3 arrested as WOZA commemorates launch of the People’s Charter

By Tererai Karimakwenda
11 December, 2007

Members from Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise, on Tuesday conducted a peaceful protest to end their 16 Days of Activism Against Violence and Torture and to commemorate the launching of their Peoples Charter at Parliament a year ago. According to WOZA coordinator Magodonga Mahlangu, about 250 men and women turned up for the demonstration in Harare but they were blocked from reaching the parliament building by riot police.

She said the officers were a bit more restrained this time and they simply ordered the group to disperse. But as the activists chanted slogans in Nelson Mandela Avenue, police confiscated their placards and arrested 3 women who were bystanders. Lawyers Alex Muchadehama and Tafadzwa Mugabe were denied access to the arrested women, but it was later established that two of them were Crisis Coalition officials Gladys Hlatywayo and Maria Mache. The third woman has still not been identified. The three are being held at Harare Central.

The WOZA coordinator said their protest was also intended to send a message to South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki and the negotiating ZANU-PF and MDC parties, that any deal that will come out of the mediated talks should address bread and butter issues, otherwise it is meaningless.

Mahlangu said: “We want to say to Thabo Mbeki if their agreement does not deal with bread and butter issues they have just wasted their time and resources. It’s not about elections only. Elections have come and gone and nothing has changed. There is no health delivery service, there is no education, there is nothing.”

Mahlangu also said that police were asking their members if they had seen her or Jenni Williams, the other coordinator, as the group dispersed. This puzzled her since the two coordinators had spoken to the police when they blocked the group from getting close to the parliament building. Mahlangu said she is concerned that they may want to harm the two WOZA leaders privately, while publicly putting on a restrained front.

Mahlangu was released from police cells in Mutare on Saturday along with WOZA member Clara Majengwa. The two had refused to pay admission of guilt of fines after they were arrested during a protest in Mutare last Thursday. Mahlangu said the police finally realised they would not admit to wrongdoing when they were innocent, and they were released on bail until 21st December.