WOZA Assembly resolves to continue protests & to create male wing

By Tererai Karimakwenda
16 August 2006

The Women Of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) held their annual assembly last weekend at a secret location in Matabeleland. Those who attended are now finally back home and we were able to find out what the women resolved this year. Veteran WOZA coordinator Jenni Williams told us that all 312 delegates made it to the rural location without any serious problems at the roadblocks. She said about 25 men and nearly a dozen civic society partners joined them for the assembly which they call “Sheroes”.

Jenni Williams told us they elected 18 leaders and added a male to their leadership team. She explained that more men have been coming forward and joining them in their street protests and in the training programmes so they felt there was enough of a core group to form MOZA, Men of Zimbabwe Arise. She hopes the men will march alongside the women as they continue their street protests in the coming year. The new position of Rural Outreach Coordinator was also added.

Jenni said they plan to tackle the issue of the recent currency conversions announced by the Reserve Bank as Operation Sunrise. She described it as just another meaningless programme that is abusing the rights of women and without any benefit to the nation. She said no women should have to open their handbags for a male police officer. None of the women who traveled to the Assembly had any serious problems at roadblocks. Jenni said WOZA women have a very good understanding of their rights and they also used their usual creative ways to get around.

The WOZA women resolved to continue their Valentine’s Day campaign despite having been arrested for giving out roses this year. They will also continue to demonstrate against unaffordable school fees and the high cost of goods and services.

Asked whether the women would join the broad alliance that was organized by leaders of the Christian Alliance Jenni said the Alliance officials introduced themselves at the assembly and explained the programme they are working on. But she said WOZA is still slightly hesitant to join any coalition that has political elements and cannot do so without a mandate from their members. She explained that they guard their space very seriously but they are open to watching how the broad alliance will progress and then revisit the issue.