Corruption has been a major setback to development in Zimbabwe. Corruption can be done either by men or by women and corruption is now everywhere in our country whether in high offices or on the streets. People now take corruption as a short cut to get a service, product or even an opportunity to earn a living. Corruption cuts across race, class, religion and sex.

The Sunday Mail of 31 of October 2010 featured a story titled  “Rushwaya: Wrong place at the right time” by Hellen Venganai, a gender development analyst. The author of the story suggested that the former Zimbabwe Football Association CEO was recently relieved of her duties because of her gender in a male dominated environment.

Before she was appointed ZIFA CEO, Henrietta Rushwaya was the co-ordinator for the national soccer team fundraising committee, and during that period she did a splendid job mobilising funds at a time when the men’s senior soccer team was having financial problems. Her break through came when she was appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer at ZIFA. With a success record in fundraising at hand many people were happy to have Henrietta take up the position not because she is woman but because of her credentials. When the corruption scandal exploded at ZIFA I believe we have read about influential people who are in the ZIFA board also being implicated in the scandal.

The only problem I have over Mrs Rushwaya’s sacking is that instead of firing just one person and making a headline story out of it, the whole ZIFA body should just do the nation a favour and leave, so that sanity can prevail in our lovely game of soccer in this country. It takes more than one person for corruption to take place, so all those who took part in the corruption scandal should face the full wrath of the law. Currently the ZIFA executive is lined up with faces that also took part in the corruption scandal but they still have their jobs.

I am not the one to judge whether Rushwaya is guilty or not.  In Zimbabwe we are campaigning for equal representation so that the field of play can be the same for both women and men. So in order to set a good example lets not condone corrupt activities even if women do them. Some theories argue that women are less corrupt than men because they care about their image more than men do. Women pay attention to what others think about them, but men think about how powerful others perceive them to be. These theories may be true or not true. No literature supports the idea that women are less corrupt than men. Let’s learn to call a spade a spade and deal with corruption accordingly.  Otherwise we will end up with plenty of cases involving women giving the same reason Hellen Venganai is trying to come up with of saying that  “Rushwaya was implicated because she was working in a male dominated environment”.

The Southern African Young Women’s Festival ran between 25 and 28 October. Young women were brought together to share experiences, energise each other and celebrate their youth and the potential they have to advocate for social justice in their respective communities. The Festival was a platform to equip young women with the practical skills they need for effective advocacy for women’s rights and included many exciting activities including the launching of the 16 Days national campaigns of activism. The Festival was supported by OSISA.

Probably the most conspicuous element of the sex, sexuality and HIV/AIDS session held on the third-day session of the SAYWF was the energy and enthusiasm of the young-women, aged between 18 and 30 years. The discussions followed a talk-show format, where young women from all over Southern Africa uninhibitedly shared, celebrated and sang their experiences and insight, occasionally punctuating discussions with their pro-sister catchphrase “Sister, sister. …Sister!”

The freedom and openness of expression was exactly the result the organisers of the SAYWF wanted to achieve. The author, activist and moderator of this conversation, Luta Shaba pointed out that the spaces where young women can speak freely on issues of sex, sexuality and HIV/AIDS have become limited. These spaces either no longer exist or have become sanitised and usurped by other agendas. The space that SAYWF created for self-expression was fully appreciated by the sisters gathered together.

In general the discussions demonstrated that situations and challenges surrounding sex, sexuality and HIV/AIDS are more alike than dissimilar for young women in the region.

Societies still widely disapprove of premarital sex and the subject of sex itself is even considered taboo. Openly discussing sex in public is frowned upon whilst young women who engage in such talk are judged as badly behaved or promiscuous.

In addition, societies expect that young women’s knowledge of sex be about using the information to please the man in their life (or more precisely, their husbands). For young women who talk about sex in their work, it is difficult to find the appropriate language or terminology in the vernacular. It is tough to convey their messages without coming across as lewd. The discussion on why young women have sex showed that economic exchange is a common reason, whether as prostitution or simple survival. Anny Modi from the Democratic Republic of Congo explained that young women in the DRC are even willing to have unprotected sex with an HIV positive man, in order to earn more money, knowing full-well the man’s status.

Read more and listen to audio from the festival here

In his book, Keywords, Raymond Williams describes culture as “one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language”; yet I am going to have to rely on this word in my very short discussion, especially the second of the five definitions given in the Concise Oxford Dictionary (Ninth Edition): “the customs, civilization and achievements of a particular time or people”.  In my discussion I shall particularise the vague word “achievements”, first into the word “arts”, next into two names connected with the arts, both names currently in the news: Munyaradzi Chidzonga and Charles Mungoshi.

In my opinion, Charles Mungoshi is Zimbabwe’s greatest living writer.  This award-winning, internationally respected author of novels, poems, and short stories – in Shona as well as in English – is desperately ill, and almost destitute.  In cultural terms, he is one of Zimbabwe’s most precious jewels.  His voice, even in English, is quintessentially African, never pseudo-European.  He is our collective treasure.  And yet, the so-called guardians of our heritage, our culture – those in high government office – have done nothing, as far as I know, to assist Charles Mungoshi in his hour of need.

Along comes the handsome actor, Munyaradzi Chidzonga, who was outvoted in the finals of the peeping Tom television show, “Big Brother”; unfairly outvoted, according to some of our Government Ministers who watch the sordid programme on their plasma screens when they should be attending to potholes, and housing shortages, or reading Charles Mungoshi… along he comes, this born free son of the soil, trailing, not clouds of glory, but dreams of one day meeting His Excellency, the Head of State, First Secretary, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces…er… where was I?  Oh yes, this darling of ZANU PF heavyweights, bringing Zimbabwean culture to the furtive voyeurs of the African continent… what does he get?- a reception at State House where His Excellency etc, etc, shakes his hand and proffers him a cheque for an obscene amount of money.  No wonder Munyaradzi was over the moon.

None of this really has anything to do with culture.  It’s all about political opportunism and, God help us, it works.

This weekend, the Constitutional Parliamentary Outreach Committee (COPAC) held consultative meetings in Harare and Chitungwiza, after the first attempt to hold these meetings was met with violence and intimidation. But this second attempt again resulted in violence, with one participant hospitalised. Read the Crisis in Zimbabwe statement about the weekend’s outreach meetings below:

Participant attacked, seriously wounded as police detain MDC employee

A participant at a meeting held at St John’s retreat, Joshua Manyere (32) was beaten up and seriously wounded by suspected ZANU PF supporters. He is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Details obtained from an observer stationed at the venue are that during the meeting, suspected ZANU PF supporters threatened Manyere with unspecified action after his contributions were regarded as inconsistent with the views held by the ZANU PF supporters. After the meeting, it is alleged that Manyere was attacked by a group of suspected ZANU PF supporters and seriously injured during the commotion. The Coalition is still awaiting more details on the incident.

Meanwhile, Ms. Diana Nyikadzino, an employee of the Movement for Democratic Change is currently being detained at Waterfalls Police station for reasons still to be established after her apprehension at Hopley Clinic, Harare South.

Details from other meetings monitored are as below;

Tadzikamidzi School, Chitungwiza

The meeting, which was initially marred by intimidation, went ahead well after COPAC intervened although there were isolated cases of intimidation.

Zororo Center, Highfields

• There was high security with approximately 20 police officers
• The meeting started around 1100hrs and was attended by approximately 300 people
• The meeting was temporarily disrupted following contributions by one participant who suggested that war veterans should not hold the nation at ransom because of their contribution to the country’s liberation. The contribution sparked outrage among some participants believed to be war veterans who threatened to take unspecified action against the participant after the meeting. The war veterans accused the participant of disrupting the meeting leading to his apprehension by the police. He was however released following complaints by other participants who told the police that the ejected participant had done nothing to warrant such treatment. Despite attempts to disturb proceedings, the meeting went ahead.

Kuwadzana, Crowborough Creche

• The meeting was attended by close to 300 people
• Police remained passive during disturbances by some participants who accused one respondent of attempting to disrupt the meeting. COPAC however managed to contain the situation and the meeting went ahead.

I was telling somebody that I want to have a driver’s license. It’s about time now. You will not believe what he said or maybe you will. He said in order for me to get a license I would have to go with an extra US$80 or so for me to get the license. That’s not all. He continued to tell me that after the provisional license I must be prepared to have another US$80 to pass the road test. But that is not the end of my story. I went and spoke to another gentleman and said to him; can you believe it, to get a license you need to be prepared to pay extra bribe money of about US$160. I can’t pay that. I vented to him that I am a Christian and I do not promote bribing and such lawless acts. Above all no wonder we have lots of car accidents and unnecessary deaths on the road. We have people that buy their way into the driver’s seat. You know what the second gentleman said to me. He said I should not view this extra US$160 as a bribe but as part of the Zimbabwe driving curriculum. In other words we should have it in black and white, a statement saying in terms of section 1.1 of the new drivers act, all excluding the ones related to driving inspectors, shall be required to pay an extra amount for the acquiring of a driver’s license. Failure to do this will result in you writing the driver’s license exam until you pay the required bribe. I was going to be afraid to write this piece in fear of not passing my driver’s test when I go next month. But I don’t want to be a part of this “bribe me” mentality that has infected our country. Rest assured I will read for the exam and hopefully start a new breed of people that want to do things differently.

The Women in Politics Support Unit (WiPSU) also sent us this open letter to the editor of The Standard, objecting to their recent article DPM Khupe dispels pregnancy rumours.

I agree entirely that The Standard needs to be challenged on their journalistic priorities on this article. Who decdied that an article that leads like this was newsworthy:

Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe is reported to be expecting her fourth child, though she denied the reports saying she was not in a position to have a baby. Khupe has been spotted with a hugely visible bulge, prompting speculation that she is pregnant.

But is some of this critique also stemming from a loyalty to or softness for Khupe in particular? Where are the similar critiques of the sensationalistic journalism and misogynistic stereotyping that has characterised, for example, recent rumours of an affair between Grace Mugabe and Gideon Gono?

Read the letter to the editor below:

Dear Editor in Chief

Zimbabwe is a signatory to the AU and Un instruments that speak gender equality and more recently the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. This protocol urges member states to take measures to discourage the media from reinforcing gender oppression and stereotypes as well as degrading or exploiting women especially in areas of entertainment and advertising and undermining their role and position in society. It is our belief that media houses, especially those that claim to be independent and progressive, like the Standard, reflect these values and principles in their publications and conduct.

We at Women in Politics Support Unit are angered at the blatant undermining and sexualization of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe Honorable Thokozani Khupe that was exhibited by the Standard newspaper. The article that was given front page prominence in the Standard newspaper of 24 to 30 October 2010 was sexist and demeaning to the public stature of a whole Deputy Prime Minister.

It is with great concern that we question the role of media in reinforcing stereotypes that continue to be used to oppress women. The reproductive role of a man no matter his political prominence has never been front page news. Yet we see the pregnancy or lack thereof of the Deputy Prime Minister being topical at a time when she is doing great work for and on behalf of the women of Zimbabwe in her portfolio as Deputy Prime Minister of this country, UN Ambassador on the Global Aids Network and as a member of her political party. She has a recently entered into dialogue with urban councils to reduce the maternity fee that women were being charged. Is that not newsworthy?

This also concerns us as it is a reflection of the mindset of the reporters and editors of the Standard who view a prominent politician as a sexual being instead of according her the respect she deserves as a national representative.

This is contrary to the principles of the SADC Protocol and shows that the only “leading” the Standard is doing is in perpetrating the gender stereotypes that are used to discriminate against women, and in this case, women in public office specifically.  This was further demonstrated by your failure to meet with our staff to discuss our concerns about this article, even after an appointment had been set and confirmed. It is this lack of respect for the opinions, time and work of women that manifested itself and continues to do so in gender biased reporting and coverage.

It is our sincere hope that an apology to the Deputy prime Minister will be given the same prominence that your demeaning article was given. Failure to do so will encourage us to begin to mobilize the women of Zimbabwe and in the region against your publication.