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ZWRCN response to the Financial Gazette article by Ken Mufuka
Zimbabwe Women's Resource Centre and Network (ZWRCN)
May 15, 2006

The Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network (ZWRCN) notes with concern the trivializing of a serious issue in Zimbabwe, domestic violence that is increasingly ending in deaths.

In response to the article by Ken Mufuka carried in the Financial Gazette of May 4-10, we point out that while Ken seems to be putting forward a position against the proposed and overdue enactment of the Domestic Violence Bill, the article is rather confusing as to what exactly his standpoint is. His eagerness to vilify those calling for the legislation leaves him seemingly condoning domestic violence, a very unfortunate position in view of the facts on the ground, that domestic violence seems to be spiraling out of control, if media reports are anything to go by. The proposed law is only one of many deterrents that could be adopted to ensure that we live in a society in which no one, especially women, fails to reach their potential, for fear of being battered or in the worst case, through death.

It is however gratifying to note that Ken claims that he does not advocate violence, although in his attempt to insult those he accuses of "hating our culture" and being party to "Eurocentric missionary propaganda… he dismisses the concerns raised around domestic violence as "dangerous myths that these feminists are trying to push down our throats". Well, Brother Ken, it is not a myth that domestic violence exists and if unchecked, may result in more people dying, invariably women. It is also not a myth that some aspects of our African culture are oppressive of African women, otherwise we would not have had to adopt the various pieces of corrective legislation that we have.

Ken suggests that piety is an antidote to domestic violence, and we hope that he recognizes that this should apply to everyone, women, men, boys and girls. Unfortunately, there are different perceptions of what this piety refers to and so whose piety will prevail, if it comes down to choosing between men and women? And with what consequences?

We are taking this opportunity to share with Ken, the fact that men who "work hard", as he says, are able to do so because of the support system that derives from their "stay-at-home" wives. Imagine what would happen if these men did not have those women who cook for them, clean after them, wash and iron for them, give birth to and watch over their children, and even guard the home for them.

We also support the view that the home should be a haven of peace and tranquility, but believe that this should be the responsibility of both partners. Similarly, it takes two to make babies, so we take Ken’s reference to the reversal of the order of the universe to also extend to the absentee father. That the woman opts to go back to an abusive husband may best be explained by the societal attitudes that Ken, in his reference to the reversal of the order of the universe, unwittingly expresses.

Against the above concerns, ZWRCN challenges the Financial Gazette, in its avowed quest to be an instrument for social justice, to provide equitable access for both women and men to be heard through this newspaper. Balanced social commentary is therefore something we look forward to as we reiterate our call for a society in which women’s rights are guaranteed through protection and advancement not only by law enforcement agents and the judiciary but also through societal sanctions to discourage would-be perpetrators of domestic violence.

ZWRCN has a vision to see women enjoying the benefits of actualizing their full potential in political, economic, social, public and private spheres. Its mission is to enable women make informed decisions about selected aspects of their lives (political, economic, social, public and private spheres) and act accordingly.

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