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WOZA deliver 100 days demands list to Parliament in a 3-pronged peaceful protest
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
May 27, 2009

At noon central Harare came alive with singing of members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA). The protests started simultaneously from three different directions arriving in waves at the parliament entrance. The protests were conducted to hand over a list of demands to legislature in the power-sharing government. All three protests were conducted peacefully and no arrests have been recorded at this time.

At parliament the activists spent some minutes handing over the demands newsletter and handing over their placards to the security guards and some Senators who were at the door of parliament. The previous song - "Government don't torment us" changed to "We have lost patience, we are tired of waiting for change".

After some minutes a police officer made a sign to disperse us. A signal was then given for the activists to disperse peacefully. As this was happening someone identified as an intelligence officer came forward and asked - 'What is your message? Taking this as a delaying tactic, the newsletter was placed in his hands. He then became insulting and discriminating, saying - 'Don't these women have husbands?' It is likely he is the same officer who later instructed officers who arrived in a police pickup to look around town for Jenni Williams and arrest her.

At least 2 truckloads of riot police arrived after the protest had dispersed and finding noone they kept circling the CDB. Several times in the past they have arrested members at the bus terminus. As one protest went past a bank, vendors seen being chased by municipal police, proof of continued harassment.

The placards being carried had the following messages - 'give our children an education- urgent'; 'Restore the rule of law', 'police stop harassing us'. In the Harare consultation the top 3 priorities members wanted the government to address are: Fix the education system; Create employment and opportunities and Restore the healthcare system (full list follows).

Bystanders came forward to accept the newsletters and give words of encouragement saying - WOZA, your message is correct; you have been quiet; - keep up your pressure until GNU delivers its promises.

The protest and the list of demands handed over to the government complex today follow wide consultations with members in Bulawayo and now in Harare, the consultations continue. The objective to keep WOZA members focusing on holding the power-sharing government accountable for the promises they make. These activities are a continuation of WOZA's Take the Step campaign, designed to encourage Zimbabweans to continue with the civic participation.

Visit the WOZA fact sheet

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