Women applaud increase in Gweru women councillors

GWERU women activists have applauded the increase in Gweru City Council women councillors from
just one during the last council to four elected women councillors in the upcoming council.
Activists who spoke to this publication said the increase in women would enhance their
representation as well as add their voices on issues directly affecting them.
The August 23 elections saw an increase in women councillors with Mercy Mangwanya, Faith
Chuma, Girlie Zvidzai and Nyaradzo Madzikure elected in wards 1, 2, 3 and 9 respectively.
Council will also have five women quota councillors which were introduced during this council due to
Constitution Amendment Number 2 of 2021.
Women Coalition of Zimbabwe Gweru chairperson Nozzie Rutsate applauded the increase in women
councillors in the city.

“We are excited because we managed to increase female representation at local authority level.
More females will represent us and our needs at local level. We hope their presence will result in an
improvement in service delivery” she said.
Rutsate said besides their participation in the electoral process, the women would be involved in
governance issues.
“There is a decline in female representation in governance processes at a national level but we are
happy that there are positive results when it comes to local authority level for example here in
Gweru.

“This shows the work we have been doing in Gweru and Midlands has culminated to these results
and ensure that we attain 50:50 and they should be our voices,” she said.
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association programmes officer Fadzai Kanyai said they are excited
that women they worked with managed to take up the challenge.
“We realise women is a group that needs representation that deliberately focuses on their needs.
Women push their concerns more which are sensitive as mothers, and even care work in homes
needs water so women councillors are likely to push for the provision of water more than their male
counterparts,” she said.
Kanyai hoped that the new crop of women councillors will hit the ground running.
“We hope that even in the budget they will move issues to do with maternal health,” she said.
Kanyai said past councils were concerned with other issues but did not look at health equipment.
The recently elected councillor for Ward 3 Zvidzai dedicated her victory to women and the girl child
in her ward.

“I hope the victory will inspire and motivate more women and the girl child to take up leadership
positions without fear.
“I am excited about the composition of this incoming council…women understand council services
better, which will lead to crafting of citizen friendly policies like water, sewage, public lighting, waste
management and so on,” Zvidzai said.