Fuzwayo leads Matabeleland into Human Rights Awards

Prominent Gwanda bases activist Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo on Friday night led the hopes of the people of Matabeleland in the presumed highly polarised Zimrights Community Human Rights Award.

With the Matabeleland regions complaining that the awards have through the years not reflected a true national picture as the nominees are predominately people from Mashonaland provinces with Harare in particularly, Fuzwayo came up to grab the third most prestigious award the Overall Male Human Rights Defender of the year Award.   

On his way to grabbing the award, Fuzwayo overcame high competition from visually impaired leader of the Divine Destiny Network Bishop Ancelimo Magaya and radical leader of the National Vendors Union Sten Zvorwadza.

Bishop Magaya who eventually walked away with the Peace Award is well known for leading his church members to demonstrate against President Robert Mugabe's over the deteriorating economic situation in Zimbabwe. Zvorwadza who is also a member of the notorious Harare grouping #Tajamuka/Sesijikile was arrested on several occasions in the year after carrying out several anti Mugabe demonstrations in the capital.

Fuzwayo also had a heavy 2016 as both a leader of the Gwanda Residents Association and rights advocacy group Restoration Of Human Rights International. He among a lot of advocacy work he was involved in through the year struck records fighting bravely for the release of arrested demonstrators in Beitbridge and for leading in the fight for the people of four Matobo Villages who are on the verge of losing 2000 hectares of their ancestral land to the government owned Agriculture Rural Development Agency ARDA.  

Fuzwayo also out did himself when he led a small group of four Gwanda activists to walk past a barricade of heavily armed riot police and state security agents to deliver an electoral reforms petition to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in Gwanda town.

Leading the Gwanda Residents Association, Fuzwayo has been bravely involved in the fight for the stabilisation of the water situation in Gwanda which has been extremely erratic for the last five years. His fight for Gwanda water has seen him clash with both Ministers of Water and of Local Government and the local police.  

Speaking on the sidelines of the Awards Night, chairperson of the technical team that led in the adjudication of the nominees Dr Charlton Tsodzo said that the committee was extremely impressed by Fuzwayo's profile which outweighed several other prominent nominees whose names had been brought forward by community leaders.

"The committee went all out of its way digging into the names that were submitted as nominees and from the interviews we held with people on the ground and searches in the internet Fuzwayo's profile was extremely impressive," he said.

Newly elected People's Democratic Party Deputy President, Human Rights Lawyer, Kucaca Phulu himself a former Zimrights Chairperson was also full of praise for Fuzwayo's accolades in the year claiming that he truly deserved the award.

Fuzwayo who last year walked away as the Matabeleland South Province Human Rights Defender of the tear also missed out on the most prestigious award the Overall Human Rights Defender of the year where he was nominated with prominent Human Rights Lawyer, Harare West Member of Parliament Jessie Majome and eventual winner lawyer Dzimbabwe Chigbwa.

Majome acknowledge Fuzwayo's efforts congratulating him on social media Facebook and urging him to continue working hard for the people of Matabeleland.

"Well done Bekezela, you have indeed done very well let's keep on fighting," she added.

Other winners for the 2016 Community Human Rights awards

Provincial Winners:
Chitungwiza - Stanford Chanakira
Harare - Dr Patson Dzamara
Matabeleland North - Vumani Ndhlovu
Bulawayo - Tinei Mukweva
Midlands - Elliot Musangazi
Manicaland - Fadzai Jekemu
Mashonaland Central - Rambo Muzeza
Mashonaland West - Nunurai Jena
Matabeleland South - Nkululeko Moyo
Masvingo - Gamuchirai Mukura
Mashonaland East - Armstrong Magavane

Minority Awards
Human Rights Lawyer -  Khulani Ngwenya
Youth Defender - Moreen Chademaunga
Theatre - Sylvanos Mudzvova
Female journalist - Phyllis Mbanje
Male journalist -Tapiwa Zimbira
Environmental - Female - Rosemary Shoko
Environmental male - Farai Maguwu
Local Authority - Goromonzi Rural District Council
Community Based Organisation - Benia Arts

Overall:
Peace ambassador - Bishop Ancelimmo Magaya
Overall Female - Linda Masarire
Overall Male - Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo
Overall outstanding - Dzimbabwe Chigbwa

People's Choice Award:
People's Choice - Honourable Jessie Majome