The Zimbabwe Situation

WOZA (Women of Zimbabwe Arise) marched onto Zimbabwe’s national stage on February 14, 2003, handing out red roses for love as they processed through the streets of Bulawayo and Harare. It was not the first time they had marched – that had been two months earlier when the police had escorted a noisy, pot-banging demonstration in Bulawayo during the campaign against gender violence. But this time was different. In both cities, the marches were vigorously broken up by the riot police, and women were hustled off to police cells.

How had these women, pronouncing peace and love with their roses, offended the police? Who were they, why were they marching, and why do they continue to march up to today? The context will give us the answers to all these questions.

By late 2002 morale throughout Zimbabwe was very low. The hopes for an escape from economic collapse through a change of government had been dashed as ZANU PF demonstrated its determination to subvert the electoral process. It had tightened its grip on power through unconstitutional legislation, abrogation of the rule of law, and crude violence. Several civil society groups were active alongside the opposition MDC in speaking out on behalf of the long-suffering people, but the international community to which they constantly appealed kept asking “where are the ordinary Zimbabweans? If things are so bad, why are they not protesting?”

WOZA was formed partly with a view to answering this question, and partly to address a long-term need to give Zimbabwean women a voice. There are many NGOs, church organisations and clubs which deal with women’s issues – including gender violence, income generation, HIV/AIDS, skills training and cultural activities. But on a national scale there has never been a mass organisation of women to act as a pressure group to lobby and advocate on issues concerning women. Women have only been organised within political parties, helping to set agendas for policy formation and ultimately having the aim of assisting their party to gain or to retain power.

WOZA was formed to fill such a gap, to provide a platform for women to use the power of their numbers to pressurise for policies and programmes, not to gain political power. It is based on the presumption that the vast majority of women have common issues, with solutions not based on political affiliation. But WOZA had first to respond to the immediate issues of the Zimbabwean crisis. They felt it was necessary to force the government and the international community to take account of the effect of the crisis on women, their families, and their children. And the only way this could be done was to take to the streets and demonstrate their desperation, claiming back the right to free expression which had been taken away by the Public Order and Security Act (POSA). They knew that without police sanction their actions would be treated by the authorities as illegal, but if they were arrested, so be it: they were prepared for that. Someone had to speak out, someone had to show government and the rest of the world that Zimbabweans are living in an intolerable situation, and the way to solve our problems is not through the hate and violence being preached through government propaganda and actions, but through love, concern and respect for one other.

And so throughout 2003 and 2004 they have continued to march and demonstrate, each time with a specific message: “love not hate”, “sweep the streets clean of the dirt of corruption”, “our pots are empty”, “government has caused the cash crisis by greed”, “we are like refugees in our own country”, “withdraw the NGO Bill”, “withdraw POSA”. Each time, there have been arrests, and each time the voice of Zimbabwean women has been kept alive, even though by the end of 2003 government controlled almost all the media in the country.

At numerous small meetings and planning sessions, the members of WOZA have developed and refined their vision for their organisation. Their aim is to empower women to speak out about the things that concern them, to develop capacities of women to participate in public life with confidence and to understand their problems in a wider context. Their mode of organisation is democratic and participatory, but they have specifically rejected the type of organisation found in Zimbabwean political parties where individuals are constantly competing for positions. Rather leadership is earned through leading others into actions and is shared and rotated so that many have the opportunity to develop leadership skills. Organisation begins at the bottom, with neighbourhood committees, and to date no national structure has been formalised.

Inspired by Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi, WOZA espouses a commitment to non-violent civil disobedience. The protest action by a few is taken on behalf of the many, knowing that the consequences may be severe. After several attempts to co-operate with the police had resulted in rejection, the women decided that they would no longer try to obey laws that clearly deprived them of rights not only enshrined in international human rights instruments signed by Zimbabwe but also guaranteed in our own constitution. If the police were always going to prohibit their demonstrations, they would simply go ahead and demonstrate without notifying the police. This is the reason arrests are frequent.

· Harassment by police in the form of searches of houses and properties owned or used by activists, summonses to the police station for questioning, confiscation of property and numerous arrests and court appearances

· Membership shifted towards those who had the least to lose, that is towards the impoverished women in the urban townships, and away from the employed middle and working class women

· Organisation became more difficult, because these women lacked their own resources and had to be assisted, even to attend meetings

· Complicated relationships resulted with other organisations and individuals who support the cause morally but are not prepared to risk arrest or assaults by the police

· Increasing respect came from members of the public, other NGOs and foreign well-wishers

In spite of harassment by the police, arrests and detention in the police cells in unspeakable conditions, no WOZA woman has ever been sentenced in a court to a period of imprisonment. Admission of guilt fines have been paid under protest in order to escape the inhuman conditions of the police cells, but recently a High Court judge accepted an application for the fines to be returned. Generally women have been charged under section 19 of POSA – behaviour likely to cause a riot – or section 24 – organising an unlawful gathering. But even the prosecutors have been reluctant to press these charges, as they know the evidence does not support convictions. They have rather reduced the charges to a section under the Miscellaneous Offences Act such as obstructing the pavement. Although some charges under section 24 are still outstanding, more often the magistrates have simply refused to place the women on remand, saying there is no evidence of an offence. In the one case which has gone to trial, the charges were first reduced to obstructing traffic, and then they could not be sustained because the police witnesses gave conflicting testimony. Incompetence or complicity? We will never know, but what is known is that almost every time there are arrests there are whispered words of encouragement from some police officers and court officials, both men and women. They are suffering the same deprivations as the demonstrators.

The WOZA women, defended by lawyers provided by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, argue that they are exempted from POSA because they are a non-political ogranisation and their focus socio- economic issues. Up to now, this argument has succeeded in getting charges reduced and keeping women from being convicted. However, the mere fact of being arrested and held in cells which are filthy, full of lice and mosquitoes, with blocked open toilets, and no food except that brought by friends and families, is punishment enough for most, and certainly does deter others from participating in the demonstrations. The conditions violate all international as well as Zimbabwean human rights standards. Sometimes women are deliberately crowded into tiny cells when other cells are available. It is all part of the brutality. In one case, young women attending a meeting were sjamboked on the soles of their feet as a way of intimidating them. The police themselves have undertaken to punish the women, knowing that it will be difficult to secure convictions in the courts.

WOZA’s latest achievement was a walk from Bulawayo to Harare by more than 100 women. The 35 in the core group undertook the whole journey, and were joined by up to 115 others who joined for two days each, at different points along the route. The walk’s aim was to protest the NGO Bill currently before Parliament. If this Bill becomes law, all foreign funding will be banned for “issues of governance” which is now defined to include any matter in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the civil rights in the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. Furthermore, every NGO will have to register with a government appointed Council which can refuse registration. This new law will effectively render an organisation such as WOZA illegal, since it is unlikely to be registered. Hence this “long march” to protest against it before it becomes law. The women left Bulawayo quietly in the early morning and apparently were undetected by the police until they reached Gweru, 170 kilometres away. In ten days, they had reached Selous, less than 100 kilometres from Harare, where all but two were arrested. Those two had gone in search of supplies. Later that night one of the two was arrested when delivering food to colleagues in custody, leaving only one at large. She continued a lonely walk all the way to Harare, where she and 8 others, including a 4 month old baby, who joined her outside Parliament were arrested for saying a prayer together.

The 48 women and their 4 male support team arrested in Selous were released by a Chegutu magistrate who could not find any offence, and they proceeded to Harare. Together the two groups completed their protest by presenting a petition at Parliament on the day it opened, October 5, to be delivered to the Speaker. But before they could meet with the Speaker, 49 of the 80-strong group were arrested again outside Parliament by the riot police.

What has kept these brave women going, in the face of such hardships, infiltration by police informers, lack of resources, and the reluctance of the vast majority of Zimbabwean women to join in their actions of civil disobedience? It is impossible to write about WOZA without mentioning Jenni Williams, one of the founders and the on-going inspiration of WOZA women. She is a visionary, driven by a remarkable energy, determined and brave, undeterred by threats and harassment and numerous arrests and uncomfortable nights in stinking police cells. It is her faith that keeps her going, and a commitment to see justice being done throughout Zimbabwe. She was the lonely walker who proceeded from Selous to Harare on her own, to ensure that the protest march reached its planned conclusion.

The future for WOZA is uncertain. Faced with ZANU PF’s battery of laws designed to silence voices such as theirs, more bravery, commitment and ingenuity will be required to keep the flame alive through the repression which lies ahead. But hopefully when a new beginning is made, WOZA will be still be there to provide the sorely needed women’s voice.

Zim Daily

      Subject : David Scalpeter Interview with Terence Mukupe an MBA1
Student on Zimbabwe's situation
      Email : ekwaramba@cogeco.ca
      Letter : Dear Editor.
      I would like to thank you so much on publishing the interview done by
David Salpeter, when he interviewed Terence Mukupe who I supposed is an MBA1
student at your university.

      I regard my self as a true MBA student and studying in Canada, and
would like to challenge his interview with David Salpeter.I would like to
put some issues straight that you discussed with Terence and some of the ill
and grossly flawed responses that my fellow MBA1 countryman articulated.

      The issue of Mugabe's ascension wasn't tackled in more detail as
Terence did not correctly elaborate the events leading to Mugabe becoming
the President of Zimbabwe. Mugabe as we all know him even during the
liberation struggle, he was power hungry and he did split the liberation
struggle in such a way that it would be wedged on two fronts based on tribal
grounds. Nkomo in anyway was he in agreement or anticipated that to happen.
He was totally opposed to tribalism. Mugabe knew he was from the Zezuru
tribe which out numbered the Ndebele tribe where Nkomo came from. The
liberation struggle in Zimbabwe, hence must be clearly seen as a liberation
that was marked by power struggles within the leadership itself.

      I have to put the record straight that Joshua Nkomo started his
political career in South Africa when he was studying in the early 1940s.
Mugabe that time was not as powerful as Nkomo was. Mugabe actually employed
the divide and rule game to discredit Nkomo when he was Nkomo's secretary
general.. He even further spanned Dabaningi Sithole who was the leader of
the original ZANU which was started by Dabaningi Sithole after the bannning
of all political parties by the settler regime in 1962. There was division
and divergence of opinion on the formation of the government in exile by
Nkomo after the banning of all parties by the settler regime in September
1962. By forming a government in exile, Nkomo thought that would effect
political change, and would step up international pressure just like what
the MDC is doing today in Zimbabwe by seeking for help from the
international community.

      Nkomo was very aggressive as his political history shows, as when he
was the first black Zimbabwean to be employed by the railways of Rhodesia,
and later on becoming a trade unionist fighting for the black raiway workers
to have equal pay and treatment. One can not take that fact for granted.
When the settler government was in power and supressing the blacks, Nkomo
championed the blacks' plight and he was jailed many times. Terence is
misinformed when he says: "Nkomo didn't have the same sort of aggression,
and was more of a fatherly figure" Nkomo was very vibrant, with lots of
confidence and focus and agression. The reason why the liberation ended up
being so divided was because Nkomo was constantly jailed and at times the
party could go for long periods without a leader, and Mugabe as the
Secretary General would stand for Nkomo. That led to the birth of a new
divergence of ideas and recruitment of new cadres on tribal grounds , which
really destroyed what Nkomo had started in earnest.

      After Independence In 1980, the Zapu liberation soldiers were left out
in the formation of the New Zimbabwe military army because Mugabe wanted to
safe guard his political power, and he elected his close relatives and some
people who were not in the fore front of the liberation struggle. This
further divided the country as the Ndebele's felt they were looked down upon
as second class citizens. Lukout Masuku, and many other Zapu officials were
jailed by Mugabe for inciting a revolt in resisting Mugabe rule. The issue
was that Mugabe had hijacked the liberation sruggle on tribal grounds which
later became a focal point of the future of Zimbabwe. There were some
prominent figures such as Josiah Magamba Tongogara whom Mugabe saw as a
threat to his political power and was eliminated after the liberation
struggle had ended, as both the Zapra and Zanla liberation war soldiers were
returning home. All these events led to hatred and frustration among those
Nkomo led.

      A civil war was eminent,and it nearly erupted only to be everted by
the killing of thousands and thousands of Ndebeles in Matebeleland and the
Midlands area in what is popularly known as the Gukurahundi. I still
remember although I was still young, the Zipra and the Zanla soldiers
fighting running battles in the Chitungwiza area where they had been
allocated houses after the liberation war. It was really scary ,and my
family would hide under the bed as bullets were flying from all directions.
This was in Chitungwiza,a city about 15 kms from Harare.

      On the Congo war, that war was not called for. The Zimbabwean economic
situation was not in its best shape. The parliamentarians debated the
repercussions for going to war and how it would impact on the economy.
Mugabe could not listen just as Bush did when he invaded Iraq, simply
because he had his own agendas hidden under the disguise of being a
statesman. Mugabe and Kabila the Congo president then had business deals in
diamonds as this was later on reviewed after the war. Many well known army
commanders profiteered from the war in Congo as it was shown by the European
Commision of inquiry on what really happened in Congo during the war. Lots
of Zimbabwe soldiers died in that war and the government tried by all means
possible to hide what was happening on the ground.

      The other reason that war was not called for was that, it came
immediately after the Zimbabwean government had agreed to compensate all
those liberation war veterans who had been injured during the war. Millions
of dollars would be dished to those who fought for Zimbabwe's liberation.
That was not a bad thing to do at all, but the timing was not right. This
meant that taxes would be raised inorder to cater for the government
project. That is the period the Zimbabwe economic situation worsened. There
was a lot of corruption and mismanagement of disembursement of the funds.
Lots of war veterans such as Chenjerai Hunzvi benefited as they were
compensated more than once, as they used fake documents. Of concern was the
fact that the Congo war really drained the Zimbabwe economy just as it has
had an impact on the USA economy. Its not a good move always if you have a
president who thinks he can go it alone without the support of allies.

      As for the life in Zimbabwe, I think even a small child would tell
anyone that he or she is hungry. Life in Zimbabwe has deteriorated so much
that lot of people are surviving on donations from non governmental
organisations that Mugabe is fighting to curtail their importance in
Zimbabwe because he thinks these organisations are politically motivated. He
also thinks the non governmental organisations in Zimbabwe are pro- MDC
hence they are an enemy to the government. Its so sad that our government is
politicising the distribution of food in Zimbabwe. If you are not a member
of Zanu Pf you will not get food. The health care in Zimbabwe has gone down.
There are no drugs in Zimbabwe. Food prices have soared up beyond the reach
of ordinary Zimbabweans. The salaries of those working are not increasing
with the rate of inflation. Is that what we call a better life for
Zimbabweans Terence?. Our brothers and sisters are struggling to send their
kids to school. There are no jobs being created for our economy. The
unemployment rate is more than 70% , and my brother you would like to hide
that from the international community. That is wrong and we should be
responsible Zimbabweans who tell it as it is. All those back home if they
read your assertions about our country I do not think would be very
impressed, except those who know they have become rich and better off by
being a Zanu PF supporter or anything you might call it.

      On the issue of the GDP and the fall in per capita income, I do not
agree with Makupe. He must remember that the 100 000 whites that he
mentioned are citizens of Zimbabwe. He should not refer them as if he is
refering to aliens to our country. They were born and bred in Zimbabwe. They
are Zimbabweans. This is a serious issue that most of the black Zimbabweans
fail to understand, that when they start using racial tones they are infact
being rascist themselves. Yes Zimbawe's GDP and per capita income has
fallen. This is because of the land redistribution exercise that hasn't been
carried in a systematic and orderly manner. The Zimbabwean farmers mostly
whites had been the back borne of our economy. Zimbabwe was the second
producer of tobacco after United States. We had enough food to export to
needy countries, but at the moment we are surviving on imports from Zambia,
South Africa, European Union, and other countries as if we are not capable.
Mugabe has actually incapacitated our country and made many Zimbabwean to be
economic refugees in other countries because of his abrupt emotion driven
"colonial imbalances fixing". This has really killed what we have and our
future. Terence should know better, that Nelson Mandela when he assummed
power in South Africa, he did not seek to settle is political differences
with the whites in a crude manner as Mugabe has done. Mugabe has actually
used the land issue every time he felt his populatity with the Zimbabwean
electorate was going down. I really support the land redistribution but I
disagree with the way it has been carried out.

      Corruption has been a thorn in Zimbabwe's politics ever since. We have
had many situations that have been exposed such as the willogate scandal,
the war veterans compensation scandals, many government officials being
involved in business deals at the expense of the people. This is still
happening and that is why we hear on a daily basis that our government is
trying to deal with corrupt government officials and businesses.

      Yes I agree with Terence that Zimbabwe has one of the highest literacy
rate in Africa. That does not mean we shouldn't blame our leaders for our
hardships, because the socialist and communist idealogies that they were
following after independence were a prelude of Zimbabwe's dimise in the
future. The government then, did not look at what was going to happening in
regard to their policies in future. Zimbabwe is today suffering from the
mistakes our leaders did after independence such as making everything
freefor all,and the mismanagement of the economy. Mugabe was busy cementing
is popularity and leadership with the povo. He did not have good economic
plans and lacked foresight. Education was free, and so was health care. That
did not last for too long. If I am not mistaken, I think that lasted only
for 5 years. I guess every human being makes a mistake and Mugabe is no
exception. I still have to verify though, the assertion that Zimbabwe has
the highest literacy rate in Africa, as I feel Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon,
Zambia are equally literate as well.

      I agree with Terence also when he talked about the non commitment of
the British government to compensate Zimbabwean farmers of their land during
the redistribution exercise. The British government did not honour its
promises signed at the Lancaster conference in 1979. Whites felt they had to
be compensated for their land of which it was under the constitution right.
This case dragged for so long intil the expiry of 10 years, which gave
Mugabe the powers to evoke all those legal restraints that had held him for
too long to take action. Whites they should have engaged in fritful dialogue
with the government. Instead the Zimbabwean farmers sought the help of
Britain which in turn didn't want to honour its promises. This actually led
to the events that we have today in Zimbabwe. There was lack of
comminication and coupled with the unwillingness of either party to part
with any concessions.

      On the Botswana question, I think Terence forgets that Botswana is
what it is today, because they do not have corrupt leaders like Zimbabwe.
Yes Botswana is rich in diamonds. It is the biggest producer of meat in
Southern Africa if not Africa. The population of Botswana is very small only
3million, with a budget surplus that would last them more than thirty years
if they stop producing diamonds now. They do not owe the IMF and other
institutions any money hence a sound economy. Botswana gets most of its
goods and services from South Africa, and it is just as Canada is to the
United States of America. You cannot tell me that Canada's economy is not
sound because it does not have a big industry.

      I think you last visited Botswana a long time ago my fellow
countryman. There is a lot of development that is happening in Botswana
right now. Zimbabwe was very lucky to be in the same position as is South
Africa before gaining independence. Much of the Zimbabwean infrustructure
was done by the Smith government. There hasn't been much of development in
Zimbabwe since Mugabe took over power, considering that he has been in power
for twenty four years. He has actaully killed our economy and it continues
to deteriorate.

      Zimabbwe government did a bad job not to devaluate the Zimbabwe
dollar. This meant that companies that used to buy raw materials from abroad
wouldn't be able to do so beacuse it meant operating in Zimbabwe was very
costly. That is why we saw lots of companies relocate to South Africa. David
Salpeter is right when he said that only those with connections with the
government would benefit or carry on with their operations. Companies saw it
unsuitable for them to keep their operations in Zimbabwe especially when
they would endure high production and operation costs at the same time their
goods and services' selling price was fixed. That does not make any sense at
all. As a result of this that is why the gap between the rich and the poor
in Zimbabwe has widened because the wealth of the country is now in the
hands of the few, who have connections with the government officials and
hence having accesibity to the much sought foreign currency. Even if you
look at it now, its only the children of those who have money who can afford
to attend university in foreign land. A layman's child cannot, as this is
not a priority. Food and shelter becames a priority for those without money
and education to an extend is perceived as a luxury. That is the situation
in Zimbabwe right now and we can not hide from that. Our credit lines were
cancelled because our government fails to agree that it does not live in a
vacuum. The world has changed and those countries that you think you do not
need, play a role indirectly to our economy. Zimbabwe has failed to uphold
the rule of law and democratic principles, hence this has created an
unconducive atmosphere for business, in part has scared most of foreign
investors in our country. Until our political situation and relationship
with USA and Britain improve, our situation is not going to improve.

      I do not believe we should blame our economic situation on Tony Blair.
Mugabe has clearly stated that Zimbabwe does not need any other country to
help it yet we have much of our humanitarian projects being bankrolled by
non governmental organisations such as the European Union that has been
supporting the aids projects in Zimbabwe for too long. Tony Blair has raised
concerns of the rule of law in Zimbabwe and this has been taken to mean he
is an enemy of Zimbabwe. He is against torture of Zimbabweans by its
government and the brutality of those who support the opposition. Its a
given fact that inorder for this world to be safe and be a better place for
humanity other countries mustn't just sit and marvel Mugabe mistreat his own
people. Zimbabwe was a member of the commonwealth countries and he has to
abide by that organisation's rules and principles. It is the same case what
Zimbabwe should follow, the principles of the SADC region election protocols
it is failing to do.

      On 2002 election, the volume of voters did not mean that the election
was not rigged. It was a cry for change when people came out in large
numbers to vote. People did not choose to vote in large numbers in 2002, but
they wanted to vote Mugabe out of power. They wanted change of which Mugabe
deprived them by rigging the elections. That is why we have undecided court
cases on those 2002 elections by MDC claiming that there was violence and
its supporters were intimidated. The world knows that and its in black and
white that opposition members were killed and tortured during 2002
elections. There is no way the elections would have been free and fair when
the ruling government used state machinery and institutions to crash the
opposition yet these institutions are supposed to be apolitical. All those
organisations that Terence spoke of like the ACP, African Caribbean and
Pacific States declared our elections free and fair were biased and do not
really know the Zimbabwean situation. if one looks at it, one would find out
that Mugabe has become so popular with blacks who were oppressed by colonial
imbalances but, what we fail to understand is that these people do not know
and understand our situation in detail. We might grace ourselves from this
support but that does not take us anyway from our problems. Our problem in
Zimbabwe is Mugabe himself. We still need to take control of our situation
as Zimabaweans, but if we have an imparse, I do not see anything wrong
seeking for help else where.

      My personal views if Mugabe can be an effective leader is that, I do
not think so. He has gone past his call of duty and its high time he retires
from politics. He is too old and some of the decisions that he makes are not
as sound as they used to be. It's high time we have a young and vibrant
leader who is not conservative and primitive. Its high time we have a leader
who looks at the modern times that we live in differently.

      Zimbabwe is not all in the right direction. It is heading for
disaster. There are a lot of people who say, people should leave Zimbabwe
alone to dicide its own destiny. The destiny that Mugabe is choosing for
ourselves and our children is a disastrous one. It will take another 24
years to rebuild Zimbabwe, if we do not engage other players in this
equation. The Zimbabwean situation is rightly what Makupe refutes that its
not like whites are on one side and the blacks on the other. On the land
issue it is that way, and it is scary. Its not only the west that believe in
that, even blacks like me I see that happening. Zimbabwe has banned a lot of
news papers, because people are saying and showing their frustrations on
Mugabe's government that they no longer have faith in. I do not think the
majority of people are wrong to feel and think that way.

      Lastly the Zimbabwean situation does not need special lenses to see or
a unique perception of things to understand what is going on there. We have
always been a peaceful country and every Zimbabwean cherishes that. That
illusive peace is what every Zimbabwean is crying for.

      I hope you are going to publish this article and let Terence Makupe
reply me if he can at the email address that I gave you.

      Thank you.

      Eddie Kwaramba
      Canada

Zimbabwe

PROMOTING NON-VIOLENT PRINCIPLES TO ACHIEVE DEMOCRACY

Sokwanele reporter

The Woza Story