Workers rights are Human Rights

The United Nations organization recognizes that people have a “human right to work, or engage in productive employment, and may not be prevented from doing so”. This concept enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognized in international human rights law. According to Article 23.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment”.

Everyone must have access to work.  Article 22 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “for work to be a source of livelihood, everyone must have access to work and it must provide a just and favorable remuneration ensuring the worker and their family an existence worthy of human dignity.

Work satisfies two significant social functions that is; [1] it is a source to livelihood. Work enables workers to obtain remuneration that will enable them and their families to meet their basic needs, such as food, shelter, paying bills, transport, education etc. and [2] it provides a deep sense of self-worth, dignity, desires and aspirations in life. A job is part of our personality and a means to self-actualization.

Workers’ rights are employment entitlements protected by law and claimable by workers. According to the Constitution of Zimbabwe (2013)’s chapter 4 declaration of right, section 65.1 “Every person has the right to fair and safe labour practices and standards and to be paid a fair and reasonable wage”.  Workers’ rights are also protected by law. According to Chapter 28:01 of the Labour Act (2005), section 6, all employers are required to pay their employees a fair wage, commensurate with their occupation and to ensure that workers are working  under safe working conditions.

Following on from legal requirements and principles stated above, the National Railways of Zimbabwe(NRZ) continues to violate workers’ rights with impunity. This must stop. The NRZ management must be condemned by all fair minded people for unfair and life endangering labour practices. They must be brought before the courts to account for their willful violation of international and Zimbabwean laws. There is a shameful and willful disregard of employees’ occupational safety and health at NRZ. Working practices are, in a lot of cases, also contrary to the provisions contained in the “Train Working regulations (TWR)”, Factories and Works Act (20 of 1948) and the National Social Security Authority (Accident Prevention and Workers Compensation Scheme) Notice No. 68 of 1990, as amended.

NRZ workers are underpaid, do not receive their salaries on time and are at times forced to work longer hours, under unsafe working conditions. Every year there are reports of workers dying on duty and no effort has been taken to address these corporate manslaughter cases.
As an example, on Friday 8 December 2017 one of my former workmates Benson Makotore was trapped between two wagons at Lukosi Siding near Hwange and died on the spot. According to a narration given anonymously by one of the Train man who was at work that day, he said “we were detaching a wagon on the storage loop, as we were pulling out of the storage loop the wagon started rolling towards the load which was left on the crossing loop. As Makotore was applying brakes he ended up being trapped as the wagon side swiped with the ones on the crossing loop whilst he was still hanging. He had noticed a wagon with binding brakes and had decided to detach it at Pongoro storage loop. He cut off and advised the driver to ease off. Unfortunately the wagon released the brakes. Both handbrakes were not effective.  We pushed the wagon in the storage loop and cut off then advised driver to ease off. Meanwhile the other portion of the load was stationery in the crossing loop. The wagon started rolling towards TJ, which is when it went past the clearance indicator on the storage loop and collided with one wagon part of his load that was stationery in the loop.”
It is sad that our government is not putting in place strict measures on wholly state owned enterprises, such as the NRZ, to ensure that management is fully adhering to safe working practices and regulations. Hundreds of lives are lost every year at NRZ and most of these cases go unreported. The dilapidated rail infrastructure was condemned by experts and employees many years ago and is no longer fit for purpose. Signals ceased to be operational more than ten years ago. The NRZ is currently using the antiquated paper order system.

Staff are regularly victimized and often dismissed or made to resign for raising issues to do with occupational safety and health.  TWR 1 states that “SAFETY TAKES PRECEDENCE” yet NRZ management continues to force workers to work in in unsafe spaces with inadequate personal protective equipment, such as safety clothing. An example is that of one security detail called Mahumucha.  He is currently admitted in a Bulawayo hospital after falling off a wagon at Mpopoma siding.  The sad part is that, despite Mahumucha having been injured at work, the NRZ has not contributed anything so far to his medical expenses. He is struggling to pay for his medical care and treatments. Considering that NRZ is a wholly state owned enterprise, it is expected that they would be more enlightened about occupational safety and health regulations and would be in the forefront of practicing safety at work. Unfortunately, this has never been the case in the last 8 years.

Another example of management’s insensitivities to workers’ plight and willful violation of the Labour Act occurred on 31 July 2015. On this day, all labour leaders had their contracts of employment terminated. They cited the government’s proclamations and support of the infamous “Nyamande and Another V Zuva petroleum Pvt Ltd, 2015” judgement. The NRZ labour leaders were summarily dismissed for taking their employer to the labour court after they had gone for nearly eleven months with no salaries. In 2016 workers who were actively participated in the month long strike were also dismissed.

Incidences of unfair labour practices are pandemic across many sectors of the economy in Zimbabwe, mainly because of the high rate of unemployment.  There is an urgent need for the government, and the ministry of labour in particular to intervene and ensure that workers’ rights are protected and that occupational health and safety is prioritized. Trade unions must also be in the forefront of advocating for workers’ rights and safe working practices, as required by law.
Every life matters. No worker should die on duty. An injury to one is an injury to all.

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira
Human Rights Defender, Aspiring MP Harare Central, Political Activist and Founder and National Coordinator of Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance

Be an active citizen: know your rights

Today is International Human Rights Day. Zimbabwe is on record for being one of the countries that violates human rights to settle political scores. Very little is done to educate Zimbabwean citizens on Human Rights with some ignorantly professing that Human Rights is a western concept.

Human rights are claims that every human being is entitled to in order to live a dignified life. In Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights it states that, "ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE BORN FREE AND EQUAL IN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS."

Every Zimbabwean has the right to a dignified life, should have equal access to resources, opportunities and services essential for an adequate standard of living. It's rather unfortunate that most in Zimbabwe, a large percentage of the population lives in poverty and social deprivation which has led to many people normalizing the abnormal and accepting violation of rights as a way of life.

Economic, Social and cultural rights are human rights and should ensure pro-poor, inclusive and sustainable development. These rights were not considered at all in the preparation of the 2019 budget which was presented on Friday. The budget was more of a market economy with very little connotations to social justice.

The very few Zimbabweans still employed deserve a living wage and decent working conditions. In the budget statement it was stated that,  technically insolvent parastatals will be closed. What happens when the parastatals are closed as there was no budget presented for their packages. Two years down the line Zuva judgement victims are still wrong for their terminal benefits and retirement packages with most of them now living in abject poverty. Former workers of the same parastatals who had their contract of employment terminated by the infamous zuva judgement are struggling to make ends meet. There are no jobs and those who had resorted to vending to sustain their livelihoods are being chased off the streets which has made life generally unbearable and miserable for the unemployed.

The African Charter on Human and People's Rights safeguards the following rights;

1. Right to work (article 15)
2. Right to health (Article 16)
3. Right to Education (Article 17)

Zimbabwe signed this charter on 28 February 1986 and ratified it on 30 August 1986.

The right to health care is essential for one to fully enjoy their right to health. Healthcare must be accessible, available, acceptable and of good quality. Zimbabwe has failed to provide adequate healthcare for the past twenty years in public hospitals which is a gross violation of human rights and their obligation in relation to Article 1 of the African Charter which requires State parties to "recognize" the rights, duties and freedoms enshrined in the charter.

Hundreds die prematurely in our government hospitals due to shortage of critical drugs, shortage of blood, malfunctioning machinery and poor Healthcare. It is our responsibility as active citizens to continue demanding accountability until every Zimbabwean enjoys the right to quality healthcare.

The right to education is a Human Rights on its own. It is a guarantee of being entitled to education that us accessible, affordable and available to everyone. The right to education as enshrined in section 75 of the constitution of Zimbabwe is a fundamental human right necessary for every person to know and be able to demand and assert other human rights. Section 75 further states that in clause 1(a) every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has a right to a basic state funded education, including adult basic education...

Government must pay for basic education and efforts should be made to ensure that all the children gallivanting in the streets are afforded the opportunity to go to school. All children who have been sent away from school should go back to school and those who are engaged in child prostitution and drug abuse should be rehabilitated and taken back to school.

These provisions in the constitution show some of the commitments made by government when if accepted these uman rights instruments such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights.

In conclusion, our right to health is greatly compromised by the dirty, filthy and condemned water that comes out our taps which is a violation of our right to safe, clean and potable water as enshrined in section 77 of the constitution of Zimbabwe. Water is very important for a healthy life. No one can exercise other rights if they do not have right to water. Every Zimbabwean must access clean and safe drinking water and sanitation.

The United Nations also passed a resolution in 2010 recognizing that water and sanitation is a Human right. The government of Zimbabwe has an obligation to provide clean, safe and portable water to every Zimbabwean and must respect the right to water, protect the right to water and the central government and local authorities have a duty to provide clean and portable water in Zimbabwe. Our duty as Zimbabweans is to demand basic human rights to be adhered to. First things first the right to water.

Let us be active citizens and demand our fundamental human rights to be respected and protected.

Violence against women a violation of human rights

Today, I join the world to commemorate the international day for the Elimination of violence against women. This year’s theme is “Leave no one behind: End violence against Women and Girls. One in every three women around the world has been a victim of violence. Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today.

I have observed that most women feign emotional stability in public spheres whilst they are suffering and broken emotionally. This is due to negative cultural expectations which dictates how a woman ought to behave and present herself. In the face of abuse and ill-treatment a woman is expected to be resilient and embrace any form of hardship and suffering that comes her way. Growing up a young woman is told that “usafukure hapwa”, “mukadzi anoshinga”.  In a bid to follow what they have been socialised to believe,  many women have painted a sunny picture of their lives, whilst their lived realities depicts a dark, gloomy cloud hanging over their lives. It is fact that many women in Zimbabwe are subjected to gender based violence perpetrated by their husbands, fathers or partners being the chief perpetrators.

Violence against women is the most extreme form of discrimination. The UN reports that “on the basis of data from 2005 to 2016 for 87 countries, 19 per cent of women between the ages of 15 and 49, said they had experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner in the 12 months prior to the survey. In the most extreme cases, such violence can lead to death. In 2012, almost half of all women who were victims of intentional homicide worldwide were killed by an intimate partner or family member, compared to 6 per cent of male victims. These figures could actually be a fraction of the reality on ground, taking into account the culture of silence and some unreported cases.

Moreover, only just over half (52 per cent) of women between 15 and 49 years of age who are married or in a relationship make their own decisions about consensual sexual relations and use of contraceptives and health services. That statistic is based on available data from around 2012 for 45 countries, 43 of which are in developing regions.”

Another extreme case of violence against women as highlighted by the UN report is that of female genital mutilation/cutting. Great strides are being made to eradicate this harmful practice, resulting in about 24 per cent decline since around 2000. Nevertheless, prevalence remains high in some of the 30 countries with representative data. In those countries, survey data from around 2015 indicate that more than 1 in 3 girls between 15 and 19 years of age have undergone the procedure compared to nearly 1 in 2 girls around 2000.

In the political spheres, women have not been spared of violence tendencies either. As a victim of state sponsored violence, police brutality, rape, discrimination, torture and domestic violence I strongly advocate for the Elimination of any form of violence against women. On the 25th of February this year, I was brutally assaulted by ZRP in riot gear at Parirenyatwa Hospital for protesting against former President Mugabe’s $4m birthday bash whilst the biggest referral hospital in Zimbabwe had no medication. Earlier this year Thokozani Khupe,  MDCT Vice President was assaulted by party youths at their party offices.  The violence I experienced made me more resolute in advocating for the promotion and protection of human rights, helping women to think positively about the future as well as moving away from self pity. As a leader, one of my obligatory duties is to inspire change in an effort to have a violent free Zimbabwe.

Most women are traumatized by the violent attacks they have experienced in their lives and many have never received any form of therapeutic interventions or any form of support. Political violence is one critical area that needs redress and today. I urge all political party leaders to make peace pledges and eliminate violence in solving intra party conflict. Women in different spaces experience different forms of political violence including rape and most of these cases are unreported.

Politically-motivated sexual violence against women was prevalent under Mugabe’s oppressive regime and was used as a tool to silence and intimidate dissenting voices and repress political opposition. Women are frequent victims of brutality at the hands of police and other security forces, subjected to torture, rape, disappearances, and displacement. Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Southern African Development Community Gender and Development Protocol, Mugabe’s regime did not respect its commitment to enforce the protocol. I am challenging the incoming President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa to ensure that any forms of violence are condemned and perpetrators of violence, face stiff penalties and the full wrath of the law.

Public violence against women is another challenge for women especially at kombi ranks and bus terminus. Stiff penalties should be in place to deal with the rogue, uncouth, foul mouthed and violent kombi conductors and touts. Dialogue should be used to resolve conflict.

The onus is on us women to be agents of change, we need to socialize our children to shun violence and endeavour to bring up our children in violent free homes. A nation cannot be successful without the contribution of women. Women are naturally endowed with influence. It is imperative that men promote peaceful environments in the home for their spouses to promote peace in our communities. For the woman, peace begins in her home.

I am encouraging every woman who has been a victim of any form of violence to speak out boldly about the importance of eliminating any form of gender based violence. Together we can make a difference in our communities.

Linda Tsungirirai Masarirais a
Human Rights Defender, Aspiring MP Harare Central, Political Activist, Founder and National Coordinator of Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance.

Age ain't nothing but a number

Austria made history by electing the world's youngest president who is 31 years old. His name is Sebastian Kurz, and has a girlfriend Susanne.

Before the 2017 presidential election, he was the country's foreign minister. Emmanuel Macron (39) was elected as president of France in May 2017. Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern (37) is a New Zealand politician and the incoming Prime Minister of New Zealand. She is the Leader of the Labour Party. Just across the border in South Africa we have young firebrand leaders like Julius Malema (36) and Mmusi Maine (37)leading vibrant opposition parties.

Unfortunately young people in Zimbabwe are content with being boot lickers, praise singers and special assistants  on social media in Zimbabwe whilst youths in other countries are disrupting the status quo, pushing for innovation, changing the narrative and pushing for a new frontier.

Mark Zukerberg is just 32 years old and the youngest billionaire in the world.

The bar was raised in Austria when they elected a 31 year old man as its leader. What is an average 31 year old man in Zimbabwe doing? Probably sitting at a street corner smoking weed or abusing bronco or helplessly enduring the heat at street lights selling airtime.

Most young people in Zimbabwe stay with their  parents, are unemployed and broke. They are in a fake comfort zone because they eat free food and are not bothered an inch about their status quo. These are the ones who chant "zvobatsireyi kuvhota".

The 31 old Zimbabwean man is feeling big supporting politicians (who directly or indirectly put us in the mess we are in) on Facebook without seeing the nexus  between the failed leadership and present unemployment predicament.

My heart bleeds for our youths many of whom are wasting precious time forgetting that time waits for no man.

The economic crisis and socio-political quagmire in Zimbabwe has not helped many to realize that they have to step up and change things. It is rather unfortunate that my generation is not ready to push for change and freedom doesn't come on a silver platter.

Those who have bank jobs think they are on top of the world, forgetting that the owners of the banks were Billionaires at their age.

Those who work in IOCs see themselves as great achievers, not knowing that they are slaves.

What are you doing with your life? Are you happy with the way things are in Zimbabwe right now? What are you doing to push for change?

Take this moment to aspire to change your current situation. To be an advocate for change. Don't ask what Zimbabwe can do for you. Think about what you can do for Zimbabwe.

Your future is in your hands. Go and register to vote. #TogetherWeCan #I💓Zimbabwe

Who is Linda Tsungirirai Masarira?

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira is a human rights defender, pro-democracy, socioeconomic and political activist who is passionate about women and girl child rights. She is also campaigning for the Harare central parliamentary seat in the 2018 elections as an independent candidate.

She is thirty-five years (35) old and currently studying for a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Peace and governance. She is a human rights defender passionate about equality, gender balance, women and girl child rights, democracy, inclusion and economic and political freedom for marginalized groups of society.

Linda is a widow and a proud mother of 5 children.

Following a series of demonstrations, petitions and protests for violations of human rights by the Government of Zimbabwe which she organised, she was incarcerated for more than 80 days in prison for challenging the ruling system to respect human dignity. During the days of incarceration, she mobilized fellow women prisoners and led an inmate protest against poor and inhumane conditions that women were being subjected to including lack of sanitary pads and access to medical services, because of that move, she was brutalized and moved to a male prison and placed on solitary confinement until she was granted bail by a High court order in September 2016.

She is the Founder and national coordinator for Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance, National Coordinator for the Young African Leadership Forum (Zimbabwean Chapter), Chairperson of the Revolutionary Freedom Fighters, Chairperson of STAR fellowship cohort 3, FES Alumni, Founder and Chairperson of the Association of Railways Terminated Employees and former President of the Trainmen workers Union (2008-2013).

Linda has also  been involved in trade unionism during her time at the National Railways of Zimbabwe and Systems Technology (Pvt) (Ltd) where she mobilized fellow employees to fight for their labour rights, which culminated into her getting fired from the two companies.
She organised several successful campaigns including  the “Bring back our women from Kuwait” campaign where she took a leading role in petitioning the government of Zimbabwe and the Kuwaiti Embassy to expedite the repatriation process to the stranded Zimbabwean women who had fallen victim to human trafficking. Following this campaign , the government of Zimbabwe later came up with an expatriation plan for all trafficked persons outside Zimbabwe which saw more than 200 women victims coming back home.

Besides political activism, humanitarian and democracy work, she is a former member of the executive management committee of the People`s Democratic Party (PDP) responsible for recruitment and mobilization.

To compliment her vision for sustainable development not only in Zimbabwe, but the whole of Africa, she is also a business woman who utilizes her skills to educate young aspiring women to venture into income generation projects so that they can be independent economically .To that effect she strongly believes in Youth Leadership and grooming  young people to effectively advocate and fight for social economic and political justice in our country. 

Join the pockets out protest

Zimbabweans today are moving with their pockets out in protest of the deteriorating economic crisis

olice Brutality On Journalists: An Attack on Freedom of Expression, The Media and The Constitution!

The brutal and subsequent illegal arrest of Obey Manayiti and other journalists by the ZRP for doing their work is intolerable, retrogressive, unconstitutional and a clear violation of the journalists' rights of freedom of expression and freedom of the media, in short it is a clear indictment on Sections 61 and 62 of the Constitution!

We strongly condemn the police without any equivocation or ambiguity for harassing, terrorising, clobbering and wantonly brutalising journalists -State terrorism at its worst. It is sad that in this country journalists unlike in other democratic jurisdictions, face viscious violent attacks from state security apparatus particularly the police who are supposed to uphold and respect both journalists and fundamental human rights as they are sacredly enshrined in the country's Constitution!

This attack on the members of the fourth estate clearly shows the regretful reality that in so called independent Zimbabwe, members of the media just like during the brutal Smith dictatorship  are terrorised, tortured and beaten for doing their jobs. Today's police brutality actually indicate that the sad reality that besides having adopted a new constitution with a brilliant Bill of Rights, the zanu led government is deliberately failing to develop a democratic political and constitutional culture imbued with basic principles of constitutionalism and the rule of law.

As citizens we urgently demand that the police who brutalised Manayiti and his colleagues be removed from the police force and in turn be arrested and convicted for human rights violations and  crimes against journalists and humanity at large!

#PoliceBrutalityMustStop
#RespectJournalists

Linda T. Masarira
Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance

HOLDING OF FAKE ELECTIONS IN ZIMBABWE

1. The role played by the ruling party ZANU – PF

2. The complicity of the opposition parties

There have never been free, fair and credible elections in Zimbabwe since 2000 particularly in the rural areas where the majority of voters live (about 70 %) accounting for 143 contestable constituencies out of 210. Voters are coerced to vote for ZANU PF against their will through violence and intimidation and this has always assured ZANU PF of predetermined and illegitimate election outcomes in their favour.

The ZANU PF and Mugabe’s strategy of forcing the electorate to vote against their will involves the following:

1. ZANU PF forces rural voters to attend their political meetings/rallies against their will where they are told how to vote for ZANU PF. Those that attend opposition rallies are identified, denounced and later punished.
2. On voting day, voters are marshalled and frogmarched to polling stations by village heads and queue in a predetermined order with the village head at the back ordering everyone to vote for ZANU PF. 
3. Literate voters such as teachers, civil servants (In some cases ZEC polling officers) and known opposition party supporters are also intimidated and forced to feign illiteracy so that they are assisted to vote.
4. There was widespread violence in the 2002 and 2008 presidential elections, Many people were assaulted, murdered and property was looted or destroyed. Women were also raped. ZANU PF succeeds in using this as a reference point to intimidate the electorate to vote against their will and the voters have nowhere to turn to for help.
5. Violence during elections is state sponsored. Known perpetrators are not arrested. Polling day in Zimbabwe is made peaceful in order to hoodwink election observers into believing that elections are free and fair

This strategy of forcing voters to vote for ZANU PF against their will using violence, intimidation, coercion, destruction of property and abuse of traditional leaders started on a large scale during the by-elections held in the following constituencies:

Marondera West  in 2000
Bikita, Bindura, Makoni West, Chikomba in 2001
Presidential elections and Insiza by election in 2002.

The strategy was perfected and employed on a greater scale in June 2008 Presidential elections run off.  It usually focuses on coercing defenceless rural voters to vote for ZANU PF against their will. However in the 2008 Presidential elections run off, the strategy was used in urban high density areas as well.

In 2013 there was no widespread violence used but intimidation was rampant with war veterans and ZANU PF youths and officials threatening villagers with a repetition of 2008 atrocities if the rural voters disobeyed orders to vote for ZANU PF against their will.

WHY HAS THE STRATEGY WORKED

ZANU PF has been able to use the strategy of coercing people to vote against their will since 2000 with impunity due to the following:

No opposition party has ever fully exposed the ZANU PF strategy of coercing people to vote against their will. Instead the opposition dwells on minor, peripheral and sometimes fictitious issues. This is a diversion which takes away focus from the core issue of the ZANU PF strategy of coercing voters to vote against their will.

Examples Of Diversionary Issues And Tactics Used By Opposition Political Parties To Protect The Strategy

a) They loudly accuse ZANU PF of using a defective voters roll to rig elections. However, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCPJ) in the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) report notes that a voter’s roll can never be perfect in any country .A perfect voters roll cannot stop ZANU PF from coercing people to vote against their will.

b) They call for the amendment, repeal and realignment of the country’s electoral laws. But it should be noted that ZANU PF and the state violate The Zimbabwean Constitution, local laws, regional and international laws in an effort to coerce voters to vote for ZANU PF against their will. Therefore adding more laws whilst existing ones are not being respected cannot solve the current problem.

c) A shadowy Israeli organization named NIKUV which opposition parties have accused of manipulating election results in favour of ZANU PF is a creation of a discredited Facebook character Baba Jukwa, in 2013, yet coercion of rural voters has happened since 2000. Thus this NIKUV fiction came when we already had our problem.

d) The ZEC Report on the 2013 Harmonized Elections and the findings of an investigation into Mliswa’s Complaint in the 2015 Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) Report, clearly highlighted the ZANU PF strategy of coercing voters to vote against their will as the major rigging mechanism. These reports were tabled in Parliament. However, opposition parties looked the other way and never discussed them.

e) The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission in its pre-election press statement of 29 July 2013 reiterated that “we are ready to receive complaints about any possible election related human rights violations and any other general human rights violations…We will take appropriate action where necessary including, but not limited to, directing the Commissioner General of police to investigate cases of suspected criminal violations of human rights as constitutionally mandated.” However, opposition political parties have failed to work with and take advantage of well-meaning constitutionally constituted state institutions to deal with electoral state sponsored violence.

f) In 2013 there were 9670 polling stations in the country. There is no evidence that a single opposition party identified the problem of forcing voters to vote for ZANU PF. Yet almost all election observers picked it.

g) In the March 2008 Harmonized Elections ZANU PF relaxed the strategy of forcing voters to vote against their will. This was due to the intervention of SADC. Results were displayed at all polling stations and they were signed by party polling agents. This meant that each party could come up with its own results for councillors, Members of Parliament and the Presidential candidate. In April 2008, a recount was done in 23 constituencies. A verification process was conducted at the Sheraton Hotel at which every political party was required by SADC to produce its own results. The MDC – T failed to produce their own Presidential candidate’s election results. They could therefore not contest the results announced by ZEC. This failure possibly prejudiced the MDC candidate and the people of Zimbabwe of a great victory. 

h) Opposition parties now believe that massive voter registration is the panacea for all our electoral problems. The message being relayed is that voters should gather courage and defy ZANU PF orders by refusing to vote against their will. Elections are not meant for brave voters. In the first place they must never be coerced to vote against their will. Opposition political parties and civil society organizations should therefore advocate, canvass and lobby for an end to the coercion of voters to vote against their will and not canvass for bravery. The brave ones are usually abducted and killed and voters have experienced this.

EVIDENCE OF COERCION OF VOTERS BY ZANU PF

The following observations demonstrate the lack of “one man, one vote” in the 2013 elections and how voters were coerced to vote for ZANU PF against their will:

1. In its 2013 Report, The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) adopted various election observer missions that concluded that the 2013 Harmonized Elections did not meet the criteria of free, fair and credible elections. The Catholic Commission For Justice and Peace Zimbabwe (CCJPZ) observed pre- election, election and post – election environment where all of the above irregularities were rampant and observed that :

Between 2011 and 2013, a War Veteran leader, Mr. Jabulani Sibanda, moved around the country, threatening people with death should his political party, ZANU PF, lose the ‘next elections’ Masvingo Province: Between July 2011 – January 2012; July 2013 he worked with traditional leaders to organize Ward meetings for example in Bikita, Gutu, Chiredzi, Nyika, Mukaro, Chivi, Mwenezi and Masvingo Districts. Told people during ward/village meetings that if ZANU PF looses the next elections, ‘hell will break loose’ as all people will be killed. At some meetings, he said if ZANU PF loses elections, he would slaughter everyone and roast their livers.

Polling Stations Incidents
a) Harare (Mashonaland East Province) Mutoko East constituency, Ward 17 at Chipfiko Primary Polling Station. One woman was forced to have her vote cast by a known person (as an assisted vote).  This was done because the woman was known to have been an MDC supporter/sympathizer so she was forced to be assisted by a ZANU PF member
b) Mutoko district, Mutoko East Ward 18, Bwanya Primary Polling Station.There was a man who assisted someone else to vote. When he then wanted to vote, he was told he also needed to be assisted.
c) Masvingo Mutikizizi Primary school, Bikita South. Generally, the number of assisted voters across the diocese was high with some well-known teachers, nurses and other literate people being assisted to cast their votes. Since the observers were local, they could distinguish between those who genuinely needed assistance and those manipulated into being assisted. At Mutikizizi primary school in Bikita South the observer was a teacher and witnessed his former ‘O’ Level student being assisted to vote not by his relative but by the chairperson of a political party.
d) Gokwe (Midlands/ Matebeleland Provinces) - St. Hughs Polling Station and Mutukanyi Primary Polling Stations: 145 voters were assisted by political party agents. At Mutukanyi Primary Polling Station, a political agent assisted 63 voters. Kwayedza School Polling Station 52 people were allowed to vote on behalf of others Chitsa Polling Station 12 people were assisted to vote as they claimed to be blind. When the presiding officer was asked by an observer why the number of blind voters was that high at the polling station, the presiding officer told the observer that he was not an optician.Chomuuyu, Gunguwe Shingai, Mhumha and Chimhamhari Polling Stations. People known to be highly literate, and even many youths were seeking assistance to vote. At Shingai and Mhumha Polling stations, a political agent voted for 53 and 61 people respectively.Mtanki SDA Primary School Polling Station (Gokwe South) – 32 people were assisted to vote.
Incident Summary Of Assisted Voters
The CCJPZ observed intimidation and coercion, especially by some traditional leaders through “group/village voting”. This involved instances where voters were instructed to take turns to vote under the watchful scrutiny of their Village Heads. There were also several incidents that involved traditional leaders lining up villagers, making a note of their ID numbers and sending them to specific polling stations to vote. This was particularly common in Bikita, Mwenezi, Gutu, Gokwe and Mutoko. In some cases, voters were given a voting number which some of the traditional leaders claimed they could use to trace whom the voter voted for. The following cases are examples of how assisted voting was forced:
a) Case 1: Justifying voting without assistance. On 31st July 2013 Mrs. China was asked by a local political activist why she voted without assistance as she was supposed to be assisted during voting. Mrs China said she was not illiterate that is why she voted on her own. Mrs. China reported the case to a Police Officer outside the polling room. The Police Officer announced to the queuing voters to stop such ‘bad crimes.’ However the Police Officer didn’t probe the matter any further. The political activist is still at his home. The Police Officer did not take any effective action. 
b) Case 2: How somebody was assisted to vote. It was just a day after the election and I visited Mrs. Phiri, one of the assisted voters. As an observer l asked her why she was assisted to vote and she told me that as she went to the polling station and was about 150m away from the station she met five people standing on the road. Mrs. Phiri was instructed to stop by the group and one lady, who seems to be the leaders said: “you have told us that you no longer support any other political party except ZANU PF so to be clear and honest to us today you are illiterate / unable to read and write and you should be assisted to vote by any one of us. If you disagree nothing is going to be given to you like maize and you may be at risk soon after the elections.” Mrs. Phiri told me that she was warned not to say that she was forced to pretend illiteracy, but to say she was illiterate. Out of fear Mrs. Phiri complied and went with one of the ladies to assist her in voting. This method was conducted in the whole ward. In each and every way to the polling station ZANU PF deployed its members to threaten people so that they vote for ZANU PF.

2. In 2015 The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission ( ZHRC ) investigated complaints of human rights violations by an Independent Candidate (Temba Mliswa) in the June 10 Hurungwe West By – Elections in Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe and found that :

a) ZANU PF violated Constitutinal Rights Section 67,The Electoral Act (Chapter 2 : 13),Criminal law ( Codification and reform) Act [Chapter 9: 23],International Law on Human Rights, African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, SADC Principles and Guidelines governing democratic Elections.

b) Hon. Ignatius Chombo, the current Home Affairs Minister in Zimbabwe, threatened opposition supporters with violence and not to allow Mliswa’s rallies in the constituency.

c) In the case between Mliswa’s Personal Assistant, Goodwill Zinyama and others, File Number HHRE/CI/333/15, the ZHRC report stated that state sponsored violence was meted out to Mliswa’s workers and opposition supporters at Mliswa’s farm.

d) At Murereshi business centre in ward 26 residents stated that they were being forced to attend ZANU PF rallies and that at one rally they were told that if Mr Keith Guzah loses, the ruling party would deal with them.

e) Village heads connived and worked with ZANU PF against the Independent candidate. There was total disregard of the law as 3 village heads were unprocedurally “dethroned “at a public meeting by ZANU PF.

f) Many other independent election observers in the country have also unearthed similar incidents of electoral irregularities. An example is the Heal Zimbabwe Trust report on the recently held Bikita West By- Election on 21 January 2017 where it was noted that :

i) Actors in the Pre-Election Day Violations

 Heal Zimbabwe established that most of the violations committed in Bikita West were largely meant to harvest fear for electoral victory. Members of the Executive arm of the government, Members of Parliament, ZANU PF leaders and supporters as well as Traditional leaders were the major actors in perpetrating human rights violations and inciting violence. Members of Parliament and the Executive who incited violence and perpetuated human rights violations in Bikita West include; the Masvingo Resident Minister, Hon Shuvai Mahofa, Josiah Hungwe (Minister of State for Liaising on Psychomotor Activities in Education Vocational Training), Joseph Chinotimba (Buhera South MP) Jeppy Jaboon (Bikita South MP) Webster Shamu (Chegutu East MP). Most of these government officials incited violence through their speeches at rallies as well as perpetuating human rights violations by acts of commission and omission. ZANU PF leaders and supporters participated in perpetuating intimidation and partisan distribution of food aid and farming inputs mostly. Traditional leaders perpetuated human rights violations by accepting to be used as political commissars who mobilised villagers to political rallies. They also commanded people to vote for a specific political party instead of maintaining neutrality as prescribed by law. For example Chief Mupakwa called for a meeting at his homestead on the 7th of January 2017 and commanded all people in attendance to vote for ZANU PF failure of which one would be expelled from the village. Chief Marozva also ordered Village Heads under his jurisdiction on the 3rd of January where he implored them to mobilise people to attend a rally scheduled for the 4th of January 2017. The constitution prohibits traditional leaders from campaigning or aligning to any political party or grouping for the purposes of maintaining neutrality and objectivity in their work. Section 281 (2a-b) states that traditional leaders must not “be members of any political party or in any way participate in partisan politics” and “act in a partisan manner.”

ii) Polling Day Environment

 There were incidences of human rights violations with intimidation recording 88% and forced attendance to a political meeting after voting recording 12%. Heal Zimbabwe visited 46 polling stations and within all the polling stations cases of intimidation were noted within the 100 metre radius where polling agents and ZANU PF youth were writing down people's names after voting.

iii) Forced attendances

 Some villagers in Bikita West constituency were also forced to attend political gatherings and meetings. This violation recorded 12% of the total violations observed from the 1st of January 2017. Forced attendance was done through force-marching people, using traditional leaders to call for meetings and through door to door visits. The constitution in section 67(2a) specifies that every citizen has the right “to form, to join and to participate in the activities of a political party or organisation of their choice” yet in Bikita people were threatened with violence if they did not attend rallies. They were told that if they did not attend, they will have their names written down and become targets of violence, face unspecified action or denied food aid.

CONCLUSIONS

1) It can be said that the people of Zimbabwe have not yet achieved what they fought for, ie One Man One Vote. The Rhodesia Front leader Ian Smith was quoted to have said “I don’t believe in black majority rule ever in Rhodesia – not in a thousand years. “  On the other hand ZANU PF quoted in the ZEC 2013 Report told people at their rallies that “There will be war if people do not vote for ZANU PF. If people want peace ,vote for ZANU PF,War is bad but you can avoid it by voting for ZANU PF,This country will not be ruled by any other political party just because of an X “.

2) The ZANU PF strategy of coercing voters to vote against their will is simple, basic and blatant. It has existed since the 2000 by – elections to present because the opposition political parties have chosen to look the other way and continue to sing the now familiar and hollow chorus that “Elections have been rigged.“ It is time the civic society, churches and all responsible Zimbabweans begin to advise the urban electorate, the Southern African Development Commission (SADC), The African Union (AU) and other international bodies that rural voters are forced to vote for ZANU PF against their will in all elections.

My analysis about Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's problems go beyond political parties. I am 101% convinced that Zimbabwe needs a system overhaul and change of leadership. Change of leadership without a system overhaul will be useless. There is no rule of law in Zimbabwe.

It is sad and pathetic that this nation brags of the most educated people in Africa yet they are the most stupid, idiotic and docile beings under the sun. What is the point of being educated when you can not use your education to create sustainable development economically and politically? What is the point of bragging about intellectual capacities when your country has reached comatose stage with no meaningful change in sight?  Where are the legislators? Why are people being oppressed in a supposedly free Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe is going through a systematic failure. This systematic failure is a result of lack of ethics. We are all responsible for this systematic failure because we all sat back and watched Bob create an evil regime which does not care about the welfare of the citizens of this once beautiful country. i hear and read people claiming
ng that Zimbabwe is a peaceful country. Peaceful my foot. People should learn to differentiate peace from fear. First define what peace is then we will start talking. Zimbabweans are butchering each other every day, domestic violence is the order of the day in most households, women are being raped left right and centre including toddlers, there is violence everywhere because most people have bottled up emotions. they have adopted to an artificial environment which is emotionally draining. All the frustrations which have been cultivated by this evil system are poured out at the wrong places and wrong people.

Zanu pf has nurtured institutions which are not only inefficient and incompetent because all state owned enterprises have collapsed due to massive corruption, lack of accountability and sound corporate ethics. We cannot continue watching our country being run like a tuckshop because we are afraid. Afraid of what and who?  
Millions of bright lives have been destroyed and why are we silent?

The problem in Zimbabwe is not the actual problem, the problem is our attitude towards the problem. We have to deal with the issue of political reforms, if this is not dealt with we are unlikely to see any meaningful economic turnaround. Zimbabwe's crisis is man made and everything that is man made can be reversed. We are suffering from a leadership crisis. We no longer have leaders in Zimbabwe. We now have one invincible dictator and little rulers under the dictator. Who is going to free Zimbabwe from black oppression? How long are we going to pretend that everything is ok when nothing is ok?

The first step is to advocate for the alignment of the of laws with the constitution of Zimbabwe. Since 2013, the laws have not been aligned with the constitution, police continuously abuse zimbabwean citizens because of this anomaly. Where are the legislators? Alignment of the laws with the constitution is not an option but an obligation. It is a serious violation of the constitution to continue having invalid laws in our statute books. Enough is enough. ZIMBABWE WILL NEVER BE A COLONY AGAIN LET US FREE OUR MINDS FROM MENTAL SLAVERY.

Stand up and fight for your rights
Stand up and be counted
Stand up and fight for justice
Stand up and be the hero you are
Life is meant to be enjoyed not to be endured

Iwe neni tine basa to make Zimbabwe a better place. To restore the dignity of this country and to give our children a happier, safer and habitable Zimbabwe.

Good day

Linda T. Masarira
ZWIPA Director

Cry my beloved Zimbabwe cry

I got a very disturbing call from my contact at Arnold farm saying the mothers and their babies in Mazoe are now sleeping in rain soaked blankets in open space.

This is really disturbing considering that yesterday we were celebrating independence day which is synonymous with Zimbabweans reclaiming their land which was forcibly stolen by colonists.

In the National Sports Stadium, the once revolutionaries who liberated us were lambasting the imperialists for stealing our land. But will we ever hear these pan African leaders condemning Grace Mugabe for stealing land and forcing fellow black Zimbabweans from their homes?

Double standards and glorification of strong egoistic personalities over institutions have proven to be our greatest undoing unto ourselves.

Zimbabwe deserves better and we are the ones we have been waiting for to transform our independence into freedom for the people.

We all need a Zimbabwe that is responsive to the needs of all its citizens despite economic class, political view, religious beliefs, race and tribe.

Linda T. Masarira

Change starts with you

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the change that we seek. We are the ones we've been waiting for. I have no doubt that we, Zimbabweans, are the difference between what it is and what it could be.

We are the missing link in the struggle for positive change in our country. Zimbabwe's political and economic quagmire requires our participation. We know in painful detail and through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed.

No one gives up his priviledges without a fight and president Mugabe won't be brushed aside easily like dirt. We have to play our part as Zimbabweans. Zanupf will never reform themselves our of power. We have the generational mandate to reform them out of power. Only a united people with one common shared vision can remove this gerontocracy from power. We are the missing link.

You are the change you have been waiting for. What are you waiting for? Be part of the change you want to see. Together we can.

A new Zimbabwe is possible in our lifetime.

Zimbabwe will be there after Mugabe is long gone

In the midst of the political confusion that has gripped our country many people are wondering if we have come to the end of Zimbabwe.

The answer is simple: the thing called an "end" does not exist, not in relation to a country. Zimbabwe will be there long after Mugabe is gone.

What Mugabe has done is to make us come to the realisation that ours is colonisation by our own fellow brothers. From the frying pan into the fire.

Towards the end of March, innocent Zimbabwean citizens were illegally evicted from Arnold farm in Mazowe. ZRP acting on the first lady Grace Mugabe's instructions defied a high court ruling against the evictions at Arnold farm. Houses were demolished and the little property they had was ferried off the farm by police vehicles and they were dumped on the roadside of river farm.

These displaced families are surviving on wild fruits and sleeping in the open for nearly two weeks now. I am trying to understand why a mother and a woman would do that to other women and children? Principalities in Africa manifest in strange ways. This is an abhorrent violation of human rights.

We must all thank Mugabe for revealing our true African character; that the idea of rule of law is not part of who we are, and that
constitutionalism is a concept far ahead of us as a people.

How else are we to explain the thousands of people who flock to stadiums to clap hands for a president who has violated their
country's constitution? Such people have no idea of constitutionalism.

Now that we have reclaimed our place as another African country, we must reflect on and come to terms with our real character, and imagine
what our future portends.

In a typical African country, ordinary people don't expect much of politicians, because people get tired of repeated empty promises.

In a typical African country, people have no illusions about the unity of morality and governance. People know that those who have power have
it for themselves and their friends and families.

The idea that the state is an instrument for people's development is a Western concept, and has been copied by pockets of Asian countries.

Africans and their leaders don't like to copy from the West. They are happy to remain African, and do things "the African way".

The African way is rule by kings, chiefs and indunas in a setting of unwritten rules. Is there anyone who has seen a book of African
customary laws?

The idea that a commoner can raise questions about public money spent on the residence of a king is not African.

Asking a ruler to be accountable is a foreign - Western - idea. In a situation where there is conflict between a ruler and laws, Africans
simply change the laws to protect the ruler. This is why no single white person has called for King Dalindyebo to be released from jail.

The problem with clever blacks is that they think they live in Europe,where ideas of democracy have been refined over centuries.

What we need to do is to come back to reality, and accept that ours is a typical African country. Such a return to reality will give us a
fairly good idea of what Zimbabwe's future might look like.

This country will not look like Denmark. It might look like Nigeria, where anti-corruption crusaders are an oddity.

Being an African country, ours will not look like Germany. Zimbabwe  looks like Kenya, where tribalism drives politics.

People must not entertain the illusion that a day is coming when Zimbabwe  will look like the US.  What will become of our future when
one ruler is more powerful than the rest of the population. Even if  someone else were to become president, it would still be the same, if we do not change our mindsets.

The idea that a president can resign simply because a court of law has delivered an adverse judgment is Western. Only the Prime Minister of
Iceland does that; African rulers will never do that. The idea of an African president resigning because he is too ill to rule is for Doug Ferguson former president of Canada.

Analysed carefully, the notion of Zimbabwe coming to an "end" is an expression of a Western value system - of accountability, political morality, reason, and so on.

You are the change you have been waiting for

You are the change you have been waiting for.

Make a difference. One of the most powerful quotes that I have kept inside of that treasure chest near my heart is from Mahatma Gandhi. "Be the change you want to see in the world". Let that sit with you for minute. I use to be that man blaming the world and the people in it for everything that went wrong. I was literally out of control, paying no attention to the true difference and change I could make by being in control of my thoughts, habits and behaviors. Remember that thoughts shape our habits and the habits shape our behaviors. Behaviors become who you are and what you do. This determines the change you want or don't want. It's up to you Champion.

Stop trying to wait for people to change. Stop trying to wait for the fear to run away from you. Stop trying to get that lucky break. Stop trying to wait for problems to disappear. Every moment, you have the power and undiscovered abilities to create your own changes by changing how you approach every scenario. The most powerful tool you will ever have is your ability to "choose". There is no other creature on this ever changing planet that has your kind of freedom. Freedom to live as you want, but to get that you have to be the change. No excuses. Get to it and work on changing your situation daily! Believe in the Champion in You!

Human Rights day message

Human Rights day message

On 10 December 1948 at a place called Palais de Chaillot in Paris progressive representative of varied nations gathered and resoundingly voted for a very important document for both the body politic and also in socio-economic circles, this document is known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.The UDHR is one of the most pivotal International instruments for upholding human rights and the fundamental freedoms and liberties in national constitutions, Bills of Rights and municipal/domestic laws.

After Zimbabwe progressively noted that living within the boundaries of set rules and laws separates humanity from animals and all other living organisms, and as a result gives men dominance over everything created, on 16 March 2013 the people of Zimbabwe voted for a brand new constitution of Zimbabwe with a comprehensive bill or declaration of rights under chapter 4, which domesticates almost all provisions of the UDHR. All these have been plausible actions on paper and plan, but taking a cursory audit of the intended versus reality, the opposite is absolutely true.

I seek to remind the present and future governments to be truly committed on the implementation and respect of human rights as enshrined in the supreme law of the land, in the best interests of protecting the masses in our society.The status quo and the status quo-ante of the country since independence on 18 April 1980 has been a grave mismatch of desires and what actually is being practiced by the government.There is a bloody history of human rights abuses emanating from the lines of tribe,race, political affiliations and divergent views, this history being a function of an intolerant and notorious government.

Some tribes have been vociferously attacked and human rights crushed by their own government without proper protection of human rights from the government, some races have been attacked over property issues resulting in many families being displaced, some people have been displaced from their homes evidenced by the ongoing shenanigans in Mazowe as I type, thousands have been killed due to racial hate.On the 11th of this same month in the year 2007, we witnessed the brutal attack of opposition leaders including Morgan Tsvangirai, Tendai Biti, Lovemore Madhuku, Arthur Mutambara, Nelson Chamisa and so many valued and progressive Cdes for the simple reason of being advocates of justice and sanity to prevail. The following, year there was a bloody crackdown on opposition supporters which led to the unforgettable June 27 brutal massacre of innocent civilians.

Human rights continue be a sacrosanct and treasonous topic to discuss in our country 36 years after independence.Many opposition activists have been tortured, incarcerated punished and even abducted, burnt alive and have property destroyed and looted.As I type, there are some activists missing, injured and some saving bogus jail sentences, speak of my revered sister Yvonne Musarurwa and team, they are behind bars over politically motivated judgments. I have been barred from enjoying my constitutional rights to demonstrate for 5 years, a judgment that I consider diabolic, wannabe and being an instrument of perpetual repression and continued dictatorship, doing community service everyday from 08:00h to 16:00h everyday, my crime being standing up against injustice. As a mother, how do I look after my children with these conditions?God forbid!!!, this country needs more prayers and more action.

I condemn in the strongest sense the failure by government to come up with an independent, competent and impartial judiciary, and the will to implement constitutional provisions on human and social rights, rights to health, education, clean water and shelter. I condemn the ongoing evictions in Mazowe where more than 100 families are being moved to satisfy the interests of the first family. I however wish to thank many Civic society organizations for the priceless effort the are putting towards the democratization of political spaces, I also would wish to thank Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights fr all their works to defend human rights defenders.

Linda Masarira.
Human Rights Defender

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day 2017 message.

As we commemorate International Women's Day,  let's leverage on the opportunity it presents to have individuals and institutions subscribe to the women's struggle by respecting, promoting, protecting and ensuring progressive realization of women's rights! This should reflect in our daily lives, prior to, during and post the commemoration.

Today we join hands with all the women in the world in celebrating International Women's day. On this day I call upon government, civil society, women organizations, media, individual men, women, girls and boys to unite in addressing the global pandemic of violence against women and girls.

Violence against women is extreme and has manifestations of pervasive discrimination against women. A research recently carried out by Zimbabwe demographics health survey shows that 1 in 3 women is assaulted and coerced into sexual activities.

Hundreds of women are trafficked year in and year out and are sexually exploited. Most victims suffer in silence with little or no access to justice care,or support. In 2016, we worked tirelessly to support and bring back the human trafficking survivors who faced sexual harassment in Kuwait.

As Zimbabweans we can do better to protect women and prevent this pervasive human rights violations.
It is a collective effort to seize the opportunity presented by this Day in collaboration with men to denounce and fight against practices that undermine women's participation in politics and national platforms.

We lobby to explore and institutionalise varied and flexible gender roles on men and women as means of undermining gender stereotypes in political and voluntary organizations and the society.

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira
Zimbabwe Women In Politics Alliance

The loud silence

The loud silence

I can still hear Julius Malema’s voice echoing loud as he reminded him that his time is up. “Fellow South Africans,  we need each other, there is no country that can survive in isolation, we need each other south Africans, let us not kill fellow Africans, let us refuse the artificial borders imposed on us by colonisers that has led to the division of Africa, Africa we are one.” This was at the height of xenophobic attacks that was perpetrated by a bunch of degenerates who have no place in the 21st century.  In those few minutes Malema managed to espouse the core values of an Africa any progressive youth wants. A borderless Africa, where we are united in our diversity!
Almost exactly the same time last year, hapless women, men and children were fleeing for their lives with a band of blood lust savages running behind them armed with all sorts of weapons, their crime, being citizens of another country. Now hold it right there. This is the 21st century and South Africa strikes me as a country with an efficient justice system.  Are we saying that we have failed to resolve any grievances we have improper channels and we are going back to the mfecane era?  Except maybe the khoi-san, who exactly has always been in the country they now reside? We have all migrated from different parts of the country and ended up where we are now for various reasons. I refuse to see the sense in murdering people from other countries on percieved grievances.
Till when as Africans shall we continue playing into the hands of naysayers by being the savages from the Dark Continent they say we are? African civilisation is older than Europe or America but surely our conduct particularly xenophobia puts such assertions to shame.  Such bloodthirsty as displayed by our fellow brothers and sisters throws spanners in the wheels moving towards the Africa we want as young people. Perhaps before we speak about the Africa we want a very brief reminder of what happened prior to 1994. What stance was taken by African countries like Zimbabwe and Nigeria as far as apartheid going on in South Africa was concerned? They condemned it in the strongest terms and assisted fellow brothers and sisters to fight it! When the great Chris Hani was assassinated, wasn’t it Harare, Zimbabwe he had been offered refuge?  Are we so gripped by amnesia that we forget what happened barely two decades ago?
And in all this chaos and pandemonium, burnings, stabbings, stoning where is the South African government? Of course it has its head firmly stuck in the sand. Its silence is so loud that it can be heard across the world. It’s as if the problem is nonexistent to them, which makes one wonder whether they too have the same amnesia as the actual murderers prowling the street. Isn’t it Bishop Tutu who said “if you are neutral in situations of injustice you are siding with the oppressor, if an elephant has its foot on the tail of a tortoise and you are silent, the mouse will not appreciate your silence.”?  As far as the vision of the Africa we want as young people is concerned, they are doing nothing.  So, what exactly are they busy doing that they cannot address the evil of xenophobia.
There is a Ghananian proverb which says, “The shea butter that laughs at the salt mound during a heavy downpour, should not forget that with morning will come the burning sun.” All the people of different nations in South Africa did not leave their homes out of choice, they fled from different situations, just as Chris Hani, Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo did during the Apartheid era. The dismal failure by the South African government to reign in the people killing other Africans will go down in history as a colossal failure by a government, which no one really knows what it is doing apart from facilitating building of amphitheatres and fire emergency swimming pools.  The Africa we want as young people has no room for violence of any kind, tribalism or any form of discrimination. Africa we are one, a single finger can be broken but a fist is invincible. Africans we need each other, and together the Africa we want is a reality!

By Linda Tsungirirai Masarira

Open letter to President Mugabe

Dear President Mugabe

I write this letter to you at a time when my whole body is in pain after being mercilessly brutalised by riot police yesterday (25/02/2017). The reason being that I had chosen to break the silence on the unhealthy state of our healthcare facilities in the country. Yet as a responsible citizen I have the right to call you and all other elected leaders to book and demand accountability.

My message and that of the rest of the population is plain and simple. We only demand good governance, we demand employment, we demand sound policies that guarantee opportunities for everyone regardless of political affiliations, we demand to be free. We desire to be able to express ourselves and not be in hospitals afterwards. Most importantly we want a President who can be awake  long enough to be able to hear our grievances and address them.

I write to you  Mr President in the hope that as someone who once fought for freedom (or claim) to have done so,  you will understand that my cause and that of other activists is justified and that we will not be broken down or cowed but we're determined to continue in the struggle for a better and real democratic society, in which no one will be beaten up, arrested or killed for holding divergent views.

If I may ask,  Do you think you truly liberated the people yet they remain in fear and you terrorise those of us who can't fold hands as you and your regime reverse every gain of the liberation struggle and now force us to embark on another revolution?  Don't you ever think that your use of force has made you to appear more like Ian Smith?  Do you think your stranglehold on power is beneficial to us when all the youths have turned to drugs and stress now kills more than any other disease.

VaMugabe taneta ini hangu ndanzwa mandinyanyira. Please give me a break from your repression machinery that constantly endangers and threatens my life. I have the right to be free from torture and abuse, freedom of expression and right to life. For if there's one thing that is certain as the rising of the sun is that I will as a young woman continue to rise in protest against an unjust colonial system coloured Black. I will remain resolute in fighting for a better Zimbabwe for my children and I'm encouraged by the more young people who are taking up the fight.  And even if I'm killed by your Gestapo just know my bones will rise and fight again.

Lastly President Mugabe if you are tired just let go of power it's bad for you to stand in the path of progress simply because you formed ZANU PF if that's the case we will bury you with it.  Zimbabwe is the land of my forefathers and noone including you whether war veteran or not, can or should stop me from exercising my constitutional rights.

Wake up President

Yours in tears
Linda Tsungirirai Masarira

My political journey

#21daysofactivism: day 13 Constitutionalism

Day 13: Constitutionalism

At present my fellow Zimbabweans, we have a serious crisis, we are confronted with a situation that requires urgent address for the sake of our nation and its citizens. We are seriously facing a cultism complex that has presided over decades of plunder and virtual lawlessness and is the direct source of a whole series of exceedingly serious and grave subversions of democratic principles in our country, they are perverting principles which guided the first and second Chimurengas, principles which guided our own liberation war heroes.

Comrades, we must abolish the cult of individuals decisively, once and for all; we must draw proper conclusions on what we need and what we are as a nation concerning ideological, theoretical and practical work, it is necessary for this purpose. As Zimbabweans, we have one history, one background, share literary the same ancestry but we lack a common goal and vision or dream for our great nation to the extent of letting an individual do the dreaming for us, the vision formulation and identify his own sinister goals which will then be euphemized as a national agenda.

Firstly, in our own African and Zimbabwean manner, we should condemn and eradicate the culture of cults and unconstitutionalism as they have long proven to be alien to sufferings of the masses as they most of the time facilitate those sufferings in bids to control power and establish their personalities more. In as far as it is cult maintenance they will not stop at anything as suddenly the welfare of the masses and development of the nation becomes trivial.

Moreover, they are so out of touch with basic tenets of democracy as they have proven to be unconstitutional, intolerant, violent and are bigots who are totally ignorant of proper government administration thus making them mostly resort to their default nature (lootocracy/plunder/unconstitutionalism) most of the time to maintain their cults…and we should fight tirelessly all attempts at bringing establishing again this practice in one form or another.

Hero-worshipping and cultism are what indeed are killing Zimbabwe for they undermine any attempt to sanity as they tend to overshadow the law and other relevant institutions that if not corrupted will lead to the proper running of our nation.

In Zimbabwe, we are a constitutional democracy but strongmen have twisted everything and now their wish and will is the constitution, government administrators who obviously subscribe to these cults are now using rogue legislations and unconventional methods, to satisfy the will of the cults be it diversions of public money or grand thefts to channel monies for activities that ensure the continual reign of and survival of a cult, they deprive and enslave the masses of basic rights of association, freedom of expression ,freedom of conscience , etc in operations they call enforcing the law – University act, Ordinance 30,AIPPA,POSA,Law and Order section etc are and/or were all rogue elements meant to ensure the continuity of cults and satisfying the will of the most high-persona of the cult.
Due to cults, our nation is now a police state which bars freedom to its citizens, institutions like police and army, instead of ensuring peace and order, are now denying citizens their constitutional entitlements, then wobva washaya kuti chakakosha chii POSA and AIPPA kana welfare yevanhu,wobva watoshaya kuti zvirikumbofamba sei.

Instead of ensuring our freedom, constitutions are now abused to enslave the ordinary citizens and violate their constitutional rights. This is done through devious amendments, enactment of rogue acts and sections that guarantee our freedom are countered by more amendments in such a manner that these political gods will have total power and are left unchecked.

From Gukurahundi genocide to the willowgate scandal, court contempt by political figures, political murders and illegal detention and abduction of human rights and activists, general victimization of student leaders and activists, more plunder and looting of state resources, demolition of houses, total subversion of the masses will, killing thousands in political violence during elections. Uconstitutionalism perpetuated through heinous acts of omission and commission that resulted in the economic meltdown, manifestation of pathetic thirteenth century diseases(typhoid and cholera), salarygate, looting of diamonds, and insane public officials', earnings; all this happened in a state that has established laws, a fully functional police institution, a whole functional judicial system and a whole government with very weak institutions and strongmen/cults that disregard the law and get their will to be the law thus perpetuating unconstitutionalism.

The government and state parastatals are filled with highly ignorant and incompetent stooges and bootlickers who subscribe to a cult. Some of them are comrades who at some point were, after tests, declared more than 70% disabled by the war and acquired thousands of dollars compensation but nevertheless, because they know best the art of psychophantism and power retention, they are still in charge of key government departments they don’t have an idea of what should be done to improve our nation and are milking millions through
graft and corruption. How they survive both from the law and keep themselves in powerboat can only be explained in one word, 'unconstitutionalism '.

Strongmen and political cults have long proven to be nothing but just bywords for unreprimanded corruption, terror, plunder and grand thefts of national resources, murder, unconstitutionalism, for it exactly are these traits that sustain them. That’s why no one gets jailed for corruption in Zimbabwe, you have full protection as long as you were doing it for the cult. The cult will make sure that you will never get even charged by the courts(which are weak institutions compared to cults), but meanwhile the masses who dare complain are charged for the most trivial of suspicions of having an intention to complain, section 37(1) is there in our criminal code for this and other similar reasons.

During these #21daysofactivism campaign, at least 500 innocent citizens have court cases to answer to after getting arrested on the grounds of violating rogue and illegal statutes like the Public Order and Security Act(POSA)and Access to Information and Privacy Act which are in direct confrontation with the right to freedom of conscience access to information, communication and assembly which are guaranteed in sections 60, 61, 62, 63,64,65,66,67,68,69 and mainly the declaration of rights. As we speak now, Pastor Patrick Mugadza has now clocked one month locked up in Harare Central Remand Prison on the bases of clearly unconstitutional charges. This in essence in essence clearly illustrates how unconstitutionalism is celebrated and the main instrument of governance in our beloved Zimbabwe.

Due to lack of constitutionalism, basic socio-economic rights are now being overlooked and not delivered by the government to its citizens. Basic and inalienable rights and social services like the right to education, right to Healthcare, right to shelter among others state obligations to its people are no longer being met. This is a clear sabotage not only to the contemporary generation but also to the future generations.

As citizens of Zimbabwe, we however are very much concerned about the government and state leadership's proven lack of political will not to only honor the constitution but to also implement this Supreme law to the benefit of the general citizens. Thus today, as part of the #21daysofactivism campaign, we are demanding that the head of state and government address this issue of constitutionalism which happens to be his number one duty as the president of the nation.

We are deeply concerned by the complacency of the ministry of justice alongside law enforcement institutions like the Zimbabwe Republic Police to be torch bearers of constitutionalism in their operations. It is however with regrets that lame reasons like lack of resources are always cited when we raise issues to do with constitutionalism. Dear President, as bona-fide citizens of this country with full rights we are demanding that you channel the millions wasted annually in celebration of your personality cult be channeled towards building the spirit of constitutionalism in your government and state institutions. It really does not make sense for you to prioritize and organise grand events of praise to feed your selfish  egos when the people are suffering.

We are well aware that these unconstitutional cults are a very small but united minority compared to the good willed but divided masses of Zimbabwe and this exactly is what gives them the edge to manipulate us all the time. It is at this time that when the retrogressive forces have united to do evil that we should coalition as good willed citizens to stop them from further harming us.

We are very much aware that unconstitutionalism is what is killing development and progress in Zimbabwe in particular, and Africa in general. Thus today we are campaigning for strong institutions not personalities who abuse state power for selfish agendas and end up perpetuating unconstitutionalism. During this #21daysofactivism campaign we are striving strong constitutional institutions containing constitutional elements unsubscribing to personalities will result in very reduced or no corruption, a principled government loved and backed by a patriotic people, constitutionalism, and strong anti-corruption institutions will result in minimal corruption and abuse of state power at the detriment of the citizens of our nation.

#21daysofactivism

Day 2 #21daysofactivism

Day 2 #21daysofactivism we focus on media and freedom of expression. It is rather unfortunate that Zanu pf has captured the judicial system and constitutional rights are violated by custodians of the law.

Pastor Patrick Mugadza was denied bail for freely expressing himself. The courts cited that if released he would go and commit a similar offence (freedom of expression).

Pastor Evan Mawarire is in police custody after being arrested yesterday evening at Harare International Airport and charges preferred against him are a result of Freedom of expression.

Itayi Dzamara was abducted and still missing because he freely expressed himself.

Today we call upon the government to respect and observe fundamental human  rights as Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to observe section 61 of Zimbabwe’s constitution which allows freedom of expression.

We are demanding the immediate release of our Pastors Evan Mawarire and Patrick Mugadza who are being victimized for speaking out against the government.

#freepastorE
#freepastormugadza
#aninjurytooneisaninjurytoall
#21daysofactivism

Day 1 #21daysofactivism

🇿🇼 #21daysofactivism

Day 1 Vendors

Today is the first day of #21daysofactivism which is going to run from 1 February 2017 to 21 February 2017, the day when President Mugabe is going to have his $2 Million 93rd birthday bash.

As we commence our 21 Days of activism  with focus on vendors, we call upon the government of Zimbabwe to seriously consider the widespread plight of millions of unemployed people who have found the informal sector to be their only source of livelihood.

We call upon the government to look at the following issues:

*Provision of alternative source of income than to chase vendors out of the streets, where are the 2 million jobs promised?

*Give vendors land, they also deserve farming land, we say no to monopolization of land to only ZANU PF supporters. ZANU PF is not Zimbabwe.

*Provide vendors with malls with adequate ablution facilities and located at convinient locations.

*Empower vendors as pledged under ZimAsset

*Stop confiscating vendors wares.

*Government must consider the plight of women who have been widowed,  those with husbands who are unemployed and their only source of living is vending.

*Formulation of policies that protect the informal sector/economy.

We collectively say no to a $2million birthday bash for only one individual at the expense of suffering Zimbabwean masses‼

#notoselfishcelebrations
#21daysofactivism

Linda T Masarira