MDC-T dismisses the appointment of Zimbabwe Gender Commissioner

The MDC would like to express serious reservations about the composition of the recently appointed Zimbabwe Gender Commission. The Commission was established in terms of the provisions of Section 246 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwe Gender Commission is largely composed of tired, retired and recycled Zanu-PF activists and regime apologists. The chairperson of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, Margaret Sangarwe - Mukahanana, is a former senior employee in the Office of the President and Cabinet and she is also a former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Tourism. She is a well - known and fully - fledged Zanu-PF activist with a very sketchy and patchy record in matters to do with gender activism.

All the other seven Commissioners are either former Zanu-PF legislators, government ministers under Zanu-PF or known Zanu-PF apologists. Quite clearly, therefore, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission has been trivialised and reduced into a virtual retirement home for failed and retired Zanu-PF politicians. The Commission, as presently constituted, is not fit for purpose.

The Zimbabwe Gender Commission also dismally fails to take into account the country's demographics. It is a fact that at least 65 percent of Zimbabwe's population is composed of youths i.e. people who are aged forty years and below. However, the youngest Commissioner on the Gender Commission is aged 49 whilst the oldest is aged 72.

What is striking is the fact that there is absolutely no representation of youths on the Zimbabwe Gender Commission. This is, indeed, a gross misdirection that clearly proves that the Zanu-PF regime, under the leadership of the nonagenarian, Robert Mugabe, is hopelessly out of touch with reality.

The partisan nature of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission is in flagrant violation of Section 246 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe that stipulates that the Commission shall monitor issues concerning gender equality and also to conduct research into issues relating to gender and social justice, and to recommend changes to laws and practices which lead to discrimination based on gender. More importantly, the Commission is also mandated with the task of  recommending affirmative action programmes to achieve gender equality. The Zimbabwe Gender Commission is also lacking in adequate representation of minority ethnic groups and other marginalised communities within the country.

The Zimbabwe Gender Commission has thus been reduced into just another extension of the Zanu-PF political hegemony. It is a virtual appendage of the Zanu-PF patronage system.

The MDC takes the issue of addressing gender disparities seriously and advocates for the creation of a gender sensitive and democratic environment which shall not discriminate along gender and political lines. To this end, the MDC advocates for the creation of  a well - balanced, non- political Zimbabwe Gender Commission which shall ensure that issues pertaining to gender equality and gender mainstreaming  are implemented at all levels of society without fear and/or favour.

MDC : EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
OBERT CHAURURA GUTU
MDC NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON