Opinion / Columnist
Saluting brave women fighting for equality and human rights in Zimbabwe
03 Jul 2018 at 06:57hrs | Views
AS is the case in all spheres of life in Zimbabwe, patriarchy rules and women despite their invaluable contributions to the country's socioeconomic as well as political development continue to play second fiddle to their male counterparts.
In the treacherous political minefield that Zimbabwe's terrain is, leading women figures seem to be surviving on the benevolence of their male counterparts with positions at the top doled out on the basis of their allegiance to powerful men at the top who can withdraw such appointment at the drop of a hat.
The level of appreciation for women leaders in Zimbabwe is appalling. Although women work very hard to make a significant contribution to the welfare of the country, their efforts are always suppressed and rarely noticed as compared their male counterparts. The reason why we don't have any notable female heroes buried at Heroes' Acre on merit rather than marriage certificate is not surprising at all for young feminists.
In most cases, women status in Zimbabwe is based on who you are married to rather than your capacity to act for what is right. I am disappointment by how our mothers, grandmothers and sisters are being treated by the Zanu PF regime. It all started during the liberation struggles when women were not given equal rights in terms of the rank and file in both ZIPRA and ZANLA.
Even during Smith regime, women were treated as second class citizens and were confined to household chores. 38 years after Zimbabwe attained her independence, the ruling Zanu PF continues to side-line women on gender basis. Even after the removal of former President Robert Mugabe through a national vote of no confidence supported by the military, the number of women in higher/influential positions has been drastically reduced to near zero.
We celebrated the fall of Mugabe in numbers as women but our rewards are very few and we definitely need a new paradigm shift in terms of treating women and I am encouraged to say the future looks bright considering the number of vibrant women occupying the activism space in Zimbabwe.When I was growing up in the early 20th century I would admire the likes of Jenny Williams of WOZA, Bella Matambanadzo, Diana Nyikadzino, Jessie Majome and others but now a new breed is coming up.
In this article I would like to pay tribute to young women who have taken the risk of establishing themselves as people representatives in defending human rights and fighting for equality. I know the number of women who are being proactive is increasing with each passing day but a few stand above the rest.
I am motivated by how modern women are standing their ground in the dirty game called politics despite the hate language directed at them they keep on fighting. The spirit being exhibited by Yvonne Musarurwa , Linda Masarira, Maureen Kademaunga, Chenai Mutambanengwe, Barbra Nyagomo, Joana Mamombe to mention but a few is exemplary and exceptional.
The fighting spirit in MDC activist Yvonne Musarurwa is amazing. She is one fearless cadre who despite the dangers associated with party politics doesn't quit. She has been arrested by the Zanu PF security system more than a dozen times but that doesn't dampen her spirit. In 2011 she was accused of killing policemen in Glen View. She spent 2 years in remand prison and when bail was granted she didn't stop.In 2016 a compromised judge sentenced her to 20 years in prison. When the judgement was delivered everyone in the court room looked dejected but Yvonne being Yvonne she started signing revolutionary songs reminding us that freedom will one day come and we should continue fighting.This raised the spirit of several women in the court room. I could see Maureen Kademaunga signing along with her.Yvonne has been pardoned by the new junta government and I am hoping she will fight for a seat this coming election.
I have been following Maureen Kademaunga for some years now since her days at Zimbabwe National Students Union ( ZINASU). I am always shocked by the energy and zeal she has. Maureen Kademaunga was part of the 2016 revolution of hashtags under Tajamuka.
She represented women very well and showed us that fighting for human rights doesn't know gender. I learnt the slogan Hatichatya /hatichada from Maureen video recordings. I felt motivated to join the struggle, she made look it so easy despite the risk she faced. A lot of women joined and sympathized with Tajamuka after relating to her speeches. Maureen is currently working hard to improve the participation of women in the upcoming 2018 elections.
In 2016, Linda Masarira was kept in remand prison for 7 months by the then Robert Mugabe regime simply because she was demanding justice. She is a single mother of five lovely kids and whilst fighting for their better future she was arrested. Linda case was highly publicized in the press / social media and a lot of women empathized with her. Her story moved mountains and a lot of women started participating in human rights and politics after 2016. Yes it was very risk but it was worth it. Linda is genuine modern day guerrilla who uses peaceful means to demand for human rights, end of corruption and justice for all.
Chenai Mutambanengwe is a financial analyst and she usually contributes petitions and articles to social movements in Zimbabwe. I have included this foreign based Zimbabwean to highlight how women can play a difference even from abroad. I have never met this great woman personally but have heard testimonies and read her petition and followed how she simplifies activism. One of her submissions was presented to RBZ towards the introduction of the bond note.She highlighted critical points and showed everyone even those in the diaspora that it's possible to participate with visibility to what is happening in Zimbabwe. In January 2018 she visited 10 Downing street to present another critical petition highlighting why engaging the current military regime should be treated with caution by the UK government. Chenai presents a different form of activism that anyone can have and achieve the same impact as those on the ground in Zimbabwe.
Joana Mamombe is a very young youthful former student leader in Zimbabwe and currently she is an MDC activist and was very visible in Tajamuka social movement. Joana is what is know as ''youthiz'' in street lingo which means the ground force and fearless.Joana can easily identify with the 16 to 30 age group. She has a lot of unused energy and you find her competing and complementing her male counterparts. The age group consists of mostly males like Ostallos Gift Siziba , Alistar Pfunye, Makomborero Haruzivishe .Joana blends very well with these young comrades fighting for justice in Zimbabwe.
I have just highlighted a few but diverse group of Zimbabwean women doing amazing human rights work. These inspire a lot of women to get involved in national issues and help shape the Zimbabwe we want. As women we should be involved in decision making and we need to create more female heroes like the few i have just highlighted. If women were this proactive since the liberation war, our position would have improved. Let's join these brave women and compliment what they are doing together we can change how women are treated mostly by Zanu PF.
As women, our future is in our hands so let's join others .
Together we can do it
For views and comments write to: makhoprecious@gmail.com
Makho Precious, I write my personal opinions as a free spirit standing for women rights and space in society
In the treacherous political minefield that Zimbabwe's terrain is, leading women figures seem to be surviving on the benevolence of their male counterparts with positions at the top doled out on the basis of their allegiance to powerful men at the top who can withdraw such appointment at the drop of a hat.
The level of appreciation for women leaders in Zimbabwe is appalling. Although women work very hard to make a significant contribution to the welfare of the country, their efforts are always suppressed and rarely noticed as compared their male counterparts. The reason why we don't have any notable female heroes buried at Heroes' Acre on merit rather than marriage certificate is not surprising at all for young feminists.
In most cases, women status in Zimbabwe is based on who you are married to rather than your capacity to act for what is right. I am disappointment by how our mothers, grandmothers and sisters are being treated by the Zanu PF regime. It all started during the liberation struggles when women were not given equal rights in terms of the rank and file in both ZIPRA and ZANLA.
Even during Smith regime, women were treated as second class citizens and were confined to household chores. 38 years after Zimbabwe attained her independence, the ruling Zanu PF continues to side-line women on gender basis. Even after the removal of former President Robert Mugabe through a national vote of no confidence supported by the military, the number of women in higher/influential positions has been drastically reduced to near zero.
We celebrated the fall of Mugabe in numbers as women but our rewards are very few and we definitely need a new paradigm shift in terms of treating women and I am encouraged to say the future looks bright considering the number of vibrant women occupying the activism space in Zimbabwe.When I was growing up in the early 20th century I would admire the likes of Jenny Williams of WOZA, Bella Matambanadzo, Diana Nyikadzino, Jessie Majome and others but now a new breed is coming up.
In this article I would like to pay tribute to young women who have taken the risk of establishing themselves as people representatives in defending human rights and fighting for equality. I know the number of women who are being proactive is increasing with each passing day but a few stand above the rest.
I am motivated by how modern women are standing their ground in the dirty game called politics despite the hate language directed at them they keep on fighting. The spirit being exhibited by Yvonne Musarurwa , Linda Masarira, Maureen Kademaunga, Chenai Mutambanengwe, Barbra Nyagomo, Joana Mamombe to mention but a few is exemplary and exceptional.
The fighting spirit in MDC activist Yvonne Musarurwa is amazing. She is one fearless cadre who despite the dangers associated with party politics doesn't quit. She has been arrested by the Zanu PF security system more than a dozen times but that doesn't dampen her spirit. In 2011 she was accused of killing policemen in Glen View. She spent 2 years in remand prison and when bail was granted she didn't stop.In 2016 a compromised judge sentenced her to 20 years in prison. When the judgement was delivered everyone in the court room looked dejected but Yvonne being Yvonne she started signing revolutionary songs reminding us that freedom will one day come and we should continue fighting.This raised the spirit of several women in the court room. I could see Maureen Kademaunga signing along with her.Yvonne has been pardoned by the new junta government and I am hoping she will fight for a seat this coming election.
I have been following Maureen Kademaunga for some years now since her days at Zimbabwe National Students Union ( ZINASU). I am always shocked by the energy and zeal she has. Maureen Kademaunga was part of the 2016 revolution of hashtags under Tajamuka.
She represented women very well and showed us that fighting for human rights doesn't know gender. I learnt the slogan Hatichatya /hatichada from Maureen video recordings. I felt motivated to join the struggle, she made look it so easy despite the risk she faced. A lot of women joined and sympathized with Tajamuka after relating to her speeches. Maureen is currently working hard to improve the participation of women in the upcoming 2018 elections.
In 2016, Linda Masarira was kept in remand prison for 7 months by the then Robert Mugabe regime simply because she was demanding justice. She is a single mother of five lovely kids and whilst fighting for their better future she was arrested. Linda case was highly publicized in the press / social media and a lot of women empathized with her. Her story moved mountains and a lot of women started participating in human rights and politics after 2016. Yes it was very risk but it was worth it. Linda is genuine modern day guerrilla who uses peaceful means to demand for human rights, end of corruption and justice for all.
Chenai Mutambanengwe is a financial analyst and she usually contributes petitions and articles to social movements in Zimbabwe. I have included this foreign based Zimbabwean to highlight how women can play a difference even from abroad. I have never met this great woman personally but have heard testimonies and read her petition and followed how she simplifies activism. One of her submissions was presented to RBZ towards the introduction of the bond note.She highlighted critical points and showed everyone even those in the diaspora that it's possible to participate with visibility to what is happening in Zimbabwe. In January 2018 she visited 10 Downing street to present another critical petition highlighting why engaging the current military regime should be treated with caution by the UK government. Chenai presents a different form of activism that anyone can have and achieve the same impact as those on the ground in Zimbabwe.
Joana Mamombe is a very young youthful former student leader in Zimbabwe and currently she is an MDC activist and was very visible in Tajamuka social movement. Joana is what is know as ''youthiz'' in street lingo which means the ground force and fearless.Joana can easily identify with the 16 to 30 age group. She has a lot of unused energy and you find her competing and complementing her male counterparts. The age group consists of mostly males like Ostallos Gift Siziba , Alistar Pfunye, Makomborero Haruzivishe .Joana blends very well with these young comrades fighting for justice in Zimbabwe.
I have just highlighted a few but diverse group of Zimbabwean women doing amazing human rights work. These inspire a lot of women to get involved in national issues and help shape the Zimbabwe we want. As women we should be involved in decision making and we need to create more female heroes like the few i have just highlighted. If women were this proactive since the liberation war, our position would have improved. Let's join these brave women and compliment what they are doing together we can change how women are treated mostly by Zanu PF.
As women, our future is in our hands so let's join others .
Together we can do it
For views and comments write to: makhoprecious@gmail.com
Makho Precious, I write my personal opinions as a free spirit standing for women rights and space in society
Source - Makho-precious Moyo
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