STOP PRESS

WOZA marks International Women’s Day with education protest in Bulawayo 8th March 2010

SIX HUNDRED members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) marched
to the High Court in Bulawayo today in protest against the utterances
of the Minister of Education, Senator David Coltart, made in
Parliament last week. The Minister said that he would not stop
teachers from receiving the illegal incentive payments demanded from
parents. Minister Coltart had been invited to receive a petition that
the peaceful demonstrators were delivering but could not attend due to
a prior commitment. A clerk at the court received the petition
instead.

WOZA vigorously oppose the practice of teachers refusing to teach
children until their parents provide them with cash incentives. These
‘top-ups’, over and above the usual school fees and school levies
which most parents are unable to afford anyway, are just another nail
in the coffin of the education system in Zimbabwe. In a recent report
on education released in January 2010, entitled ‘Looking Back to Look
Forward – a WOZA perspective on education in Zimbabwe’, WOZA demanded
that the Ministry of Education stop this practice immediately. It is
therefore incredibly disheartening for the Minister to publicly state
that they have no intention of doing so.

Four simultaneous protests began and converged upon the High Court.
Police officers and clerks at the court merely watched the peaceful
protest, listening to the song sung by the demonstrators – “women are
crying for an education for their children. Their tears are
sorrowful.” WOZA chose International Women’s Day for the protest as
the education of their children is an issue close to the heart of
every mother.

WOZA National Coordinator, Jenni Williams addressed members outside
the Court, explaining that Minister Coltart’s utterances in parliament
were unfortunate as they promoted illegal incentives and corruption.
Magodonga Mahlangu lead the singing and sloganeering that finally
dispersed the peaceful group.

After the protest dispersed, two plain-clothed police officers
cornered Williams and Mahlangu outside the Post Office. As they called
for back up the activists calmly walked away.

WOZA leaders were recently summoned by the co-ministers of Home
Affairs and instructed to notify police of any processions despite the
fact that WOZA does not need to notify police under the current
exceptions as it is not a political organisation. Before being
dismissed, Minister Giles Mutsekwa of the MDC delivered a subtle
threat that they could be ambushed on their return to Bulawayo that
day. It is unclear as to if it was intended as an active threat but
in the current security situation, activists remain vigilant about
continued reports of threats on civic society leaders.

Joy

Pres statement from Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise 18th April 2010

What tolerance for ZESA Four?

In his Independence Day address today, President Robert Mugabe spoke of the need for Zimbabweans to “foster an environment of tolerance and treating each other with dignity and respect irrespective of age,gender, race, ethnicity, tribe, political or religious affiliation."
At the same time, four WOZA activists, Jenni Williams, Magodonga Mahlangu, Clara Manjengwa were spending their fourth day in the cold,dark, filthy cells of Harare Central Police Station. Their crime? - Exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest and asking
electricity service provider, ZESA, to improve their service and revise their flawed billing system. The demonstration in which the four women were arrested, together with 61 comrades who were released without charge later the same day, was entirely peaceful. The women have not been formally charged by police and yet have been subjected to an extended detention. Is this the tolerance, dignity and respect that the President is referring to?

Detention in appalling conditions is the reality for human rights defenders in Zimbabwe. 30 years of independence from colonial rule is an achievement worthy of commemoration. How much sweeter would it have been if the party that helped to liberate the people of Zimbabwe was now not actively involved in their oppression? It is time that the promises of the liberation war be delivered to the people of Zimbabwe.

Please find attached a link to video footage of the WOZA demonstration to the ZESA headquarters in Harare that led to the arrest of the four women: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8hEur0ceQ0

Ends

For more information or to receive a copy of the actual video file,please call Annie Sibanda on +27 79 188 1560 or email info@wozazimbabwe.org. Visit our website at www.wozazimbabwe.org. You can also follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/wozazimbabwe or find us on Facebook.