*Women in Zimbabwe Politics Statement on assault of Thokozani Khupe*
It is in a bad mood accompanied by good faith that I prescribe this
article seeking to touch on the nerves of targeted violence towards
women on the Zimbabwean political landscape.
Women in Zimbabwe Politics (WZP) castigates and never condone the
most recent brutal and barbaric physical attack and assault of the
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Vice President Thokozani Khupe
together with the MDC National Chairman and National Organiser
recently at the MDC offices in Bulawayo over party misunderstandings
and political differences.
Without any intention to meddle,dictate or intrude into affairs of
political parties in particular the MDC~T,Im baffled,disturbed and
equally angered by the physical attack of Amai Khupe.The adoption of
violence as an instrument of arbitrage is totally uncalled for
especially in a political terrain where most women have shun the
activities due to violent abuse and physical manhandling.
Thokozani Khupe who was elected in 2006 as Morgan
Tsvangirai'*Zimbabwe Women in Politics Statement on assault of
Thokozani Khupe*
It is in a bad mood accompanied by good faith that I prescribe this
article seeking to touch on the nerves of targeted violence towards
women on the Zimbabwean political landscape.Women in Zimbabwe
Politics (WZP) castigates and never condone the most recent brutal
and barbaric attack of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Vice
President Thokozani Khupe together with the MDC National Chairman and
National Organiser recently at the MDC offices in Bulawayo over party
misunderstandings and political differences.
Without any intention to meddle,dictate or intrude into affairs of
political parties inparticular the MDC~T,Im baffled,disturbed and
equally angered by the physical attack of Amai Khupe.The adoption of
violence as an instrument of arbitrage is totally uncalled for
especially in a political terrain where most women have shun the
activities due to violent abuse and physical manhandling.Thokozani
Khupe who was elected in 2006 as Morgan Tsvangirai's deputy ahead of
Getrude Mtombeni.Khupe, a veteran activist,former railway unionist
and secretary of ZCTU Women's Advisory Council, was a founder member
of the MDC.In 2000 she was elected MP for Mkokoba in Bulawayo a seat
she retained in 2005 and further proved herself in 2008 when she
humiliated Welshman Ncube for that seat.This is a beacon of hope for
most women detesting politics due to a rugged violent terrain and her
attack is a rubber~ stamp to the seating perception.
In this patriachal society characterised by an institutinalised male
dominace which has kept the state and status of women marginal, a
handful have developed a thick skin to finally dismantle the monolith
to its last pebble,instances of Joyce Mujuru and Thokozani Khupe who
managed to squize their ways into the presidium of their respective
parties.
The forceful landing at VP Khupe by suspected MDC thugs who were
totally out if their wits,ready to burn down the whole Harvest House
while searching for a rat in a delapidated food cupboard, is not only
an insult to the word democracy but a barricade to women
participation in public affairs as well.The attack on Khupe who is
highly regarded by most young women as a torch bearer will only scare
away possible women political participants,women have always been
targets of political violence in the Zimbabwean much contested
political terrain ,not to mention the likes of Grace Kwinjeh,Sekai
Holland,Jessie Majome,Jestina Mukoko among a pool of so many other
progressive women.
Noting Mugabe's violence to opponents including women as
participacipants,its just natural for one will be bamboozled by the
rubbing off of the very same devlish tenats by an aspiring
alternative.
As Women in Zimbabwe Politics,we applaud the efforts to empower women
through the bringing in of the Domestic Violence Act,the creation of
a Ministry of Women Affairs and the signing in to various
international treaties and conventions including Convention on the
elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW),our
greatest appeal is for the government, political parties and all
other critical players to assure the translation of these into
reality.s deputy ahead of Getrude Mtombeni.Khupe, a veteran
activist,former railway unionist and secretary of ZCTU Women's
Advisory Council, was a founder member of the MDC.In 2000 she was
elected MP for Mkokoba in Bulawayo a seat she retained in 2005 and
further proved herself in 2008 when she humiliated Welshman Ncube for
that seat.This is a beacon of hope for most women detesting politics
due to a rugged violent terrain and her attack is a rubber~ stamp to
the seating perception.
In this patriachal society characterised by an institutinalised male
dominace which has kept the state and status of women marginal, a
handful have developed a thick skin to finally dismantle the monolith
to its last pebble,instances of Joyce Mujuru and Thokozani Khupe who
managed to squize their ways into the presidium of their respective
parties.
The forceful landing at VP Khupe by suspected MDC thugs who were
totally out if their wits,ready to burn down the whole Harvest House
while searching for a rat in a delapidated food cupboard, is not only
an insult to the word democracy but a barricade to women
participation in public affairs as well.The attack on Khupe who is
highly regarded by most young women as a torch bearer will only scare
away possible women political participants,women have always been
targets of political violence in the Zimbabwean much contested
political terrain ,not to mention the likes of Grace Kwinjeh,Sekai
Holland,Jessie Majome,Jestina Mukoko among a pool of so many other
progressive women.
Noting Mugabe's violence to opponents including women as
participacipants,its just natural for one will be bamboozled by the
rubbing off of the very same devlish tenats by an aspiring
alternative.
As Women in Zimbabwe Politics,we applaud the efforts to empower women
through the bringing in of the Domestic Violence Act,the creation of
a Ministry of Women Affairs and the signing in to various
international treaties and conventions including Convention on the
elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW),our
greatest appeal is for the government, political parties and all
other critical players to assure the translation of these into
reality.