WOZA women arrested as they take protests to schools

By Violet Gonda
23 May 2006

The pressure group Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) have embarked on an anti fee-hike campaign targeting individual schools. Programme Co-ordinator Jenni Williams said at least 600 members took part in WOZA’S education campaign Tuesday in seven areas across Harare and Bulawayo. The peaceful protests targeted government and council schools which have continued to turn away children for non-payment of fees. But as usual the police intervened and arrested five women as they dispersed from Mtshede Primary. They are currently being held at Njube Police Station in Bulawayo.

According to Williams, the Minister responded by saying that he was not responsible and apportioned the blame on headmasters. But she responded, “We don’t believe it for one minute and we don’t even believe Robert Mugabe when he was electioneering in Budiriro, that he really believed the school fees were unrealistic, because it’s the government that increased these fees.”

The members of WOZA have resolved to take the education lobby to all levels, including government ministries and to also pressure headmasters to allow children their right to education.

Last week, WOZA members delivered a message to schools across Bulawayo and Harare. The message read in part;

“Last week WOZA conducted peaceful demonstrations against school fee increases. 73 children and 112 parents were arrested. We spent 5 days in filthy police cells. We did not do this for nothing - we did it to defend our children’s right to education! We will NOT remain SILENT. We will not sit back and watch you sending our innocent children home. WE WILL ACT! Chigwedere said Headmasters are responsible. So Headmasters, this letter is a peaceful word of advice from WOZA. Help us educate our children don’t frustrate our efforts.”

Tuesday saw seven of the school that had ignored these requests being targeted for the community-based protests. When asked about the protests Jenni Williams said, “The atmosphere was incredible. And what was even more heartbreaking as we marched was that we were seeing a lot of children who - were actually themselves - had just been chased from school and they actually joined the demonstration.”

In Bulawayo members sang: “Into yemfundo sifuna ukuyibhoboza” (we want to expose this issue of education). In Harare as they marched they sang in Shona, “Schools are expensive and unaffordable”.

In Chitungwiza demonstrations took place at Fungisai Government school, Farai Council and two Seke High Schools. Over 200 women were involved.

In Harare hundreds of Woza members are said to have protested at Glenview 7 Primary, Glenview High Council, Dzivarasekwa High and Fundo Primary Schools.

In Bulawayo over 150 members visited Ngubo Primary, 80 members went to Mtshede Primary School and Mahlabezulu Primary School also had a visit by 80 members.

At some of the schools like Fundo in Harare and Mahlabezulu in Bulawayo, headmasters told the protesters that they were not to blame for school fee hikes and that parents should speak to the School Development Associations (SDA).

Meanwhile the group also reports that two people including a Pastor were arrested in Mutare Tuesday morning in connection with a WOZA meeting conducted last Saturday 20 May.

Williams said this had been the first meeting conducted in the Eastern border town by the pressure group. The purpose of the meeting had been to conduct a social justice consultation with the people of Mutare and mobilise them to demand social justice for Zimbabweans.

Despite the arrests the pressure group say it intends to give this issue its full attention until an appropriate compromise can be reached. “Educational institutions, including the Ministry and its officials, will continue to be on the receiving end of WOZA’s brand of ‘Tough Love’(peaceful protest) if they send children home who cannot pay.”

Earlier this month nearly 200 WOZA campaigners including school children were arrested in Bulawayo. Many of them spent five days in custody after peaceful protests at Mhlahlandlela Government offices. There had been similar demonstrations in Harare at the offices of Aenias Chigwedere, the Minister of Education.