Voices of the Land: Protecting our heritage

02 September 2020

For Urgent Release

Response on Land Reform Reversal

The land Question is the most important issue that caused our ancestors to engage in the first chimurenga, the second chimurenga was fought on the same issue of the land Question. The government is trying to gain favor from the western world by reversing the land reform, they are betraying and spitting on those who sacrificed their lives to regain our land back. Our leadership failed to play their part in educating the new farmers that farming is a business, they failed to have a close monitoring and evaluation system to motivate new farmers to produce and feed the nation. GMB at some point failed to pay farmers for the grains they had delivered, that created some negative minds in the new farmers. 

Our government failed to have proper follow up mechanisms of all inputs that they distributed to new farmers neither did they audit the inputs. There were no proper frameworks to monitor if inputs being distributed were being put to correct use, farming fuel was sold on black market, and fertilizer was being sold and taken to Zambia and Malawi. All that happened under the same leadership that wants to do a land reform reversal today.

The proposed land form reversal by government is a reversal of the gains of the independence struggle. We believe that government is being unfair to native Zimbabweans who were displaced to region 5 areas by the same people who are being compensated today. Our grandmothers and grandfathers were removed from arable to hot, unproductive land yet our own government has never even discussed on how they were going to be compensated. 

I beg you all to revisit the main objectives of the 2nd Chimurenga and the main sticking points agreed upon at the Lancaster House Conference. "Our Land, our heritage" is not a joke, even if we are under-utilizing it. Issues of this nature take time, which when done right will allow for true commercial farmers to arise from the current stock of resettled farmers or the next generation. Those who say this isn't a reversal please give us the appropriate wording which corresponds to a reversal and differentiate from the ones we have. This is pure reversal. If the land reform was done properly from the start we wouldn't be witnessing all these problems. Land should have been given to those who have the capacity and knowledge to utilize it. This didn't happen, land was given on basis of political affiliation and what we got as a result is chaos cronyism, resettled farmers were set up to fail without access to finance. Populist strategies are rarely well thought out but this is probably the only country where if you go into business you pretty much pay everything out of pocket another way of seeing it is, where are the financial institutions? 

Even though the distribution of land was of poor methodology, we must remember that land as an economic tool is different from land as a tool for empowerment. ARDA could have been utilized properly (not for useless Ethanol production) then the remainder given to people for heritage. The same people who are being accused of under utilizing it will one day give rise to true commercial farmers, if they are supported by government. These people also faced the challenge of non-existent support for their farming activities especially considering market for their produce especially maize and distribution channels. Had these things been tin place: financing, distribution, pricing, marketing; and then the farming business would be thriving by now, sadly bad politics was and has always been in the way. Command agriculture would delay releasing outputs then many farmers would drop out from the farming season but you'd still find US$3Bil being claimed to have been availed towards the project.

This is subterfuge to the 2nd Chimurenga; Josiah Magama Tongogara, Joshua Nkomo, Hebert Chitepo, and all fallen heroes. Land was supposed to be returned to land owners in 1980. People took it by force in 2000 even though they were not the rightful owners (as in originally displaced from there). It didn't really matter as it was a chance and we could have rectified it. This move now negates any attempt to redistribute the land equitably to the children of Zimbabwe. It creates a web of legalities that makes it difficult to reverse. These white farmers will own rights to that land while most of us are limited to salary jobs, which will never create wealth! They are Zimbabwean by virtue of a legal system they brought with them, within borders they created to confine us and govern us. What of our ancestors? What would their system of governance say is the lawful thing to do? Before colonization, we had our own legal system. What does it say with regards to land ownership and the white settlers?!

Hiding behind section 295 of the constitution of Zimbabwe is the biggest betrayal to Zimbabweans who were forced to vote YES for the new constitution by both MDC and Zanupf yet they had not even read the draft and its contents? 

Large pieces of underutilized land could have been identified and allocated to capable and willing indigenous citizens, without disturbing those who were already economic players.

As Labour Economists and Afrikan Democrats we do hereby question the Minister of Agriculture what the justification of giving back land to white farmers yet in Zimbabwe when we have learned colleagues in the agricultural sector. Why not give our own black people with an agricultural background a chance to utilize those farms? Land belongs to the people so why should we sell it to them if they already own it? Make laws that push for productivity. Create an environment that encourages production. Not a system where people get paid for their maize a year later.

 The redistribution was not meant to destroy but our government destroyed through poor policy and a lack of support structures. Had there been proper support including extension workers who were well equipped then Zimbabwe’s agriculture would have suffered for only a few seasons. Talking of grid network of water supply to all farm land and improved dam networks for water management then we would have had more than 80% of arable land in Zimbabwe under irrigation by now and not discussing drought years and poor harvest. With financing, only serious farmers would have remained in the fields. To say whites should have retained land at the expense of a number of us is taking land for granted. If you own a property definitely someone else cannot be justified to take it from you because they can run it better than you. Land belonged to us the blacks (and still does), simple as that. We want better livelihoods, that's a fact and the two must not be confused! Wanting a better life should not strip me off my heritage and my land. As LEAD we’re very worried as to why the government is rushing to return land to the former white farmers before they publish the land auditor's report. Why are they running away from solving multiple farm ownership?

Zimbabwe is not the first country to embark on this land reform process; Brazil did it, Cuba did it and also Venezuela did it. Sanctions will never be removed because of reversing the land reform program! It's our duty as citizens to demand that accountability. Only a fool can condemn themselves to infinity and so we must acknowledge failure and thrive to improve.

Mambokadzi Linda Tsungirirai WekwaMasarira

LEAD President

LEAD on food production and self sufficiency

Labour Economists and Afrikan Democrats is of the view that citizens need to realize that they should take the initiative to produce for their basic needs by using the resources (land, seeds, fruits, plants, minerals, labor and water) that we have naturally as denizens of this beautiful country. In this regard we urge our government and private players in the agriculture sector to invest in: 

• organic seeds that can be reused and selectively bred without losing efficacy. 

• solar energy if possible 

• organic fertilizer and composts, 

• tools and machinery 

• water sources through investing in boreholes or water harvesting. 

• stones to build shelter 

• tree planning 

As social democrats believing in Pan Africanism we believe this will go a long way towards production food thereby ensuring food security and the reduction of the hunger. 

Our people have always been food self sufficient but urban migration, dependency on aid, the 

cost of seeds and inputs are affecting food production, which is why our drive is to make 

production, self sufficiency and farming sexy again. Many studies are saying that by 2030, Africa will have billionaires from the agriculture sector and our nation should prepare for this by, getting everyone to learn how to produce from the land. The food that people produce must be wholesome, nutritious, healthy and healing for the body. 

Food should become our doctor and pharmacy through it being organic and free from 

synthetics, to foster a healthy population and to reduce healthcare costs. 

 

It is one of our major aims as a political party to ensure that Zimbabwe reduces her reliance on importing food by substituting imported foods with healthier, fresh whole foods that our ancestors grew an empire on. We also believe that our traditional crops are less susceptible to hybridization, people still have the seeds, they are more suited to the soil and rain patterns of our region, to mitigate climate change and the cost of production. 

 

As a nation, we really have to break our dependency on western bio-tech companies and products 

(seeds, fertilizers and pesticides) through policy, change in farming practices, building our own 

organic agricultural companies and going back to traditional farming methods. We believe that biotechnology or industrial farming methods are a national security threat to 

the country and Africa. This is so because Americans have been using biotechnology as a market capture penetration strategy developed at Harvard in the 1950s, to drive their $127billion biotech revenue, through fostering dependency on American biotech companies and food. 

Biological Weapon 

More critically it was not just designed as a means of business but as a biological weapon that 

Americans are planning to use to colonize and dominate the world through food control, by 

making nations dependent on hybrids with genetic use restriction technology (GURT) that 

eliminate organic natural reproductive seeds. The other method is through genetically modified foods that can be genetically programmed with ethnic targeting RNA disrupting technology, to eliminate specific ethnic groups. Most of these GMOs also have Genetic Use Restriction Termination Technology (GURT) that makes their seeds unable to reproduce and this can be transmitted to organic seeds through drift and cross pollination. This is why Russia has banned American GMOs in their country. 

Mambokadzi Linda Tsungirirai Masarira

LEAD President

#ZimbabweAt40 reflections

I am inspired by knowing that if I sacrifice for a cause and focus on changing mindsets, Zimbabwe might be a better place for all Zimbabweans. The future of Zimbabwe is in our hands. 2016 saw the rise of social movements which shook the Zanu pf regime and led to the hijacking of the peoples movement. 

Eventually Zimbabwe managed to remove Mugabe from power. All activists, opposition parties, the ruling party and people all over Zimbabwe united to remove Mugabe from power and took to the streets wherever they were all over Zimbabwe. Yet it seems we fought against the individual Mugbe but not the system that can re-birth even worse.

Today, why are we failing to unite to fight against corruption, poverty and neocolonialism? We are failing because most people are greedy, selfish, egocentric and power hungry. We have more that unites us than to fight personality battles. If political leaders do not want to unite for a cause, I am urging Zimbabweans to find each other and stop being used by political leaders to fight their own egocentric power struggles.

It is time that we focus on rebuilding Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has failed to develop and transform in 40 years whilst China became an economic powerhouse in the past 40 years. We can make Zimbabwe a trillion dollar nation in a few decades, if we all focus on a Zimbabwe Development Agenda.

Bad politics has failed Zimbabweans. We need a paradigm shift of mindset to move from fixating ourselves with politics and propaganda to being more involved in growing Zimbabwe's economy, creating wealth and equitable distribution of resources. 

In the struggle that we have,  are we not the change that we are looking for? Are we not the change that we are looking for? No one is coming to save us. We only have ourselves to move Zimbabwe forward and save Zimbabwe.

Let us stop the antagonism and join #ZimbabweAt40 movement which will unite Zimbabweans in their diversity and push development first before politics. 

When we are united for development, we can surely make Zimbabwe great again. If we have unity of purpose, we can surely overcome corruption in our country.

Rome was not built in a day and neither will we get the results we desire overnight. The struggle is real and for us to achieve the results we desire, we have to persevere,  be tolerant with other,  patient, respect each other, have love for one another and stand up for each other.

We should simply sanitize our politics and work as a nation towards creating a conducive economic environment for growth and development. Our way out and forward is our natural resources and human capital

If our president calls for a national emergency that clamps down on wasteful expenditure, pointless imports of Bugattis and luxuries, punishing currency trading and corruption, if the national emergency forces people to use forex only for production, we can prosper our nation.

I sincerely hope that my fellow countrymen will use the time that we have during the lockdown to come up with development strategies to move Zimbabwe forward.

#TogetherWeCan make Zimbabwe great again!

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira 

LEAD President

LEAD response to Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube press statement yesterday

I am speaking to you today against a background of recent speech by the the Finance Minister Honorable Mthuli Ncube. In his opening remarks the minister admitted to the existence of “exchange rate volatility, which has translated into unsustainable levels of inflation.”  He went on to say that “government is taking measures to stabilise the exchange rate and to bring down inflation to sustainable levels in order to achieve macro-economic stability.”

According to him “Macro-economic stability is an essential component of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme, critical for economic growth and the achievement of the goals set out in H.E.’s Vision 2030.  As is characteristic of this Government the decision to implement a holistic package of key policy measures is just a mere lip service meant to entertain the international community while at the same time keeping the general Zimbabwean populace hopeful. Mthuli should be told that stating the obvious is not good economics but just cheap political propaganda. Wishing the disappearance of the parallel market is a good thing but is not what is expected of a government minister. We want the minister to lead rather than simply react to economic fundamentals. Mthuli should be told that he is a minister of government and not a minister of religion. He should not lead the country with prophetic utterances but with deliberate economic planning.

Since the finance minister took office Zimbabwe has been kept on its toes with high expectations that something in the region of sound economics will come up and save the nation. However, what the Minister has managed to serve at our table is what can be best described as groping economics. As the famous saying goes, “a fruit does not fall far from the tree”. The Mthulian kind of economic policies are a mirror image of the Mnagagwean trial and error politics. The truth is that as we blindly grope in the dark led by a team of political and economic pretenders we will continue kicking pricks. It is clear that existing economic policies as pursued by minister Mthuli are unable either to explain the causes of the severe economic collapse or to provide an adequate public solution to jump-start production and employment. 

Prudence demands that if the Mnangagwa regime realizes that they have hit an imagination drought they should enlist our help. As LEAD we are more than able to spearhead a revolution in economic thinking that will overturn the prevailing Mthulian idea that free markets will automatically provide economic stability. It is unfortunate for Mthuli to think and mislead the Zimbabwean public with the illusion that economic stability will dawn on us by pursuing a laissez faire economic approach. The main plank of the LEAD economic approach (taking after Keynes) instead asserts that aggregate demand—measured as the sum of spending by households, businesses, and the government—is the most important driving force in an economy. We believe that free markets have no self-balancing mechanisms that lead to economic growth and development. 

As LEAD we propose government intervention through public policies that aim to achieve full employment and price stability. We believe that private sector decisions sometimes lead to inefficient macroeconomic outcomes and therefore advocate for active policy responses by the public sector, including monetary policy actions by the central bank and fiscal policy actions by the government to stabilize output over the business cycle. 

Our blunt but worthy advice to the Mnangagwa regime is that they should abandon fumbling economics. It failed during the Mugabe era. It keeps failing throughout Afrika and the third world. It is definitely bound to fail under the supervision of both Mthuli and Mnangagwa. Thriving black market cannot be blown away by high sounding bookish government pronouncements.  The only way out is a deliberate effort to create employment and regulate the conduct of industry and the banking sector. Black-market currency trading is easy and profitable business. Its effect is insurmountable. As we are witnessing in Zimbabwe it gives birth to fly by night millionaires. It frustrates sound and sustainable investment and industrial growth and economic development. Its worst impact is that it creates monopoly capitalism and cartels while at the same time plunging the poor deep into poverty. When you see millions of youths wondering up and down the streets doing nothing it is a sign of failing economic policies. When you see government budgeting for food relief and donor funding know that the economic approach has failed. Our people cannot afford the most basics such as sanitary wear yet Mthuli continues to sing a song of imagined hope.

As is hinted herein above, aggregate demand is influenced by many economic decisions—public and private. Private sector decisions can sometimes lead to adverse macroeconomic outcomes, such as reduction in consumer spending as what is obtaining at the moment in our country. These market failures call for active policies by government, such as a fiscal stimulus package. We have the resources as a nation to cause this stimulus. We, as LEAD support and advise government to adopt a mixed economy guided mainly by the private sector but partly operated by the government. The guiding principle in such an approach is redistributive justice. Those that are at a vantage economic position should subsidies government spending and fund the welfare of the poor. Prices and especially wages generally respond slowly to changes in supply and demand, resulting in periodic shortages and surpluses, especially of labour. A proactive government should be cognizant of this fact and come up with policies that influence the trends in prices and wages. This will make sure that wages are not overtaken by prizes and production keeps ahead of consumption.

 

Our banking systems are primitive. Banks in one country are operating on different packages which shows lack of seriousness in addressing the crisis bedevilling Zimbabwe. About 85% of Zimbabweans languish in poverty and the government must adopt strategies that are conducive to inclusive growth and anchored in inclusive financial intermediation by ensuring ease of access, availability and use of the formal financial system by all members of the economy.

The financial sector is the lifeblood of the national economy, we cant have economic development when the learned professor is playing games with our economy. Zimbabwe doesn't need a currency stabilization  taskforce. This taskforce is a sheer waste of taxpayers funds as we already have a Financial Intelligence Unit. (Economy haigadzirwi nemataskforce).We want to make it clear that as LEAD we will not sit back and watch Minister Mthuli destroying our economy whilst taking Zimbabweans as fools with his unending monetary policies which never yield any positive results towards economic development. We are tired of his semantics and mind games that he is playing with the people of Zimbabwe. 

The transacting public lost faith in our banking sector about 15 years ago. There is no public confidence and Mthuli Ncube continues to erode public confidence in the new dispensation. How do you strengthen the Zimdollar when you are generating electronic money without corresponding exports? Where in the world have you seen a currency called rtgs$? We are in a sorry state were culprits of economic sabotage and destabilization are trying to give solutions of a crisis they created which they fuel everyday. 

The Reserve bank of Zimbabwe should be accountable. Minister Mthuli Ncube should be accountable as well. When he announced the 2020 budget how much money was in his coffers? Governor Mangudya should inform the nation how much rtgs and Zim$ is circulating in Zimbabwe and how much USD we have in our banking system. 

Zimbabwe is the only country which has zipit rates, ecocash rates, swipe rates, bond rate, etc. This madness should stop forthwith. Anywhere in the world I can purchase a car with rtgs and I am not given a rate which is different from a perceived cash rate. Beyond the confusion in our economy us Zimbabweans are also too harsh on each other and we have turned into ruthless capitalists. Without a functional banking sector there will be no economic turnaround. Dr John Mangudya has failed to monitor money, in short he has failed his mandate as Reserve bank Governor. There is no digital trail on rtgs transfers and transactions. We don't have security features to protect depositors from rtgs and cyber crimes. People are losing thousands of dollars on a daily basis yet we have a governor who is incompetent and useless. What Mangudya needs to do is to create international linkage of accounts operated by RBZ and have real time automated deductions and payments of all exporters to curb externalization of money.

The way forward is to prioritize banking sector reforms as a matter of emergency. Regional banks are reluctant to do business with Zimbabwean banks because we dont have standard modern security features in our banking system. Biometrics are very important nowadays. How does the finance minister strengthen our local currency when there is no forex regulation? The so called "floating rates" is just another term to entrench corrupt activities within the banking sector and to cover up the uncouth fiscal indiscipline at the Reserve Bank. 

Banks should have regulations on thejr modus operandi. We cant have banks performing as they please without checks and balances. The challenges we face from the cash shortages means most people rely on swiping and mobile money transactions yet most retail outlets complain of shortage of swipe machines. Banks have an obligation to supply swipe machines and there should be a regulation in place that every shop must have a swipe machine on every teller in the shop.

Failure by Mangudya to govern banks has led to a lot of criminal activities by banks which are also culprits in supplying cash on the black market. ATMs should have cash at any given time and any bank that fails to comply should face stiff penalties. Banks must not oversubscribe and RBZ should do a daily audit of how hard cash is disbursed and used. RBZ should regulate and protect the transcating public from banking malpractices. Creating a conducive environment for investment and protect investors. Business is not making sense because prices are changing daily as forex rates keep fluctuating. 2% retention fee should be scrapped immediately unless employees and businesses can have tax returns every end of our financial year.

We suggest the following banking sector reforms;

1) Depositers security should be strengthened by having proper insurance packages to protect depositors funds 

2) Banks have to create an infrastructure to curb cyber crimes, money laundering, fake rtgs transactions, etc

3) We need to fully digitalize our banking system.

4)Track DHL packages of cash in transit in real time.

There is need to set up the Prudential Zimbabwe regulatory authority... to annexure 1

It is not a crime to admit failure, resign and pave way for other people who have ideas and solutions on practical ways to solve the economic crisis in Zimbabwe. As long as the finance ministry is not designing macroeconomic policies and strategies that encourage full participation of all citizens in the process of economic development and enabling access to financial services there will be no economic growth in Zimbabwe. We expect a serious government to facilitate inclusive, pro-poor growth. Zimbabwe is just not for the political elite, it belongs to every Zimbabwean regardless of social structures. We are going to be a thorn in Minister Mthuli Ncube until he starts serving the interests of Zimbabwe ahead of the interests if his former employer the world bank. 

#TogetherWeCan make Zimbabwe great again, if we all play our roles, hold government to account without fear or favour and desist from participating in corrupt, unethical and uncouth dealings.

I thank you.

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira

LEAD PRESIDENT

International Women’s Day 2020 : "I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”

International Women's Day is a day set aside every year on the 8th of March to celebrate women's achievements in all spheres of life. This year's theme is a clarion call to all women to ensure that they play a participatory role in advocating for gender equality and ensuring the protection of women's rights. There is nothing for women without women and every woman's hands should be on the deck to ensure that all women worldwide are treated as equals.

International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.

In Zimbabwe women continue to be marginalised by structural deformities in our cultural, social, religious and political stereotypes. Women are still viewed as second class citizens which has stifled full realization of women's rights on our country. Contrary to the assertion that we are making improvements in terms of gender equality in public elected offices, 2018 general elections showed a steep decline of women elected into public office compared to 2013 elections.

We are still struggling to attain gender diversity at the workplace and we need to push for gender equality to become a reality. Gender diversity produces real benefits. Several studies have shown that a gender-diverse workplace is good for financial returns, employee engagement,  innovation and reducing turn over. We can only achieve gender parity when women start taking an active role in pushing for constitutionalism and protection of all gender related statutes.

 

Women in Zimbabwe continue to suffer from historical marginalization and structural inequalities that exist in the political, social and economic spheres. Historically, the colonizers made sure that women stayed in the rural areas whilst the men were in towns or mines working and that strengthened the patriarchal system and gender inequalities prescribed by cultural, religious and traditional norms.

The structural deformities in our society have subjected women to societal discrimination whenever they want to participate in politics or challenge anyone masculine in particular in the political arena. In our culture, a proper Zimbabwean woman is expected to be married, submissive, dependant, enduring and hard working. The moment a woman becomes aggressive, independent, ambitious, financially independent and empowered, a lot of tags are attached on her. Most women who have tried to venture into politics have suffered from negative stereotyping, name calling and had their images tarnished by men in politics who feel intimidated by powerful women. The first question any woman seeking to run for public  office in Zimbabwe faces is, "Is she married?" As if marriage is a qualification for leadership.

In religious spheres, men continue to dominate whilst women are expected to submit to church leadership, obey every instruction and are expected to be passive and to serve the church. Biblical verses have often been used as religious barriers to discourage women from plating active roles in politics. Women are accused of defying the natural order in religious teachings. Very few churches have managed to break the barrier of stereotyping women and have embraced women leadership in the church. 

Women also face patriarchal barriers to enter into mainstream politics. In rural areas young girls are married off at a very tender age due to poverty or religious beliefs which automatically disenfranchises them of their right to education and freedom of conscience. Inadequate financial resources to run an election campaign is a major challenge most women. Access to information is also a big challenge as well to grassroot organic women participation in politics as those in rural areas hardly have access to newspapers or radios. About 37% of women in Zimbabwe have no access to media. Young women living in rural areas are further marginalized because of lack of access to information. Greater family responsibilities poses as a big challenge for women to dedicate themselves to political careers. Women spend more time doing unpaid social work.

The formal male dominated economy has shrunk leaving a lot of women vulnerable to poverty pushing most women into the informal sector for survival. Government has not done enough to ensure that there are policies in place which benefit the informal sector and communal sector were most women are located. Fiscal and monetary policies being implemented by the government of Zimbabwe continue to neglect the masses and as long as they fail to have pro-poor and inclusive strategies to deal with economic empowerment of women, feminization of poverty will be further entrenched.

Women in the rural areas have remained economically disenfranchised. Most of them survive on subsistence farming, they have no viable markets and hardly handle any money. Instead of nurturing grassroot and organic leadership for local governance political participation, the rich, well connected and perennial bootlickers always find themselves winning primaries and running as councillors in areas they don't stay. It is important to start empowering grassroot women to stand for themselves and occupy local governance public offices as they are the ones who know what they go through and the solutions thereof.

Having more women in local governance will help in tackling major issues that affect women from poor service delivery, under equipped clinics and council schools including accessibility to clinics in rural areas. The burden of poverty has a heavier weight on a woman and it's high time women start amplifying their own struggle so that they occupy governance positions at every level. Gender based barriers inhibit women from accessing socioeconomic resources. Access to information is limited in regards to economic opportunities especially to women living in rural areas. 

Political violence is the major inhibitor of women participation in politics. Women living with disability had shown keenness to run for public office in 2018 but later withdrew their intentions because of the harassment and polarization. People living with disability should be given preferential treatment and financial support when they aspire to lead and make a difference in the communities. Disability doesn't mean inability and they deserve our support as individuals, political parties and government policies which are inclusive and supportive of their governance aspirations and empowerment.

Young women have raised various opinions on why they shy away from political participation in a number of platforms I have attended. Issues raised include sexual harassment in political parties, were they fail to ascend in the structures if they haven't provided sexual favours, being elbowed out by the older women in the parties, patronage and lack of internal democracy in political parties rank and file. Tenets of good governance are not being applied in Zimbabwe whether at political party level or national governance. Young women are not confident of the leadership in Zimbabwe, they feel marginalized by political leaders who are preoccupied with getting power at all cost or maintaining power without addressing the problems they face in tertiary institutions, political and economic challenges. In student unions young women always have the vice president seat reserved for them and the secretary for gender which clearly shows how patriarchy is deeply entrenched. We are going to be working with young female students to empower them to run for those powerful positions and to lead at every level in our society. It is important for all political parties to have a gender sensitive youth agenda. Instead of being apathetic, I urge young women to actively engage in politics and governance at all levels to influence the change they desire.

The strong man syndrome is very evident in our political culture in Zimbabwe. It is much harder for women to emerge as political leaders in our political terrain which is personality based and not value system based. We need a new culture of doing politics which is inclusive and political structures which will ensure recognition and realization of women's right to participate fully and equally in politics. United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 5 is articulate on the importance of gender equality and inclusion of women.

 

The Constitution of Zimbabwe states that there should be equality of men and women at all levels of society. I have been told plenty of times that advocacy for gender equality is a feminist agenda, which is a false narrative. Gender equality is a constitutional provision which should be adhered to by every Zimbabwean. Women in Zimbabwe constitute 54% yet their matters of importance are not taken seriously at national and local governance levels which is indeed worrisome. Men always argue that there aren't enough qualified women yet most public office positions are taken by mediocre men. 

Womens priorities are different from men's priorities that is why it is critically important to ensure that the constitution is adhered to so that women bring in their values and concepts into politics. Inclusion of women is key to ensure gender parity and diversity as the country is not made up entirely of men. It is only folly to expect men to make decisions on behalf of women who are more than half of the population. Womens issues are human rights issues and can only be dealt with by women or men who understand the quagmire women in Zimbabwe are facing.

Government has failed to influence change in social, religious and cultural attitudes. Women continue to suffer from discrimination yet we have a law in section 56 of the constitution which prohibits discrimination. It is imperative for the gender commission to put a recommendation to the Parliament to enact strict penalties on any individual, political party or institution that violates section 17, 56, 80 and 104 of the constitution of Zimbabwe. The legislators should ensure that election related legislation does not indirectly disadvantage women and to consider legislation for political parties to adopt democratic procedures in compliance with the constitutional provisions in regard to equality. Media should provide gender sensitive coverage of elections, avoiding negative stereotypes and it should also present positive images of women as leaders. Civic society organizations should support women willing to run for public office and provide capacity building and advocate for improved media coverage of Womens issues and women candidates. All political parties should ensure that women and young women are fully represented in all party structures and policy committees.

The academic curriculum

needs an extensive review to incorporate gender mainstreaming, the harmful effects of discrimination against women and to deal with issues of defined gender roles which continue to suppress women in our society. Charity begins at home, we can only change some of these gender perceptions if we start socializing our children in a gender balanced way. If we teach our children equality and to respect each other as equal human beings it will manifest into the next generation. No one is more Zimbabwean than the other. We can only build a better Zimbabwe by appreciating each other in our diversity and imparting knowledge to the grassroots.

In conclusion its time that women from all walks of life, political parties and churches converge and start addressing issues of gender equality, discrimination, abuse, sexual harassment and women empowerment. The ministry of women affairs should also consider allocating land to women so that they can generate their own income. Time and again we hear that Zimbabwe is not producing, how does it produce when women are being denied land and its still being allocated on partisan lines. Every Zimbabwean has a right to land and women in Zimbabwe are hard workers and can do wonders with the vast hectares of land lying idle. The state has an obligation to champion social policies that free women from any form of  injustice. I envision a just Zimbabwe where women as individuals and communities enjoy their freedoms anhd rights through a thriving constitutional democracy.

I am bold for change and am very committed to ensure that gender equality becomes a reality in Zimbabwe. It is time for women to unite in their diversity and emancipate themselves from the clutches of inequality, injustice and violence. Together we can attain a womens revolution. Happy womens day to all the lovely women in Zimbabwe. #Womandla

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira

LEAD President

Happy International Women's Day 2020

To every woman who

🌟breaks barriers

🌟smashes stereotypes

🌟disrupts the system

🌟speaks up for equality

🌟demands justice

🌟fights for human rights,

You inspire us every day.

This day is for you.

LEAD Position on Child labour and exploitation of mineral resources in DRC

This is the first time that tech-industry companies have jointly faced legal action over the source of cobalt which they use to power smartphones, laptops and electric cars. Extraction of cobalt in DRC is a case of gross human rights violations, child labour, corruption, environmental degradation and violation of labour rights. Unfortunately young children as young as 6 years are made to dig for cobalt with primitive tools in dark underground tunnels. More than 60% of the worlds cobalt comes originates from DRC and we expect respect for human rights by all western and eastern multinational companies exploiting mineral resources in DRC.

This is a real test for America in regard to upholding human rights as they appointed themselves the world prefect who monitors every other country under the sun. Apple, google, Dell, Microsoft and Tesla are five of the richest companies in the world producing some of the world's fanciest gadgets which benefit America's economy, American people & America's government through taxes. By virtue of being a country that sanctions other countries for human rights abuses, the judgement of this case will show the true position of America in regard to their sincerity to protect human rights globally. Anyone who own gadgets from these 5 companies is an indirect supporter of child labour and gross human rights violations of Congolese children. I applaud International Rights Advocates for taking the stand to ensure justice for these vulnerable children. It remains to be seen whether America is a champion of justice in the world or an ally of modern day slavery. I hope for justice and the end of child labour and slavery in DRC and Africa as a whole.

The case filed in the US Court appears to be symbolic as it only claims only compensation for children working in Congolese mines. However, mining by these Chinese and Western companies causes considerable health problems and environmental damage and economic deprivation. Forced labour is the order of the day to ensure unjust enrichment. The Congolese are made to work in substandard mining conditions which do not even meet the ISO regulations. There is negligent supervision and intentional infliction of emotional distress. What is truly depressing is the silence of African leaders in the face of modern day slavery in DRC and the continued exploitation of mineral resources in this mineral rich SADC country.

These issues can only be addressed by punishing these five companies to ensure infrastructural development in DRC inline with sustainable development goals. Asking them to play their part in social responsibility is an oxymoron as their interest is just in capitalism and maintaining their wealth  Glencore, other western & chinese companies that are mining cobalt in DRC should build schools that will educate the children that they have been abusing in form of child labour which includes digging for cobalt rocks with primitive tools in dark underground tunnels exposing them to life changing injuries, broken backs and in most cases death from tunnels that collapse. They should build hospitals and compensate all the injuries the congolese  children incurred. The ISO standards are just not for western countries or eastern countries they are standards that should be complied to by every company in the mining industry. There is need to ensure that the cobalt mines comply with world standards in terms of safety and protection of the workers. Anyone who is a victim of labour related injuries should be assisted with all health requirements by the mining companies & the direct beneficiaries of the cobalt which are the 5 tech companies.  Economic deprivation is what has caused child labour in DRC, if these children are empowered and ILO ensures that all mining operations in DRC are not abusing children it will be a step in the right direction to ending child labour.

Africa should speak in one voice in regards to stopping the looting and plundering of Africas resource with no benefit at all for the native Africans. What these companies are doing to children in DRC they would never do to their own children. African children are not lesser human beings. No Chinese or western country will destroy their own resources and Africa can surely stop environmental degradation if we unite and stop the looting by these companies.

The political elite in the DRC has not raised concrete objections against exploitation by Western countries which is a clear sign that they are accomplices in crimes against their own people.

Such a stance remains questionable with regards to the government of DRC. Exploitation elements are very clear but why does it remain a low tone subject? African politics has been characterised by egocentric attitudes and behaviour. The capturing of a few individuals can cause the entire nation to suffer. DRC needs to be clear on such aspects in order to protect issues of national interests. Authorities in DRC should be bold in making sure that DRC is not subjected to exploitation.

The DRC is currently an economic disaster, supposing the case is won what will be the way forward for the children? Is there a plan to handle their economic plight?

American companies are part of the problem yet the case is sent to an American court. Wishing success is just a pipe dream. Can an American court rule against an American economic life line. Or maybe it's just a ploy by Americans to redefine their presence in and economic relations with the DRC.

The DRC has been plagued by devastating wars for many years, which shows that there is a relationship between the wars and the plundering of the country's mineral resources by Western multinational companies.

DRC has been in continuous civil wars and civil unrest due to the the interference by the worlds super powers whose interests are to plunder, exploit the DRC natural resources. DRC is one of the richest countries in copper, diamonds, uranium,tin, tantalum, gold, Colton, Cobalt but the natives are living a miserable life due to political upheavals caused by the Western countries so that they get an opportune time to loot the natural resources under the guise of Peace keeping and reconstruction. Eg Iraq, Libya. 

Natural resource wars are a character of human history not only in the DRC. as with the rest of the world. The West sponsor instability in areas they intend to exploit local resources at no cost. The citizens of those unfortunate who perish or suffer are regarded as collateral damage. It's sad that Congolese perish for their natural resources which they have never enjoyed.

It is tritte to note that these super powers create and sponsor opposition puppet parties so as to create political conflict which eventually degenerates into upheavals or civil wars. They don't do this where there no economic benefit. In other words they apply cost benefit analysis before they engage in interference of internal affairs of sovereign countries They are doing it as well in  Zimbabwe. They did in it Rwanda which culminated into the famous Rwandan genocide.

With 18,000 troops, the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Congo is the largest in the world, and it has been in Congo for 20 years without restoring peace. The contentious question would be, "Why has the UN failed to restore peace in the DRC despite such a massive presence?"

The Objective of the presence of the UN peace keeping mission in the DRC is not to bring about peace in the DRC but to bring peace in the areas where resources are being extracted. They are there to guarantee maximum yield of the exploitation. Besides the said UN forces are paid by the loot from the DRC.

Soldiers may only use force in self defense or when helping to evacuate foreigners thereby fully incapacitating the soldiers in a real peacekeeping mission. This solely means that they're deployed to simply guarantee safety of foreigners and themselves not to do away with war.

This year marks the 59th anniversary of the assassination of Patrice Lumumba by the CIA. He was eliminated so that the wests agenda of  renewed plundering of post-Independence Congo would be successful.

Lumumba was removed for refusing to play ball. Mobutu was a better partner in Western terms. He was greedy and corruptible. He was easy to manipulate and control. Once the corruption virus had been deployed in the DRC politics it was easy to sustain.

Patrice Emery Lumumba's assassination can be likened to the overthrow Salvador Allende of Chile by the very same CIA. In the case of Chile Allende believed that Chile's resources were supposed to benefit Chile's citizens opposing the CIA & corporate world's perception dat American companies must be given contracts to go exploit the country's resources just like Lumumba believed in the same about the Congolese. In Chile Allende was replaced by General Pinochet a puppet friend of the Corporate World & CIA to enable looting.

It is time that Africa unites and protect its minerals from the imperialists. Africa has been digressing in terms of development over the past three decades which is a real cause of concern for the next generation. What will it take for us to realize that we are one people who should protect our sovereignty as African people? The artificial borders that the colonialists put in Africa do not define who we are and we have no business getting into bed with the west and east who do not care about our children and future generations to come. Africa does not need aid from any country outside Africa. Wake up Africa and take charge of your destiny. 

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira 

LEAD President