Hundreds of members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) took to the streets of Bulawayo this morning, marching for several blocks to Mhlahlandlela Government Complex to declare a national disaster and demand immediate food aid for all Zimbabweans. Nine members have been arrested at the time of this release.

On arrival at the Government Complex, the group of approximately 200 sat down outside the gates whilst a delegation of four elderly women went in to request that the Regional Department Heads of all the service departments come out and address the crowd on what is being done to alleviate the humanitarian crisis facing the country.

The group sat peacefully waiting to be addressed for 45 minutes before five riot police approached the group. Two leaders, Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, were arrested and taken to Drill Hall, which is across the road from Mhlahlandlela. The rest of the group were forcibly dispersed by being beaten with baton sticks. At least one member is receiving medical attention for the beating she received. Williams and Mahlangu were later taken to Bulawayo Central Police Station, where they are currently being held.

It appears that a group of seven women were arrested before the demonstration began as they were sitting waiting for the signal to start. They were apparently sitting near some black market foreign exchange dealers and were arrested along with them. They have also been taken to Bulawayo Central Police Station. Lawyers are still trying to verify reports that the group had been beaten inside Bulawayo Central.

The peaceful protestors had begun their march near the High Court and processed several blocks to Mhlahlandlela, singing and handing out the October 2008 Woza Moya newsletter to passers-by who rushed out into the street to receive them. A copy of the October 2008 newsletter with the group’s demands can be found below.

The demonstrators also paused at two intersections to sit down whilst chanting in Ndebele – ‘ayihlale phansi ihambe umthetho’ (sit down and maintain discipline). As during their last demonstration two weeks ago, 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’.

The protest was further to a previous peaceful protest on 29 September where the theme was ‘actions speak louder than words’. The political impasse continues a month after the power-sharing agreement was signed and the crisis facing people in their daily lives deteriorates dramatically every day. The power-sharing deal mentions grave concern for the humanitarian crisis facing people and yet still nothing has been done. People and children are dying of starvation whilst the politicians continue to talk.

WOZA therefore continues to demand immediate action regarding the formation of a new government that will begin to work on solving urgent social issues, like food, electricity and water. Recognising that the situation in the country is now a national disaster we also demand that ALL Zimbabweans receive access to food aid and also seed and agricultural inputs.

In other news, both groups of members facing trial this week have been removed off remand. On Tuesday 14th, the decision on the application for review of the case of Cynthia Ncube and Trust Moyo was not ready. Whilst the decision from the High Court is pending, they were removed off remand.

The ‘Chikurubi 14’ due to face trial in Harare Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday 15th, were also removed off remand. The docket was not available and although the State tried to insist that they were ready for trial and were trying to get the group further remanded for trial, the Magistrate upheld the resolution that she had made on 26th August that if the trial did not take off on the 15th October, the group would be removed off remand.

We also ask that you call Bulawayo Central Police Station on +263 9 72515, 61706 or 63061 and ask for the immediate release of all WOZA members including Williams and Mahlangu and that they not be mistreated in custody.

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

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).

Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) launched a report detailing the trauma experiences of their members today. The event was conducted in Johannesburg, South Africa with attendance by press, diplomats, civic society leaders and members of WOZA. The report is entitled “Counting the Cost of Courage: Trauma Experiences of Women Human Rights Defenders in Zimbabwe”.

In 2007 research was carried out to determine the nature and extent of violations perpetrated on WOZA members by state actors.  It used a questionnaire administered verbally to more than 2,000 WOZA members.  The major results were detailed in a report released in March 2008 entitled ‘The Effects of Fighting Repression with Love’.  They showed a high level of arrests, assaults, torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, primarily by members of various sections of the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

One section of the questionnaire sought to document traumatic experiences of WOZA women in order to understand the basis of possible psychological and emotional disorders arising from their civic activism – ‘counting the cost of their courage’. The report launched today outlines these findings.
The research explored two broad categories of trauma:

The research

• “displacement” experiences – a concept first developed first in relation to the psychological and emotional plight of refugees fleeing war zones.  It details events such as loss of home, failing to access food and medical care, being lost, being caught up in fighting and similar experiences.
• The second source of trauma is “organized violence and torture” (OVT), including events of torture per se as well as assaults, cruel inhuman and degrading treatment, and verbal threats, insults and taunts.

The data relating to trauma was based on the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire [HTQ]. It was altered slightly from previous uses in Zimbabwe in order to include an historical element, so that there might be a long-range understanding of the women’s experience of trauma throughout their adult lives. Interviewees were asked to indicate trauma events in two forms: those they have experienced themselves, and those they witnessed being experienced by others. They were asked to record these events for three periods: pre-Independence, 1980-1999, and for each year since 1999.

Conclusions
The findings of the report indicate that Zimbabwe is a “complex emergency”:  significant violence, severe economic decline, and the destruction of social capital, which means resembles a war. As is the case in most complex emergencies, women and their families are generally the most common victims, and Zimbabwe is no exception.  Many women of all ages have been brutalized, raped, tortured, and even killed for their political activities and of those of their male family members.  As children are normally in the presence of their mothers, they been equally victimised.  Most often such victims demonstrate psychological effects of their experience and witnessing of traumatic events.

Additional findings indicate that:

• Zimbabweans have a history of mass trauma dating back to colonial experiences. The members of WOZA have experienced trauma over all the past three decades, as well as before Independence in 1980.
• The frequency of trauma of all kinds has been steadily increasing. An average of 2.9 events per respondent for the pre-Independence period doubled to 5.8 in the two post-Independence decades, and then tripled to 16.7 in the period 2000 to 2007.
• There are generally more displacement experiences than OVT however – indicative of the worsening socio-economic situation.
• It was found that 1,051 [53%] women in the sample had scores indicative of psychological disorder.
• Trauma research suggests that repeated exposure to trauma has a cumulative effect, making the victim more likely to suffer from a psychological disorder. Zimbabwean women, with their history of repeated trauma through recent history are then candidates for clinical psychological symptoms resulting from repeated trauma of various types.
• WOZA women have received very little counselling to help them deal with their trauma.  Some group healing sessions with professional counsellors were organized, but remarkably, the women seemed more concerned to discuss their ‘displacement’ issues than their experiences of OVT, which they said they expected in any case and they had recovered from.  Of course, this does not mean that they do not have any trauma-related disorders, but they themselves do not perceive them, and their observed behaviour does not indicate them either. It is possible that the psychological effects of their trauma may well be lessened due to their understanding of the reason for their suffering and their preparedness to make a sacrifice for the future of their families and their nation.

WOZA Recommendations
What is clear is that the Zanu PF government seems to be oblivious to the destructive impact of widespread use of violence as a political tool of control and repression.  Although it has appeared to have achieved its immediate goal of stifling dissent for some years, it has surely had seriously adverse long-term effects on both the victims and the perpetrators.

It is also clear that any government has a responsibility to care for the welfare of its people. At what point will a Zimbabwean government confront the legacy of trauma and look to begin a healing process? This must be an important consideration in determining what form of authority emerges from the current SADC mediation process.

In order to deal with the problem of the prevalence of OVT as a common feature of our society, we recommend the following:

• Stop the political violence; disband militia camps in all areas of the country. Any political violence must be reported, investigated and prosecuted through the courts without any form of favour or political influence.

• Intensive research should be undertaken into the effects of OVT on Zimbabweans, both as victims and as perpetrators.
• A centre be established within Zimbabwe to carry out research, training and treatment related to victims and perpetrators of violence.
• A needs assessment be conducted regarding what treatment is needed to heal both victims and perpetrators.
• Research should be conducted and disseminated on the most effective ways for non-violent protestors to prepare themselves to lessen the traumatic effects of torture and other forms of violence.
• All government law enforcement agents be trained specifically on their international responsibilities regarding OVT and be required to make specific commitments not to follow orders which require them to contravene this commitment; an international rescue programme could be established to assist any who lose employment as a result of adhering to this commitment.
• All members of the government, defence forces and party institutions who are identified as perpetrators be required to appear before a forum where they admit their crimes; the more senior officers identified as giving orders should be prosecuted.
• Joint sessions of victims and perpetrators should be held to aid the healing process on both sides.
• Government should immediately lift the current ban on organisations providing humanitarian assistance and also allow a United Nations team to address the humanitarian crisis and widespread hunger without political interference.
• A transitional authority should form a body to consult and develop a transitional justice plan of action designed to bring healing and reconciliation and then deal with justice and restitution for victims in the new Zimbabwe.

The type of evil that has become an integral part of government behaviour in Zimbabwe must be eradicated and the mindset of power hunger and disrespect for other human beings overcome. It can only happen through the actions of a government with a strong will to correct wrongs and ensure that the rights of all Zimbabweans be respected. We therefore believe that the most appropriate government to replace the current illegitimate incumbent would be a non-political transitional authority whose members have as a priority transitional process of healing, transforming and rebuilding. Such an authority will have the capacity and neutrality necessary to dismantle the structures of violence and oppression.

Nonetheless, whatever format the new political dispensation in Zimbabwe takes, it will need to embark on an official programme of acknowledgement of injustices. Economic recovery and democratic reform, whilst imperative, can only go so far in restoring the dignity of people. We believe that for dignity to be fully restored a new administration needs to assist individual survivors to rebuild their broken lives whilst ensuring that ‘liveable peace’ is achieved. It is the only way Zimbabweans can bury the ghosts of their past and move forward into a more secure future.

As well as outlining the findings on the research done on WOZA members, the launch also outlined some statistics of post-election violence since the 29 March harmonised elections, giving a brief overview of the horror that many Zimbabweans have been faced with in the last few months. These statistics added further poignancy to the call for a lasting peaceful solution in Zimbabwe and the urgent need for a national programme of healing.

To read a full copy of the report, click here Counting the Cost of Courage: Trauma Experiences of Women Human Rights Defenders in Zimbabwe

To read statistics and case histories of post-election violence since March 2008, click here post-election-violence-in-zimbabwe-2008.doc

ON Saturday 16th, police officers released the nine WOZA members who had been in detention since Wednesday night. Two members, Samukeliso Sibanda and Jema Gama, were asked to report to the police station this morning (Monday).

Upon arrival, the two were advised that they were to be charged with being a ‘public nuisance’ under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. They were then taken to the Magistrates Court where they appeared before Magistrate Charity Maphosa. The defence lawyer from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights advised that they plead guilty, which they did. The magistrate will deliver a ruling at 11:15 on Tuesday 19 August 2008. The charge normally carries a fine.

Whilst the two women appear in court on the 19th, WOZA will launch a report on the trauma experiences of its members in Johannesburg, South Africa, entitled ‘Counting the Cost of Courage: Trauma Experiences of Women Human Rights Defenders in Zimbabwe’.

NINE WOMEN, were arrested in Bulawayo on Wednesday night. They are being charged with ‘malicious damage to property’, a charge, which they are denying. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights are representing the women and hope they will appear in court on Saturday August 16.

Four of the younger members were seen ‘road-writing’ the WOZA ‘love’ slogan and the ‘Woza Moya’ (come healing wind) on a road in Mabutweni suburb of Bulawayo under cover of darkness. They were arrested and detained first at Western Commonage station before being transferred to the dirty police cells at Bulawayo Central. Police officers then threatened them and forced one to point out the homes of other leaders. A further five including two 75 year olds, were taken from their homes and detained. It is unclear why they are facing the same charges or why they were arrested.

WOZA wish to make it clear that the arrest of our members is a further violation of the Memorandum of understanding signed by Zanu PF, and the 2 MDC parties as part of the SADC led Dialogue. It is further proof that Zanu PF may have called for an end to violence in word but no in deed. It is also our view that unless there is an audit and transformation of the police and army, there can be no healing and restoration of human rights in Zimbabwe. We will continue with our grafitti road writing our messages until the politicians hear us loud and clear.

WOZA leaders will march with South Africa labour and civic society on Saturday 16 August 2008 to deliver demands to SADC leaders. Once such demand is articulated in our slogan – Woza Moya which is written on many roads in Zimbabwe by WOZA members.

P.S. Please feel free to donate paint to assist us in this messaging.

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

Freedom in a fortnight? A view from the trenches

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Strike a woman and you strike a rock

Approximately 300 WOZA members marched through the streets of central Bulawayo this afternoon. The aim of the march was to draw the attention of preoccupied politicians to people’s needs, namely bread and butter issues; or as WOZA likes to put it, bread and roses issues – bread representing food and roses representing the need for lasting dignity. No arrests have been reported at the time of this release although police were seen to respond after the demonstrators dispersed showing intention to arrest participants.

The protest also sought to test the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently signed by Zimbabwe’s politicians to determine whether freedoms of expression and assembly truly have opened up. The MoU stated that there would be freedom of political activity and security of persons and prevention of violence. It further followed that there would be statements calling for an end to violence but Zimbabweans have yet to see this in word and deed.

The representative group of women and men marched to the offices of the Chronicle, the state-owned newspaper. As the peaceful activists marched, they distributed a newsletter detailing their demands (to read a copy of this newsletter, see July 2008 Woza Moya). By completing the march without incident, WOZA members have finally laid to rest the ghost of the International Women’s Day protest on 8th March 2008 where over 50 members received medical attention for the brutal beating they received from riot police when attempting to reach the Chronicle offices.

As they marched the members sang an Ndebele song with the words: “we are going to Pretoria – even if they arrest us or beat us and even if they have not invited us.” Signifying the need for representation at the negotiation table to ensure a lasting solution to the crisis in the country or else the only other option left to Zimbabweans is going the unofficial way – by border jumping as political or economic refugees. These are the bottom line choices for the negotiators.

Today’s march is also the first protest conducted by WOZA after the 28th May demonstration in Harare that resulted in 14 members being incarcerated in remand prison for several weeks.

WOZA intend to organise more protests over the next few weeks to press for civic representatives to be involved in the talks and to continue to ‘test’ the politician’s commitment to a non-violent solution.

THE 14 members who had been arrested on 28 May during a peaceful procession were remanded to trial on 26 August in Harare Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning.

Passports that had been confiscated as part of bail conditions were returned and all reporting conditions were removed. The trial was to have been held on 29 July but was postponed as the State was not ready.

On 15th July, two members charged with distributing materials likely to cause a breach of the peace in Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court were remanded to 16 September as, once again, the State was not ready to proceed to trial.

To read legal documents relating to the case against Jenni Williams and the 13 others, please look in the legal documents folder.

REQUEST FOR REMAND
Station: C.I.D. LAW AND ORDER HARARE Prosecutor’s Ref: C.R: 1695/05/2008
Section: C.I.D LAW AND ORDER HARARE. DR 08/5/08 C.R.B. No: 3883/2008
Investigating Officer: Mirimbo A. 043465T Prison No.
(Note: In the case of joint accused, all are to be included on same Request for Remand Form)

Section A
Accused: (full names, N.R/R.C., etc.) JENNIFFER WILLIAMS      Age: 46 yrs

Arrested (date) 28th MAY 2008 Time: 1200hrs

Section B
Offence(s) – COUNT 1. C/S 31(a) (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification & Reform) Act Chapter 9.23 “publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state”
COUNT 2. C/S 30 of the Criminal Law (Codification & Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 “causing disaffection among police force or defence forces

Allegation(s) – On (date) 28TH MAY 2008 at (place) CORNER JULIUS NYERERE AND NKWAME NKHRUMA AVENUE, HARARE the accused (state what the accused did) – SEE ANNEXTURE-

Evidence (state facts linking accused to the commission of crime/offence, e.g. accused was found in possession of stolen , radio, etc)
1. THE ACCUSED PERSON ON BEING ARRESTED WAS FOUND IN POSSESSION OF THE REMINDER OF THE WOZA MOYA NEWSLETTER/FLYERS IN HER CUSTODY.
2. ACCUSED HAD BANNERS/PLACARDS AND IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS WHO CAN TESTIFY THAT THE FLYERS (WOZA MOYA) BELONG TO THE ACCUSED PERSON.

3. VEHICLE REGISTRATION NUMBER AAQ 7338, A NISSAN PATROL WHICH ACCUSED WERE USINGWAS RECOVERED.
4. ACCUSED FOUND IN POSSESSION OF BANNERS, PLACARDS AND FLYERS
Value of property stolen/potential prejudice (Frauds, etc.) $………N/A…..Value of property recovered $…N/A

Bail – not opposed/opposed/on Police bail: Yes/No (If yes $ OPPOSED
Reasons for apposing bail are:
1. Accused has known record/previous conviction (state) YET TO BE CHECKED

2. Accused has pending cases at court (quote Station, C.R/CRB No.) BYO CENTRAL CR 1018/6/07 CRs 1018/06/04 AND CRB 310-2/07

3. Accused is likely to abscond (give reasons e.g. has no family, no house, etc) ACCUSED HAS VEHICLES, MEANS OF MOVING FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER WHILST EVADING POLICE AND ALSO TRAVEL DOCUMENTS TO LEAVE OR FLEE THE COUNTRY.

4. Accused is likely to interfere with evidence/witnesses (give reasons why you say so) WHEN THE ACCUSED WAS ARRESTED, SOME OF THER MEMBERS OF WOZA MANAGED TO ESCAPE WHILST IN POSSESSION OF THE COPIES OF THE WOZA MOY NEWSLETTER, EFFORTS TO LOCATE AND RECOVER THESE ARE UNDERWAY IF RELEASED, SHE IS LIKELY TO INTERFERE WITH PROCESS.

5. Accused is likely to commit other offences (give reasons): ACCUSED IS VERY ACTIVE LEADER OF THE WOZA, WITH THE APPROACHING PERIOD OF THE RUN OFF (ELECTIONS) SHE IS LIKELY TO KEEP ON DISTRIBUTING THE STATEMENTS AND THUS COMMIT THE SAME OFFENCES AS WELL AS OTHERS.

6. Any other reason(s): THE ACCUSED PERSON IS VERY INFLUENCIAL, SHE HAS GOT MANY SYMPATHISERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE GO SOME SAFE HOUSES. IF ACCUSED IS RELEASED, SHE IS LIKELY TO GO INTO HIDING AND IN THE SAME PROCESS EVADE POLICE.

Section D
Date investigation should be completed 16 June 2008 possible number of witnesses (8)
Date: 29/05/2008 Signature:…………………..(Rank) D/A/I………….(No.) 043465t
Checked: Officer/Member-In-Charge

Section E
Officer/Member-In-Charge
Z.R Police
…………………………………………………..

C.I.D. Law & Order Harare D.R. 08/05/2008 C.R.B. /08
Harare Central C.R. 1695/05/2008

ANNEXTURE OF ALLEGATIONS
Count One
C/S 31 (a) (i) of the CRIMINAL Law (Codification & Reform) Act 9:23 PUBLISHING OR COMMUNICATING FALSE STATEMENTS PREJUDICIAL TO THE STATE.
On the 28th May 2008 at the Corner of Kwame Nkhrumah Avenue and Julius Nyerere Way about 1200hrs, the accused person who is a leader of the Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) was arrested by police whilst carrying out a procession in which she was in possession of some flyers which she has been distributing in the street. In one of the WOZA Newsletter the message being communicated was “What is there to celebrate when Zimbabweans no longer have faith that their right to vote is respected? And we will ask them to face the fact that Mugabe as the leader of a so called ( liberation war party) has failed to deliver judicial justice. By refusing to release results timeously and unleashing violence on voters Mugabe has betrayed the one man vote ideal our heroes died for” statement s which are false and prejudicial to the State.

Count Two
C/S 30 of the Criminal Law (Codification & Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 “CAUSING DISAFFECTION AMONG POLICE FORCE or DEFENCE FORCES.
On being arrested as per count one above, the flyer which accused was in possession and distributing, the WOZA newsletter also on a paragraph numbered 5 was communicating the following statement/information “that the uniformed forces realise that there is no peace in the absence of justice. We ask them to respect that Zimbabweans have voted for change and refrain from being used to perpetrate violence and to carry out injustices. When change comes, and it will come, WOZA will demand in audit of the civil servants, including the uniformed forces. We, your neighbours in our communities, know you for the things that you do, both good and bad. We will remember. Hear us loud and clear – your leaders may get generous retirement packages but you will be left to face the justice of the law and the anger of the people. When you see us in the streets, we come in peace with love in our hearts and you have the choice to respond likewise and allow us to do our work as mothers of the nation. Good actions will also be remembered and rewarded.” This statement is likely to cause disaffection among the Police force or the Defence Force as it is likely to induce the members to withhold their services or to commit breaches of discipline whilst trying to confirm with accused’s statement.