Linda Masarira to contest Harare central in 2018

A Civic and human rights defender Linda Tsungirirai Masarira has reiterated her passion of fighting for human rights, democracy, socioeconomic and political rights in the country.

She said she is passionate about women and girl child rights and also campaigns for the Harare central parliamentary seat in the 2018 elections as an independent candidate.

"I turned thirty-five years (35) old and currently studying for a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Peace and governance. I am a human rights defender passionate about equality, gender balance, women and girl child rights, democracy, economic and political freedom for marginalized groups of society," she said.

I am a proud, widowed mother of 5 children. Verily single and not searching.
Following a series of demonstrations, petitions and protests for violations of human rights by the Government of Zimbabwe which I organised, I have been incarcerated for more than 80 days in prison for challenging the ruling system to respect human dignity. During my days of incarceration, I mobilized fellow women prisoners and led an inmate protest against poor and inhuman conditions that women were being subjected to including lack of sanitary pads and access to medical services."

She said because of that move, she was brutalized and moved to a male prison and placed on solitary confinement until to the time of her was granted bail.

"I am Founder and national coordinator for Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance, National Coordinator for the Young African Leadership Forum (Zimbabwean Chapter), Founder and Chairperson of the Association of Railways Terminated Employees and former President of the Trainmen workers Union (2008-2013).
I have also  been involved in trade unionism during time at the National Railways of Zimbabwe and Systems Technology (Pvt) (Ltd) where she mobilized fellow employees to fight for their labour rights, which culminated into her getting fired from the two companies," she said.

"I have organised several successful   campaigns including  the "Bring back our women from Kuwait" campaign where I took a leading role in petitioning the government of Zimbabwe and the Kuwaiti Embassy to expedite the repatriation process to the stranded Zimbabwean women who had fallen victim to human trafficking. Following this campaign , the government of Zimbabwe later came up with an expatriation plan for all trafficked persons outside Zimbabwe which saw more than 200 women victims coming back home."

She said besides her political activism, humanitarian and democracy work, she is a former member of the executive management committee of the People`s Democratic Party (PDP) responsible for recruitment and mobilization and worked very closely with the women assembly.

"To compliment my vision for sustainable development not only in Zimbabwe, but the whole Africa, I am also a business woman who utilizes my skills to educate young aspiring women to venture into income generation projects so that they can be independent economically .To that effect I strongly believe in Youth Leadership and groom young people to effectively advocate and fight for social economic and political justice in our country," she said.