As I watched the Zanu PF Women's League Conference on ZBC TV in August my heart sank. Never mind that the main news bulletin was suspended to accommodate the conference. I was surprised at seeing men at the high table to begin with. The women cannot hold their own conference without men? Is this the norm in the party?
The party's national chairperson Simon Khaya-Moyo presided over the conference, or at least the parts that I saw on TV. He also announced the new Executive. I was asking myself all the time if no woman was capable of the tasks that Moyo performed, which appeared very mundane by the way. What did the women in the party think about men presiding over their conference? Did they even think about this at all? Strange enough, one of the conference Resolutions was that the women did not want men to interfere in their affairs. Really? Was this not ironic?
Maybe I need to be educated in the ruling party's rules, regulations and procedures. But until then, I have issues with a women's conference that includes and is directed by men. Why call it a women's conference then? Is it not like having men at a baby shower or a bridal shower?
And then the women endorsed President Robert Mugabe as their sole candidate for the 2018 elections! So, there are no women in Zanu PF who can lead the party in a national election? Does this mean that the women have no faith in themselves? They are not a force to reckon with in the party? I thought to myself that the women perhaps did not realise just how much power they potentially have. I would like to think there are a number of women who are potential leaders. But then again, that is just my opinion.
My heart sank because I imagined what the conference meant for Zimbabwean women and the quest for Gender Equality. Zanu PF is the ruling party and if its Women's League is taking a back seat in its own affairs and uplifting women then it probably means even in Government this is the case.
It was as if Oppah Muchinguri wanted to confirm my fears when she said the Women's League will seek President Mugabe's support in increasing women representation in leadership. Yet they had a Resolution on Gender Equality. I would have assumed that this meant that the women would go all out to demand their space, demand that they be an influential wing of the party.
I saw patriarchy at play. It reminded me of a scene from a school play where a woman was extremely polite and sought permission from her husband to visit her parents: “Uxolo Dube, bengicela ukuyavakatshela abazali bami ngeviki ezayo?” (Excuse me Mr Dube may I please visit my parents next week?). That kind of politeness. That kind that has no place in 2014; the kind that will certainly not get women the results they want in politics. I am sure men are happy to own and control the political space; happy to see women who perpetuate the status quo. More importantly, the men should be pleased to have a Women’s League full of well-behaved women. Maybe it is appropriate to quote Laurel Thatcher Ulrich: “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” Maybe the Women’s League missed a chance to make history? Had they decided not to be good women and nominated one of their own as a presidential candidate they would have made history. As far as I know, the party has not fielded a female presidential candidate, at least not since 1980.
Who knows, maybe Zimbabwe is ready for a female President but we just don’t know it? The Women’s League has denied a chance to test this theory.
Next time, maybe?
The party's national chairperson Simon Khaya-Moyo presided over the conference, or at least the parts that I saw on TV. He also announced the new Executive. I was asking myself all the time if no woman was capable of the tasks that Moyo performed, which appeared very mundane by the way. What did the women in the party think about men presiding over their conference? Did they even think about this at all? Strange enough, one of the conference Resolutions was that the women did not want men to interfere in their affairs. Really? Was this not ironic?
Maybe I need to be educated in the ruling party's rules, regulations and procedures. But until then, I have issues with a women's conference that includes and is directed by men. Why call it a women's conference then? Is it not like having men at a baby shower or a bridal shower?
And then the women endorsed President Robert Mugabe as their sole candidate for the 2018 elections! So, there are no women in Zanu PF who can lead the party in a national election? Does this mean that the women have no faith in themselves? They are not a force to reckon with in the party? I thought to myself that the women perhaps did not realise just how much power they potentially have. I would like to think there are a number of women who are potential leaders. But then again, that is just my opinion.
My heart sank because I imagined what the conference meant for Zimbabwean women and the quest for Gender Equality. Zanu PF is the ruling party and if its Women's League is taking a back seat in its own affairs and uplifting women then it probably means even in Government this is the case.
It was as if Oppah Muchinguri wanted to confirm my fears when she said the Women's League will seek President Mugabe's support in increasing women representation in leadership. Yet they had a Resolution on Gender Equality. I would have assumed that this meant that the women would go all out to demand their space, demand that they be an influential wing of the party.
I saw patriarchy at play. It reminded me of a scene from a school play where a woman was extremely polite and sought permission from her husband to visit her parents: “Uxolo Dube, bengicela ukuyavakatshela abazali bami ngeviki ezayo?” (Excuse me Mr Dube may I please visit my parents next week?). That kind of politeness. That kind that has no place in 2014; the kind that will certainly not get women the results they want in politics. I am sure men are happy to own and control the political space; happy to see women who perpetuate the status quo. More importantly, the men should be pleased to have a Women’s League full of well-behaved women. Maybe it is appropriate to quote Laurel Thatcher Ulrich: “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” Maybe the Women’s League missed a chance to make history? Had they decided not to be good women and nominated one of their own as a presidential candidate they would have made history. As far as I know, the party has not fielded a female presidential candidate, at least not since 1980.
Who knows, maybe Zimbabwe is ready for a female President but we just don’t know it? The Women’s League has denied a chance to test this theory.
Next time, maybe?