Kuwadzana WOZA activists severely beaten in custody

By Violet Gonda
24 April 2007

The pressure group Women of Zimbabwe Arise reports that several members were severely assaulted while in police custody. 56 activists and 10 babies were detained on Monday for protesting at the ZESA offices in Kuwadzana. They were transferred from Kuwadzana police station to Harare Central where some of them were beaten resulting in 20 members agreeing to pay admission of guilt fines so they could be released.

Lillian, a WOZA member who preferred to be called by her first name only, said these activists were released just before 2pm on Tuesday. They had to be sent to the clinic for medical treatment. She said they were taken to the Law and Order Section at Central Monday night where they were brutalized in custody. The security forces repeated the same treatment in the morning.

The whole group was denied food until after 8pm Monday night. WOZA said: “Many members had blood on their heads and clothing, evidence that they had been assaulted by police.”

Only one out of the ten babies detained with their mothers has been released. Of the 9 babies in detention, the youngest is said to be six months old while the oldest is 2 years.

After being transferred to several police departments an officer at Harare Central finally said to SW Radio Africa that around 64 WOZA activists had been arrested. He said: “Ya sure, we’ve got them here.” He would not comment about anything else or the issue of the babies.

At least 36 activist and nine babies were still in custody at the time of broadcast. The group was arrested for addressing legitimate consumer concerns about power shortages from service provider, ZESA.

Statement from WOZA

News update from WOZA - members assaulted in custody

News update
Tuesday 24th April - 9am

At 9pm yesterday the group of 56 and 10 babies were finally given their supper. Many members had blood on their heads and clothing, evidence that they had been assualted by police. They had been kept in the Law and Order department where obviously they had been assaulted.

Eye witnessnesses at Kuwadzana also confirm that police arrived at the scene firing shots into the air.
One member was also hit with a rifle butt as she was loaded onto the police vehicle.

A message was delivered by Law and Order officers that if anyone other than Jenni Williams tried to deliver food they would be beheaded. However all those who delivered food this morning were not harmed.
Williams in on a hit list to be eliminated as a dangereous person.

Lawyers are preparing an urgent aplication.

WOZA MEMBERS ARRESTED IN HARARE FOR DEMANDING POWER FOR THE PEOPLE

Approximately 56 members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise
(WOZA) - 36 women, 20 men and 10 babies - have been arrested today in Kuwadzana, Harare. They were arrested at the local Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) office in Kuwadzana as WOZA members continued their ‘power to the people’ protest campaign. The peaceful human rights defenders delivered protests notes with their demands to the ZESA officers. They are currently being held at Harare Central Police Station, where they were moved under armed guard.

This morning, at 11am, WOZA members assembled at three different ZESA offices – Kuwadzana, Warren Park and Zengeza – holding simultaneous ‘tough love’ protests.
Over 470 members from 10 different areas of Harare took part in the community-level protests.

The protests at Warren Park and Zengeza took place without incident and the participants were able to disperse before police arrived. In Zengeza, about 100 members gathered inside the ZESA office while about 300 members gathered outside. They sat in for over 30 minutes awaiting a response from officials but they were not addressed. The protest notes were accepted however.

At Kuwadzana, approximately 66 members were arrested and marched to the police station, which is next door.
Once at the police station, police were seen beating two members. The extent of their injuries are as yet unknown.

Lawyers have been deployed but have failed to get access. Members trying to take in food were also turned away so the group of 56 and 10 babies will go hungry tonight.

The protests signify the launch of the ‘power to the people’ by March 2008 campaign.

The contact number for Harare Central is +263 4 777777. Please call and ask why innocent men, women and babies are being arrested for addressing legitimate consumer complaints to their service provider, ZESA.

Ends
23rd April 2007

For more information, please contact
info@wozazimbabwe.org or call Magodonga Mahlangu on
+263 91 898 110 / +263 91 300 456 or on +263 91 362
668

PROTEST NOTE PROTEST NOTE
PROTEST NOTE

ZIMBABWE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY AUTHORITY (ZESA) I am a power consumer and have been your customer for many years but your service has been getting worse in the last three years. I have run out of patience; your service is no longer empowering anyone but is draining many pockets. I want POWER and deserve to be given all the basic requirements a human being needs. I know ZESA is also a victim of a bad and mismanaged economy but think that ZESA should do more to deal with internal corruption.

You were singing ZESA has come with the power - ‘ZESA yawuya nePower’ - saka ZESA yazoyenda nePower yacho?
‘IZESA isibuye lamandla kagetsi’ - pho aseyengaphi lawo mandla? We demand POWER to the people for real!

My last account from ZESA was for $ ……………………..…. for 30 days of service.

I did not have any electricity for the following
period of time ……………hours ………. days ………….. in the
last month and want my account to be credited for this amount of time.

As your customer I have come to complain and request compensation. My demand is simple.
Stop turning a blind eye to corruption in your company and deal with the criminals within.
Credit my account for the hours or days you did not provide me with POWER.
Find us alternative sources of power - cheaper firewood, candles and matches, as we cannot afford to pay $10,000 for one candle and $1,000 for a box of matches. You are refusing to give us regular and efficient POWER so you should pay for us to have candlelight.
WE DEMAND POWER TO THE PEOPLE by March 2008.

Yours faithfully,

Impatient for POWER