×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Zim women to use Clinton loss as electoral lesson

News
THE loss of United States Presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton to billionaire business mogul Donald Trump has shocked many women in Zimbabwe, who had been hoping she would become the first female leader of the most powerful country in the world.

THE loss of United States Presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton to billionaire business mogul Donald Trump has shocked many women in Zimbabwe, who had been hoping she would become the first female leader of the most powerful country in the world.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

But several top female politicians last week met in Harare and said although Clinton’s loss was a sad development, they had derived lessons from it to ensure women attain leadership roles in Zimbabwe.

To begin strengthening female participation in politics and business, and as part of the celebrations of Britain’s women’s week, British ambassador to Zimbabwe Catriona Laing together with the Women in Politics Support Unit (WiPSU) organised a political dialogue with women last Friday.

During the dialogue session, what came out clear was that financial prowess put men at an advantage to attain powerful positions in society, be it in politics or in business.

Although women need to fight to ensure they are recognised as capable leaders, societal perceptions about the role of women and gender stereotypes that relegate women to the kitchen have severely affected their rise to power, it was noted.

Other reasons cited as hindering women from getting to the top include their lack of confidence, political intimidation and violence, unsupportive laws and policies and anti-women campaigns.

Gender specialist, Isabella Matambanadzo, said patriarchy still exists — not only in Zimbabwe, but world-wide, because people are socialised to think men are better leaders than women.

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mabel Chinomona described how, as a woman, she experienced hindrances, as she rose to attain a ministerial post.

“When I was appointed deputy minister (Home Affairs) I was married then and my husband got jealous and even said bad words to the effect that I was (President Robbert) Mugabe’s mistress and that is why I got a ministerial appointment,” she narrated.

“He blankly told me that he, as a husband, cannot be led by a woman. The situation was bad to the extent that it led to a divorce because of the cultural beliefs that a woman cannot lead.”

Chinomona, who has been in politics for decades, said she had also observed a disturbing trend, where women failed to support female candidates and opted to cast their votes for men.

“Resource constraints are other issues that have led women to fail to compete with men because the issue of vote-buying is rampant. Most women do not have money to buy votes, yet men competing for political posts can dish out food and other handouts to buy support,” she said.

In order to ensure women get into Parliament, all the women who attended the dialogue session agreed that a 50/50 gender parity ratio in Parliament would bolster articulation of gender sensitive issues and enforce the passing of a gender sensitive budget.

Educationist, Fay Chung said there was need for crafting of policies that ensure 50/50 gender representation, as well as articulation by the media of development of women in order to promote participation in politics and business.

“We have a $4 billion budget almost every year with 80% of it gobbled by civil servants, and only 2% is used for development and women. If women are given only $600 million out of $4 billion it is too little and they will remain marginalised. Female MPs need to push for a budget that supports women programmes,” she said.

Zimbabwe People First leader, Joice Mujuru said Chung was a champion of women empowerment, adding when she was only 19, the former Education minister encouraged her to act in a drama group as a legislator, and that gave her confidence that she could become a legislator, which she later became.

Former legislator, Evelyn Masaiti blamed failure by females to rise into higher political posts on lack of platforms, where women across the political divide meet and share ideas.

“As Zimbabwean women, we have failed to rise above party politics and do not seem to support each other. Women perceive fellow females affiliated to opposite political parties as sellouts. We need to work together to solve issues affecting women in politics,” she said.

Women Affairs minister Nyasha Chikwinya said politics is a tough game and women need to work hard to create spaces to ensure they maintain their seats in Parliament.

“Women need to be allocated quotas in the natural resources field so that they venture into fields like mining and farming. We should lobby for more seats in Parliament and say we need more women representation no matter which political party gets into Parliament,” she said.

Harare West MP, Jessie Majome felt that women have themselves to blame, as they are not clamouring for electoral reforms that will see them getting more seats in Parliament, as well as violence-free elections, where they can participate without fear.

Majome said those political parties, who ensure more women get into Parliament or local authorities should get incentives through political party funding.

Zimbabwe Local Government Association secretary-general, Lucy Furamera, said there was need for women to fight for a quota system in Local Government posts, as currently there was none, making it tough for women to garner seats as councillors.

She blasted some women, who got seats in Parliament through proportional representation, but remained mum and ineffective.

WiPSU executive director, Sakhile Sifelani Ngoma said women should begin to support each other despite their political differences, and engage in internal conversations aimed at capacitating each other to perform, once in leadership posts.

British ambassador Laing said dialogue sessions among women in politics and business were necessary. She even volunteered to offer her premises for such meetings aimed at empowering women.

A recent survey conducted for the Inter-Parliamentary Union based on interviews with 55 women MPs from 39 countries in five regions of the world revealed that women in politics suffered violence, including in the psychological form, with 80% respondents stating they had experienced it.

Almost half of the MPs (44%) were said to have reported threats of rape, beatings, abduction or death during their Parliamentary terms. Sexist insults were said to be common, with 65% respondents declaring to have been subjected to humiliating comments during their terms.