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WOZA take to the streets of Bulawayo today to lodge a people's protest
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
April 09, 2008

WOZA take to the streets of Bulawayo to lodge a 'people's protest' and to call on ZEC to release the results of the presidential election forthwith

Having watched and waited to see if anyone would mobilise non-violent action and having seen none to date, around 800 members of WOZA and MOZA began their rollout of peaceful actions in Bulawayo today.

The group started their protest at the provincial court on Herbert Chitepo and Leopold Takawira. They processed for several blocks through the city centre to the High Court. The targeting of the High Court was to lodge a people's protest at the delay in announcing results. The group toyi toyied at the steps of the Court singing an iSindebele traditional (Sangoma) song - 'Yindaba enjani ehlula amadoda' (the vote is an issue men are failing to deal with). The leaders then took time to address the crowd, demanding that the results be announced, whereupon they placed their newsletters and placards on the steps before dispersing. This was all carried out much to the bemusement of police officers and court workers who man the entrance.

Police were seen to respond several minutes later, picking up all the flyers left outside the High Court - those that hadn't been scooped up by eager bystanders. Leaders are still ascertaining whether all those that took part in the peaceful protest have made it home safely.

The aim of the march was to add WOZA's voice to those calling on the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) to release the true results of the presidential election. The march was also to call for an end to state-sponsored violence that is reported to be happening in rural areas in retribution.

As they marched, the men and women handed out flyers (the text of which is included below) to the lunchtime crowd that rushed to see what was happening when they heard the singing. Such was the excitement caused by the procession that a group of 100 - 150 people followed the demonstration for the entire route, talking excitably amongst themselves, waiting to see what would happen. When the placards and flyers were left on the steps of the High Court, many people dashed forward to collect them, including several vehicles that stopped long enough for either passengers or the driver themselves to pick up the flyers. During the march, several cars were also observed to be hooting their horns and calling out support to the demonstrators.

WOZA was formed in 2003 amidst severe political violence to demonstrate love and courage to all Zimbabweans. At this time in our country, these motivations are particularly pertinent. WOZA would like to pay tribute to the brave men and women who in the face of great uncertainty and talk of repression defied the threats of a dying regime to speak out clearly and demand that their vote be respected. WOZA would also like to salute our brother and sisters in the police and army who demonstrated today that they are with the people.

WOZA has been encouraging Zimbabweans for the last few months to stand up for their children. People responded by going out to vote on 29 March. Now is the time to keep standing strong - a better future for our children is within our reach - we must just continue to demand it peacefully.

Newsletter text

Against brute force and injustice the people will have the last word - that of victory. Che Guevara, South American revolutionary

Stand up for your child

The election has come and gone and WOZA would like to pay tribute to Zimbabweans for the peaceful way they went out to vote and for the patience they have shown while waiting for ZEC to get their act together. A week has passed without the results and ZEC are taking our patience for granted. Some of us went to vote as a protest knowing that there was a high chance of the result being rigged or stolen. Politicians are trading insults and threats whilst Zimbabwe burns. When you read this, please think about your child and the dreams you had of a better life for them. Think about what your children are doing. Are they in school studying hard and doing well or sleeping on their desks without teachers? Are they queuing for water or looking for firewood? Or are they far away in a foreign land? Is this the future you imagined for them? As long as the results are held hostage we cannot get a new government and demand the social justice we need and deserve. For how much longer can we wait for the results when we have seen them outside polling stations and know that we voted for a change? Last week, people used the polls to speak out - but our voices are being ignored. Today is the day to take peaceful action to remind ZEC and politicians that WE, the voters, are the owners of the election and WE will not allow them to ignore us. We made our decision with our X and it must be respected.

Today is the day to end the silence.

Your child expects you to do something responsible and peaceful to defend your vote and liberate the true results.

Today is also the day that we continue our struggle for social justice.

Our vote last week was just another way in which we reminded our leaders that we want and deserve social justice which can be defined as a system where people have equal opportunities/access to social, economic, cultural, religious and political needs regardless of race, gender, creed or any other form of discrimination.

This is what we were thinking of when we went to choose our new leaders. We want leaders who prioritise the following:

• Full enjoyment of all social, political, economic and cultural rights
• An equal society including gender equality with full respect for all human rights including women's and children's rights
• Freedoms including speech, assembly and association
• Respect and tolerance of diversity - culture and religion
• Transparency and accountability
• Equal participation in political and economic decision-making
• Equal application of the law - access to justice and understanding of the law
• Correction of past injustices such as Gukurahundi and Murambatsvina
• Gutsaruzhinji/inhlalakahle yabantu (good living), including adequate and affordable food
• Access to affordable education
• Access to affordable housing, electricity, sanitation and clean water
• Access to affordable healthcare and medication including anti-retrovirals (ARVs)
• Equal and fair access to fertile land, inputs, equipment and secure ownership
• Equal opportunities to resources, employment, self-help projects and the right to earn a living wage
• Development of adequate infrastructure and access to affordable transport
• Environmentally sustainable usage of resources

As Zimbabweans we deserve the social justice that we talk about but we can only get it if we are prepared to stand up and demand it from our leaders. Make a start today.

Now is the time to keep standing strong for your child's future.

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