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Women and political violence
Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU)
July 30, 2011

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Background

"We do not want to pass June (2011) without elections. We want acceleration of pace, . . . ."
"We endorse your candidature. We are saying: stand in the next election and rule forever, . . . ."

The background to this paper is the September 2011 announcement by President Robert Mugabe of his intentions to push for urgent elections that will see an end to the current inclusive government.

In 2008, ZANU PF lost parliamentary votes to the opposition the MDC for the first time since 1980. Tsvangirai withdrew from the subsequent re-run for the Presidency protesting against cheating and political violence, leaving Mugabe to become President. A unity government was formed to promote reconciliation and lower political polarisation following the death and displacement of many MDC supporters. The GNU created new and positive opportunities for national dialogue in policy options for modernization and transformation of the security sector and for mending the polarized relations between the major political parties as a means to dealing with causes of violence against women.On the contrary however, the situation on the ground has not changed in any material detail from that of 2008. The major political issues have not been resolved, and the inclusive government remains polarized and a threat to national stability. The national healing organ established to promote political tolerance has not made any significant impact on the already existing antagonistic relations between the different political party factions. Zimbabweans remain more suspicious of each other than before, and the political terrain even more explosive and tense.

Politics pundits argue that the announcement for elections by the president has fermented violence, and that there has been an escalation of politically motivated violence since the president's announcement in September to date. They argue that the announcement has resurrected the 2008 images of torture, rape, verbal and physical violence at the hands of the militia, the former war veterans, soldiers and the police.

Merely anticipating elections in an environment not conducive for such is an indicator of President Mugabe's quest for violence and total disregard for women's safety.

Zimbabwean women often make up the bulk of participants at any rally of political event. The majority of women live in the rural areas where ZANU PF maintains a stronghold, and where women are coerced into voting for ZANU PF using food handouts, force and other means. Rural women are denied a voice and their counterparts like Muchinguri speak for them. Choosing a women's league meeting to announce a decisions for elections is thus seeking to instill fear and influence the way such women will vote. It is at another level an emotional violation of women's right to peace and choice during elections. Likewise, Muchinguri's statement has potential to influence the thinking of women as she is already effectively silencing them and psychologically forcing them to tow the party line in the forthcoming elections. This paper provides an analysis of violence against women as revealed by the media from the time the president announced that there was going to be elections to date. It does so while acknowledging that there has been violence against women after the formation of the GNU and before the President's announcement, noting however that the proximate causes of the violence between the two periods have changed. An analysis of violence against women from the time the GNU was formed to the time the President announced for forthcoming elections will however not be part of this paper.

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