Opinion / Columnist
Women defend Chamisa for offering her sister to Mnangagwa
08 May 2018 at 14:23hrs | Views
We will not be distracted by partisan distortion, exaggeration and outright fiction. We note with concern the political spin of a hyperbolic statement made by President Nelson Chamisa at a U.K rally by political mal-contents who wish to abuse public sentiment for selfish end and for their political expediency.
We with to clarify to the public that President Chamisa's statement was taken literally when it was intended to be a hyperbole. In a very clear statement, President Chamisa said that if the impossible situation of Mnangagwa getting 5% in a free and fair election happens he will also do the unthinkable of marrying off his sister. In this way he is implying that both are unimaginable and unacceptable things.
We are committed in our efforts to safeguard the rights of women and the girlchild and would never take lightly political utterances that undermine the same. However, in this case it is clear that President Chamisa views the issue of marrying off his sister as impossible, archaic and unthinkable in the same way that it is impossible and unthinkable for one Emmerson Mnangagwa, (a man associated with dark episodes of our history such as Gukurahundi and the 2008 terror campaign instances where women where raped, maimed and killed) to ganner 5% of the vote in a free and fair election. There have been several violations of women's rights by Zanu-PF including a gender biased cabinet that is clearly anti-women. The state is heavily militarised after the illegal takeover and there has been the remasculanisation of the political space as a result of the coup yet many have elected to remain silent.
The bigger scandal and treachery Is the outcome of the Zanu-PF primaries where out of 210 approved candidates for House of Assembly only 19 women / 11% made it as parliamentary candidates. Yet this n_aked and shameless patriarchy in Zanu-PF escapes the "critical eye" of those condemning President Chamisa's statement. It is regrettable to note how some politicians and their claquers have shamelessly forfeited the high moral ground of simple, unadorned accuracy to distort and exaggerate President Chamisa's statement while ignoring real issues.
The real danger to our society is the corrupt and incompetent system which has facilitated thousands of child marriages and child prostitution due to poverty. A corrupt ruling party whose recently launched manifesto is premised on a questionable economics paradigm and outrageous overambitious goals.
As young women who have suffered in extreme poverty and deprivation under a Zanu-PF government, we will not be distracted by sensationalisation and misinformation. Our focus remains to reclaim our hope and dignity by mobilising each other to vote in our numbers and to make sure President Chamisa wins resoundingly in the coming election. We are confident that under a Nelson Chamisa government our needs such as jobs, better maternal health care, free education for girls, political inclusion and recognition and poverty reduction shall be met.
Issued by:
#YoungWomenForChamisa campaign
Information Desk
We with to clarify to the public that President Chamisa's statement was taken literally when it was intended to be a hyperbole. In a very clear statement, President Chamisa said that if the impossible situation of Mnangagwa getting 5% in a free and fair election happens he will also do the unthinkable of marrying off his sister. In this way he is implying that both are unimaginable and unacceptable things.
We are committed in our efforts to safeguard the rights of women and the girlchild and would never take lightly political utterances that undermine the same. However, in this case it is clear that President Chamisa views the issue of marrying off his sister as impossible, archaic and unthinkable in the same way that it is impossible and unthinkable for one Emmerson Mnangagwa, (a man associated with dark episodes of our history such as Gukurahundi and the 2008 terror campaign instances where women where raped, maimed and killed) to ganner 5% of the vote in a free and fair election. There have been several violations of women's rights by Zanu-PF including a gender biased cabinet that is clearly anti-women. The state is heavily militarised after the illegal takeover and there has been the remasculanisation of the political space as a result of the coup yet many have elected to remain silent.
The bigger scandal and treachery Is the outcome of the Zanu-PF primaries where out of 210 approved candidates for House of Assembly only 19 women / 11% made it as parliamentary candidates. Yet this n_aked and shameless patriarchy in Zanu-PF escapes the "critical eye" of those condemning President Chamisa's statement. It is regrettable to note how some politicians and their claquers have shamelessly forfeited the high moral ground of simple, unadorned accuracy to distort and exaggerate President Chamisa's statement while ignoring real issues.
The real danger to our society is the corrupt and incompetent system which has facilitated thousands of child marriages and child prostitution due to poverty. A corrupt ruling party whose recently launched manifesto is premised on a questionable economics paradigm and outrageous overambitious goals.
As young women who have suffered in extreme poverty and deprivation under a Zanu-PF government, we will not be distracted by sensationalisation and misinformation. Our focus remains to reclaim our hope and dignity by mobilising each other to vote in our numbers and to make sure President Chamisa wins resoundingly in the coming election. We are confident that under a Nelson Chamisa government our needs such as jobs, better maternal health care, free education for girls, political inclusion and recognition and poverty reduction shall be met.
Issued by:
#YoungWomenForChamisa campaign
Information Desk
Source - YoungWomenForChamisa campaign
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