In an effort to curb incidents of violence in women during the electoral cycle, the Zimbabwe
Civic Education Trust is encouraging women to report cases of violence early whenever rights
are being violated.
The electoral cycle is a period before, during and post-election time.
According to the International Foundation Electoral System (IFES) over 60 percent of abusive
cases and violent online discourse revolves around political actors directed at women in
politics, although women only constitute a third of the National Assembly.
The Matebeleland North Province Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust Provincial Coordinator
Mirriam Mandishona indicated that violence perpetrated among women during election is
worrisome.
“When looking at violence during elections, a lot of women are suffering but they remain quiet
because in most cases they do not know where to report especially during elections,” she said.
She further revealed that fear of harassment has also contributed to lack of interest in partaking
in elections thereby denying women their basic right of choosing who they want.
“We have done a survey and we have realised that most women do not want to partake in
leadership programmes because they are afraid of being violated sexually,” she said .
Hwange Rural District Council only has three female councillors and Hwange Central
Constituency has never had a female legislator while Victoria Falls Municipality only has twfemale councillors.
“Women should report cases because we do not want them to suffer silently. They should report
all cases of violence to the police and other civic society organisations,” said Mandishona.
Pastor Dumisani Sibanda from Evangelical Fellowship in Zimbabwe (EFZ) an organisation
which deals with Christian counselling and observing elections said the Christians are praying
against violence this election period.
“We need to understand the importance of the woman and the vulnerability of a woman. We
have made a declaration that no lives will be lost and no blood shall be shed during the upcoming
eletions. We are in deep prayer. The good thing is that a number of people who are involved in
these prayers are women. We are praying every day that God helps us during the elections.”
He said that most of the people involved in violence are young girls who are being taken
advantage by older people who have money
“They dangle money to women and the women fall prey and find themselves on the wrong side
(of the law) where they are sometimes tangled in political issues in which they are not supposed
to be. We are making sure that they are in safe zones because people say politics is a dirty
game.”
Pastor Dumisani said politics is not a dirty game but people are the one who make it dirty.
“If we play clean politics, our children and women are safe,” he said.
He urged political parties to understand the plight of people and not abuse them for their personal
glory. They should know that the electorate have the power to vote them into positions be it
before election, during elections or after elections ,he said.
Meanwhile Malvern Daka from Vostile Creation revealed that there were incidences of violence
on women in the recent primary elections and the selection of candidate meetings.
“As an organisation we condemn violence. We urge communities to remain united and calm
irrespectively of their political differences. We want to remind political parties that we are one
people and thus need the elections to be done in a fair and peaceful manner. Hwange must be
peaceful.”
