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Crisis Coalition and WOZA referendum on the senate hits all provinces
Tererai Karimakwenda, SW Radio Africa
November 17, 2005

http://www.swradioafrica.com/news221105/woza221105.htm

Zimbabweans are currently being given a chance to voice their opinion on the senate issue before the actual elections on November 26. The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition and the Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) have teamed up in a campaign intended to confirm what Zimbabweans really want, senators and hunger or no senate and a life with dignity. Jenni Williams of WOZA told us that with some results in from just a few areas, it seems many people around the country are opposed to the senate elections.

Members and officials from these 2 organisations are conducting a weeklong door-to-door campaign asking the public to fill out forms that will reflect what they want. Itai Zimunya, Advocates Officer with The Crisis Coalition, said the forms are very simple and clear. He said you either fill out a yes or a no to the senate elections. Zimunya said they have had no problems so far in the rural and urban areas. He believes this is because they are truly giving people a choice, so neither side has a reason to be upset. They are however avoiding some new government settlements where there were problems when the Mass Public Opinion Institute tried to conduct a survey. "We know these people are a hard nut to crack so we are staying away" Zimunya explained.

As for the areas they are covering, Zimunya said The Crisis Coalition is in Mashonaland West and East, Masvingo and Manicaland. The WOZA women are taking care of the Midlands, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South province. Both urban and rural residents are getting this chance to voice their opinion. The final results will be announced at a press conference on Thursday, November 24th. The organisers said this will give Zimbabweans an opportunity to make informed decisions about whether to vote 2 days later in the senate elections. We also spoke to WOZA coordinator Jenni Williams who said many people in the rural areas so far do not want to even look at the pro-senate side of the referendum. She explained that the goal of this campaign was to take the initiative away from the Mugabe regime. Jenni said she believes people should not boycott blindly. If they don't vote, she said, they need to find other ways to call for a government that will deliver justice and dignity for all.

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