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WOZA Moya St Valentines Day 2005 - St Valentine's Day is here!
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
February 10, 2005

The theme selected by WOZA women is …

Zimbabweans are asking questions:

Question. WHO killed the spirit of LOVE?
Answer. Selfish leaders and docile citizens. Do you agree?

Q. WHY did Zimbabweans do nothing except to watch it die?
A. We allowed our minds to be brainwashed. Our minds became poisoned by words and we forgot about the spirit of love. We did not speak out to defend it - we became the ‘shut up’ Zimbabweans!

Q. HOW can we resuscitate the spirit of LOVE and practice it again?
A. Speak out and act to show each other the truth. We must also understand that the kind of ‘LOVE’ selfish leaders show us is not LOVE at all. We must defend our right to love again and to be loved and respected by our leaders. That is why WOZA women call on the Holy Spirit to come down and help restore the spirit of LOVE. We say WOZA MOYA / HUYA MWEYA and show the LOVE sign (see above) as our slogan.

A WOZA Grandmother told us about an old pot that is no longer useful. She has a hungry family and a lack of cash. She advises as follows…
She bought a prized pot in 1980 and it has been used since then to feed her family. But it has become old. It has been mended at least 25 times but still leaks. She has had no money to buy a new one. Continuing to use the rusty pot is causing illness. But she cannot allow the children to go hungry. How can she buy a new pot to feed her family when she has no money? She will have to use her mind to find a way to buy a better pot. One that will be strong and feed her family well.

What is the power of love?
Love is explained in the Bible - read Corinthians 13 1:8. You might have forgotten the spirit of love but your heart never stops beating while you are living. Love is shown by kind speech and actions that come from deep within the heart. These actions are done to help a friend in need despite the challenges and without personal benefit. Love is shown by tolerance for different views and different but peaceful ways of expressing them.

What is the love of power?
The 2005 Election according to WOZA is not about the people of Zimbabwe exercising their voting rights – it is about holding on to political power. Zimbabweans seem to be woven into a rope that is being pulled in the tug of war between the political parties - we are only relevant as a ‘thing’ to push and pull. We would accept that this Election is about people if we saw unjust laws repealed.

We want to enjoy our freedoms of assembly, association and speech
If 31 March 2005 is about POLITICANS working with and for the PEOPLE, we can go to Polling stations to vote for the candidate of our choice without fear in a peaceful atmosphere.

Zimbabweans demand a free and fair election

• Leaders, who do not respect Human Rights, pass unjust laws and think us stupid enough to believe they have our best interests at heart. This is the love of power.
• The love of power shows itself by self-centered speech and actions that result in violence and hate speech.
• The love of power results in people being used as ladders for success. Those climbing the ladders shout out empty promises on their way up and forget to climb down and visit the voters after they win.

WOZA went around urban and rural communities and heard about the current ‘empty promises’.

• The promise of residential stands for low amounts of money ($20 000). The people promising these stands are allegedly war veterans. Other promises are for ‘free’ distribution of food, blankets, fertilizer and land to plants crops that you may never get to harvest.
• BEAM Education fees assistance was withdrawn last year – the excuse – no money! But suddenly it is back. During previous election periods this happened, some women said they were happy at first but before long found themselves paying fees in full.
• Some women reported that a politician in Mashonaland had promised them a railway line. The people of that area need a railway line…. not the promise of one!
• Vendors chased away just weeks ago from their stalls have been called back to their stalls. This is also evidenced by the proliferation of corner phone shops. Informal Traders deserve business opportunities now and forever not just when there is an election.
• Health Services are reported as being in ‘intensive care’ last week. This week suddenly we are being promised free treatment for children under 5years!

The scripture that comforts us is Proverbs 15:17 "Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred."

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