ZIMBABWEAN poets last Tuesday challenged the current political situation in a poetry session. Popular with young poets based in Harare and Chitungwiza the poetry slam, which ran under the theme "What next after GNU", saw poets being critical of the "complex" power-sharing agreement.
Most poets argued in their verses that the GNU concept was "disrespectful of the will of the people who voted against Zanu PF on March 29 2008". Anesu Katerere, who recited the poem Mother and Child, argued that the MDC-T was just a junior partner in this inclusive government as the Prime Minister is neither a head of state nor government. He said the future of the ordinary people -- "the grassroots mother and child" -- was not guaranteed in the power-sharing deal signed by the parties. The poem also ignited the issue of the national youth training programme which the parties recognised as desirable to inculcate values of patriotism, discipline, tolerance, non-violence, openness, democracy, equality, justice and respect.
Another poet, Acme Chinyani in his verse Anything Can Happen raised uncertainty over the result of the marriage between the three parties which the audience thought was a "pain-ease rather than a pain-killer". Poet Ishkold brought a new dimension to the poetry slam when he recited a poem on the black snake (a reference to corruption). "This black snake is not viper, adder or python or human. This black snake is greed. . ." Ishkold said. He attributed the woes the country faces to corruption by greedy politicians. In the spirit of entrenching accountability values in our leaders the poet suggested the black snake should be killed to realise national benefits for all rather than the elite few. This was complemented by Ticha Muzavazi's Chitima CheBhuruwayo, which satirically explored the history of past coalition governments in Zimbabwe from the Muzorewa/Smith Zimbabwe Rhodesia coalition of 1978 to the compromise government of 1980 and the Zanu PF/PF Zapu Unity accord government of 1987.
"Poets are not only wordsmiths but also vital stakeholders in shaping the destiny of Zimbabwe," said Shoes Robson, session convener. The poetry session was facilitated by the Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights (ZPHR). ZPHR holds the human rights poetry forums once every month and aspires to create a genuine and sustainable national solution that will eventually pave the way for economic prosperity and creation of democratic space for all citizens. "The secret mode of the talks posed major flaws to the whole process," Robson said. "As a result the agreement is an inadequate tool in addressing the national crisis and other major issues like transitional justice and restoration of human rights." Relevant Links Southern Africa Zimbabwe The next poetry session is on October 29 at the US Embassy's Public Affairs auditorium in Harare
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe told his party Wednesday that sharing power with rivals is a “humiliation” but it has to be accepted because they lost the March elections.
Mugabe was shown on state television addressing a meeting of top Zanu PF party leaders called to prepare for dividing the Cabinet with two opposition factions as stipulated in a deal signed Monday. Mugabe loyalists will lose Cabinet seats to make room for the opposition.
“If only we had not blundered in the March ... elections we wouldn't be facing this humiliation,” he said. “This is what we have to deal with.”
While Mugabe's assessment was hardly gracious, it was an indication he would not abandon the accord, and should help calm fears his agreement to cede some power for the first time in 28 years might founder.
Long-simmering political differences and Zimbabwe's economic collapse loom over the Cabinet negotiations and some people have worried the parties aren't moving fast enough to implement the deal. A resurgence of violence, though, seems unlikely. The country has been largely calm since June, and both Mugabe and his rivals say they want the agreement to work.
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told state television that the three parties involved would meet Thursday and could have a Cabinet by the end of the day. The meeting on allotting Cabinet posts had been expected Tuesday, but was delayed while Mugabe's party met on its own.
Zanu PF will name 15 ministers and eight deputy ministers and the two MDC factions will share 16 ministries and provide seven deputy ministers.
Earlier Wednesday, state media quoted Chinamasa as saying key aspects of the power-sharing deal would not go into effect until next month.
The constitution needs to be changed to create the post of Prime Minister, which is to be filled by Mugabe's main rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, who got the most votes in the first round of presidential balloting last March. Under the power-sharing deal, Mugabe remains President. - AP This story has also been published on the newzimbabwe website
KEY aspects of Zimbabwe's power-sharing deal will not go in effect until next month, a government official said Wednesday. Zimbabwe's constitution needs to be amended to create the post of Prime Minister, which is to be filled by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Under the power-sharing deal signed Monday, Mugabe remains President. "These amendments would be tabled before parliament when it opens next month," Mugabe aide Patrick Chinamasa told the government-controlled Herald newspaper, saying there will be no move to open parliament before October 14 as originally planned.
Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, leader of a faction that broke away from Tsvangirai's party, have pledged to make the deal work. But long-simmering and bitter differences as well as the nation's economic collapse have put the deal under intense pressure. Mugabe, 84, has been in power since independence in 1980 and went from being praised as a liberator who freed the former British colony from minority white rule to being vilified as an autocrat. He and Tsvangirai, 56, have been enemies for a decade, and Tsvangirai has been jailed, beaten, tortured and tried for treason -- charges that were dismissed in court. The power-sharing deal already has been criticised privately by some members of Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change, who are unhappy that it leaves Mugabe as President and head of the government. They fear Mugabe will exploit that, especially by playing on tensions between the two opposition groups. On Tuesday, Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara were to have met to discuss how to share Cabinet posts, but the talks were indefinitely postponed without explanation. It was unclear when the new government would be sworn in.
The agreement provides for 31 ministers -- 15 from Zanu PF, 13 from Tsvangirai's MDC and three from Mutambara's MDC. Allotting those posts will mean pushing out Mugabe loyalists who now hold Cabinet posts. The state-run Herald said the decision-making politburo of Mugabe's party met Tuesday in Harare to discuss the power-sharing agreement, and that the party's central committee was to meet Wednesday. Ruling party officials would not comment on the politburo meeting, the Herald said. Neither Nelson Chamisa, Tsvangirai's spokesman, nor George Charamba, Mugabe's spokesman, would speculate Wednesday on when the new government would be sworn in and get to work. Chamisa, though, said leaders would find a way to swear in Tsvangirai even if the post of Prime Minister did not yet technically exist. Continued political delay means only more time before dire economic problems can be addressed. A resurgence of violence, though, seemed unlikely.
The country has been largely calm since June, and both Mugabe and his rivals say they want the agreement to work. Chamisa said the delays were worrying in the tense country. "Clearly there is anxiety in the country," Chamisa said. "People would want to see movement in terms of the realisation of the actual deal. As the MDC, we want to urgently respond to the desperate and dire situation Zimbabweans find themselves in." Charamba, though, said he was confident talks would soon be on track. He said he was spending Wednesday at his farm outside Harare while Mugabe addressed a meeting of top party officials in Harare in preparation for further talks with the other parties. "If I was worried, I would have been in Harare," Charamba said. Zimbabwe has the world's highest inflation rate even by the official figure of at 11 million percent, and independent economists put it much higher. Food and other basics are scare, and aid agencies say more and more Zimbabweans are going hungry.
The international Red Cross said Wednesday its trucks would leave warehouses in the main Zimbabwe cities of Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare, carrying maize, beans and cooking oil for some 24,000 needy Zimbabweans. More shipments will follow in coming months. The nation's central bank put a new 1,000 Zimbabwe dollar note into circulation Wednesday, an acknowledgment of inflation's effect on the buying power of the 500 Zimbabwe note that had been the largest denomination. Central bank governor Gideon Gono, who has been struggling to address the financial crisis, told The Herald the political settlement gave him hope.
This story has also been published on the newzimbabwe website.
LEADERS of the parties to the power-sharing agreement are expected to meet in Harare today to determine which ministries would be apportioned to which party as a prelude to the appointment of Cabinet.
President Mugabe, Prime Minister-designate Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister-designate Professor Arthur Mutambara appended their signatures to the agreement on Monday at a ceremony attended by 10 Sadc leaders and diplomats from various countries accredited to Zimbabwe.
Addressing a media briefing yesterday evening, Zanu-PF chief negotiator in the inter-party dialogue Cde Patrick Chinamasa, said the meeting would discuss the allocation of the 31 ministries that would make the new all-inclusive Government.
"President Mugabe will meet tomorrow (today) Mr Tsvangirai and Professor Mutambara so that they decide or finalise which ministries and deputy ministries would go to which party.
"We hope the issue would be finalised tomorrow (today). The meeting to choose who goes to which ministry would be convened later," Cde Chinamasa said.
He however, said no information was available on when the Cabinet appointments would be announced.
Cde Chinamasa, who is also Zanu-PF media and information sub-committee chairman, said the 74th Ordinary Session of the Central Committee had "unanimously endorsed with no objections" the report on the inter-party dialogue that led to the power sharing agreement.
The main agenda of the Central Commi-ttee was the talks with Cde Chinamasa and Cde Nicholas Goche, who represented Zanu-PF in the dialogue, briefing members.
"The report was well-received and endorsed by the Central Committee."
He said members, however, raised concern over "the unruly behaviour of MDC-T supporters during the signing ceremony on Monday.
"This crude and primitive behaviour manifested itself during the Official Opening of the First Session of the Seventh Parliament and the Central Committee expressed grave concern over the actions of their supporters.
"They said if the pattern continues, it would affect the relationship that has been
created between the parties.
"The meeting also asked President Mugabe to raise these concerns with Tsvangirai and the issue would be raised during the meeting tomorrow (today)," he said.
Cde Chinamasa said Zanu-PF had also received reports of violent acts being perpetrated by MDC-T supporters.
"We have received reports of violent acts against our members across the country. This started on Monday and has been taking place across the country. President Mugabe has been asked to raise and demand that the MDC-T desist from such violent acts.
"It is unfortunate that these violent acts are occurring at a time when we are beginning a new era in the country and such behaviour does not make the co-operation between the parties succeed," he said.
The three main political parties agreed to a political settlement last week and President Mugabe, Mr Tsvangirai and Professor Mutambara formally appended their signatures to the agreement on Monday
The agreement paves way for the formation of an al-inclusive Government. President Mugabe as Head of State and Government appoint his vice presidents and the Prime Minister.
There will be two deputy prime ministers, one from each MDC formation.
Under the agreement Zanu-PF will have 15 ministers, MDC-T 13 and MDC three to reflect the distribution of the popular vote during the parliamentary election on March 29.
Redifining Masculinity:" Are we getting any closer to attaining a gender equal society in Africa?"
This article was written by Ronald Jongwe a Zimbabwean poet. He advocates for the respect recognition and observance of human rights for all including women.
While I was in hospital a few weeks ago I overheard an argument that made me ask a lot of questions. The feamale nurses in one of the wards were mocking one male nurse and "accusing" him of having taken up a ladies' job. I felt sorry for the poor fellow as he could not say much to justify why he had chosen the profession. His only arguement was that this was a new world where eqaul opportunities should be granted to all irregardless of sex or gender. As the arguement went on I wished I could jump out of my bed and help the brother but unfortunately my health condition could not allow me. When the arguement finally eneded one question that kept on recurring in my mind was, "Are we getting any closer to attaining a gender just society in Africa or we are still a thousand miles away?"
Most people will agree with me that if we are serious about creating a gender just society where man and women are seen as eqauls in all spectrums of the society then such an agenda should not only be a women's agenda but a society's agenda that should start to be pushed at early stages of life such as the primary socialisation phase. As long as our African society continues to raise the boy child and girl child differently keeping them from engaging the same opportunities to pursue their self determination and to decide the best options to attaining individual accomplishements, then our quest torwards redifined masculinities and gender assertive societies might remain a futile chase after the wind.
Over the past years if not decades gender activists have offered and proposed numerous solutions aimed not only at ending poverty but also redeeming African women from the yoke of patriachal exploitation and dormination. While there are notable victories in as far as the emancipation of women in africa is concerned the reality is that much work still needs to be done as such victories might remain theoretical.
Given the current nature of our African societies where the total humanity of women is still being denied people who push for positive changes towards the current gender relations will find themselves faced with a big obstacle on their way. Personal expiriences complimented by stories and happennings from all over the continent are barely adeqaute and clear evidence that creating a gender just society in Africa is possible but it will require a lot of hard work, patience, resources and willingness not only from women but also from governments, men, NGOs, the youth and other interested parties. I'm not being chauvinistic nor am I being persimistic but a total transformation of the society's norms, values, ethos and attitudes towards the way we see our female conterparts is not an event or a strall in the park but an ongoing process that requires total commitment from all concerned parties and stake holders.
Over the years women groups, gender activists, pressure groups and some NGOs have proposed various intervention strategies that can be used in attaining a gender just society. These strategies include but are not limited to the following: peer education, constitutional amendments and policy reforms at company, government, regional, continental and international level amongst others. In reference to the last strategy most African governments are signatories to these protocols, conventions, declarations and charters that aim at emancipating women and creating a gender assretive society, such as The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Beijing Platform of Action, Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women(CEDAW) and The Protocol of The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.
When ever such instruments are signed there is ululation, celebration and jubilation from different organisations and individuals from different member countries as such signings are seen as positive steps towards the attainment of total gender eqaulity. However the patriachal set-ups and systems which are still inherent in most governments have resulted in most of these instruments being signed and never put into practice at country level. While there are other reasons behind the failure of attaining total gender equity, the failure and inability by most governments to translate international instruments into local laws can be seen as a majoor hinderance towards attaining gender just societies. As long as there is no domestication of these international and continental charters and protocols then our efforts could still be hitting a brick wall as these instruments will just pile and no action will be unfolding on the ground.
All having been said and done it should be borne in mind that it is not only the responsibilty of governments and NGOs to work towards the attainment of gender equity but everyones' responsibility because until and unless we accept that men and women are eqaul in every aspect we will never ever succeed in curbing social practices that degrade women and totally eradicate cultural practices that discriminate women such as virginity testing, pledging of girls for the appeasing of spirits and genital mutilation among other practices. In the fight for a gender just society men should thus be engaged at all levels and as eqaul partners if we are to make any ,meaningful change. However gender equity in Africa can remain a pipe dream if there are no combined efforts from all sectors of the society and if people do not walk the talk and translate their words into action. Furthermore governments have large role to play as they should ensure that there are adeqaute systems to enforce gender equity related reforms and effective domestication and implementation of international instruments. Given that the youth are tomorrows leaders we should also be seen to be playing a pivotal role towards the attainment of a gender just Africa, as such we should also demand that resources be alocated towards the domestication and implemantation of these international and continental instuments that our countries are signatories to. Furthermore we should openly condemn and denounce discriminating practices and values that constantly put at risk the physical and moral integrity of women. Lastly while much has been written and said and declarations, conventions, charters and protocols have been attended and signed with the aim of emancipating not only the African woman but the global women lot, the biggest stride is in translating words into action if we are to make any meaningful change.Let's walk the talk and talk the walk.
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August, 2008