is the disciplining love of a parent; women practice it to press for and to bring dignity back to Zimbabweans. Tough Love is a ‘people power’ tool that any community can use to press for better governance and social justice, especially for Zimbabweans. Political leaders in Zimbabwe need some discipline; who better to dish it out than mothers!

Enter the men!
In August 2006, at the WOZA National Assembly, it was resolved to form Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) and this wing has been growing steadily. Men, mostly youthful, are ‘coming forward’ to join the non-violent struggle for a better Zimbabwe.

WOZA and Social Justice
During 2006, WOZA carried out consultations on social justice across the country. In 284 meetings, almost 10,000 rural and urban people told us what they want in a new Zimbabwe. We wrote down what they said and the result is the People’s Charter.

Read more about WOZA’s social justice campaign and the People’s Charter.
Read about WOZA’s campaigns.
Read the latest edition of the WOZA newsletter, Woza Moya or one of WOZA’s publications.

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 : ………………………………………

Copyright © 2004

The WOZA social justice charter – the People’s Charter – was successfully launched in Mutare this morning, as members of the organisation marched through central Mutare, defying a police ban on all demonstrations throughout the country. Approximately 30 women processed, singing and waving placards, from near Kingdom Bank up to the Civic Centre, a distance of about 300 metres. They left their placards in front of the Civic Centre, and dispersed, as the few police in the area ignored them. No arrests took place.

Meanwhile we have news that the total number arrested yesterday in Masvingo is 20. A lawyer is now assisting them. Details of the charges are not yet available.

In Gweru, the 27 arrested during the demonstration on Monday appeared in court yesterday and were released on bail. The nine others that had been arrested later in the day when taking food to those in cells remain in custody and are expected to be taken to court today. Police are still trying to decide what charges to bring against them.

In a busy day at court for Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), the 26 members on trial in Gweru were finally removed off remand today. A visibly irate magistrate refused to further remand the group and had harsh words for the prosecutor when he once again confessed that the docket was not ready. She accused the state of not being serious about the matter and went on to state that the accused had been highly inconvenienced by the whole process, with some of them having sell goats in order to make the court hearings. She ordered the police to proceed by way of summons if they ever gathered the necessary evidence. The group of 26 had been arrested in March whilst launching the People’s Charter in the Midlands town. They have appeared on remand on at least four occasions since their March arrest.

In a separate incident, in Bulawayo the four members arrested during a localised housing demonstration in Mabutweni in October last year, again appeared in remand court this morning. They did not have the same luck as their Gweru comrades and were further remanded to 28 September.

Maria Moyo was born on 15 March 1950 in Gwanda. She died on 6 November 2007, aged 57 years. She was married with 9 children and her last born is a Grade 4 pupil. She left behind 12 grandchildren. She did her primary education in Gwanda at Siboza Primary School up to Standard 4. She joined the liberation struggle in 1970’s and went to Zambia and Botswana.She joined WOZA at its formation in 2003 and was normally in the front of the protests and normally one of the first to be arrested. She was arrested 10 times and was once kept in solitary confinement in Sauerstown Police station. Maria was often just picked up from her home for no apparent reason.

On 24 August at around 4 am, Law and Order officers known to WOZA arrived at her Mabutweni home. Even though her daughter and husband told the officers that she was very ill and tried to refuse them access, they insisted on taking Maria from her home in the freezing cold conditions of that day. Some of the officers involved in this abduction operation are Tshuma, Mthunzi, Masarira, Ncube, Mpofu, and three female officers, one called MaNdlovu. They took her to a bushy area at Khami Ruins and interrogated her and 5 others on the rocks overlooking the Dam. They threatened to throw her into the dam tied up with ropes and rocks.

When WOZA members Williams and Mahlangu visited her that day, she testified speaking in iSindebele, “I have never been so scared in all my life – they wanted to kill me. I became very cold and began to shake uncontrollably, the police became worried so they put me in the car and switched on the heater until the shaking subsided.” The sudden appearance of a white person carrying what looked like a camera bag is what made the police officers fear exposure and they took the 6 members and 18 month old baby home. But having survived the liberation war and despite medical treatment Maria never recovered.

Maria was laid to rest on 11 November in Bulawayo. She will be remembered for her ready smile even in the harsh jail conditions. She will be remembered for her courage and commitment. We will remember her as an outspoken defender of human rights and as our shero. May her soul rest in peace in a better place than the living hell of Zimbabwe.

Eight members of WOZA were arrested in Pumula this morning whilst putting up posters in the high-density suburb. The group of women were putting up posters encouraging Zimbabweans to stand up for their child and vote in next week’s elections. They were taken to Pumula Police Station and questioned for 30 minutes before being released without charge.

Questions included why they were wearing t-shirts telling people to vote (they were wearing Crisis Coalition t-shirts which also urge people to vote on 29 March) and what Stand Up for Your Child means. They were finally told to stop encouraging people to vote – to leave that to the politicians – and released.

With one week left before the election, the arbitrary arrest of citizens who were not campaigning for any political party but merely exhorting people to exercise their democratic right to vote is yet another indication that next week’s polls are being held in an environment that is not free or fair. Nonetheless, WOZA continues to encourage Zimbabweans to be ready to stand up and be counted on 29 March – make your choice, cast your vote, register your protest.

To see a copy of the poster that the women were putting up when they were arrested, click here: stand-up-poster-3.pdf

The seven members arrested in Bulawayo on Wednesday 17th June appeared on remand in Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court this morning. The state was not prepared with either the docket or state witnesses. They have been further remanded out of custody until 22nd July.

In Harare, the four members who had been arrested on 18th June and badly beaten appeared in Harare Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. As in Bulawayo, the state was not ready with either the docket or state witnesses. Neither were the police ready to answer why the four were so badly beaten in custody. The magistrate has postponed the matter to Monday 6th July and has insisted that the state be ready on that date.

Subsequently all four members have been called into Harare Central Police Station by officers from the Law and Order Unit to give their account of what happened to them in custody.

Both groups of activists, in Harare and Bulawayo, are charged under Section 37 1 a of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act – ‘disturbing the peace, security or order of the public’.