Suburban
Diana Nherera Suburban Reporter
Local Government and Public Works Deputy Minister Marian Chombo has urged women to take part in decision making especially in issues that affect them.
Speaking at an inaugural meeting for Members of Parliament and councilors on the 30 percent quota on Wednesday, she said women’s equal participation in decision-making is not only a demand for simple justice or democracy but a necessary precondition for women’s interests to be taken into account.
“Despite comprising of more than 50 percent of the world population, women continue to lack access to political leadership opportunities and resources at all levels of government.
“It is in this regard therefore that the Government of Zimbabwe saw that women’s equal participation in local governance and decision-making processes is critical for creating gender sensitive policies and for promoting sustainable development.
“What’s now critical is to match or outmatch by encouraging young women and also more educated women to come on board since we have an opportunity under proportional representation quota system.
“Let’s now strive for people who can make a difference in their debate and analysis so that we can bring meaningful change to people’s lives,” said Deputy Minister Chombo.
She said President Mnangagwa said no one should be left behind.
“And this applies to both men and women.
“Most of you were in Victoria Falls where our women in the local government sphere banded together to request the President to amend the Constitution and I know in that meeting the President gave a directive that ‘My Ministry and my Minister, put all the necessary legal framework so that this proposal will be included in the amendment and the result was that the inclusion into Amendment 2 of the Constitution.”
She urged the MPs and councilors to thank President Mnangagwa and Parliament for the valuable amendment.
Women’s Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni thanked President Mnangagwa who made it possible for this quota to come into being.
She said women make up 52 percent of Zimbabwe’s population.
“It is essential that their views, their needs and aspirations are realised when national plans and strategies are discussed in the public arena.
“And this is not possible without them being there,” said Minister Nyoni.
She urged women to uplift each other to higher positions.
“Let us go and shake all the stereotypes about women pulling each other down.
“Let us go and deal with all the narratives that have oppressed us.
“We have been oppressed by narratives that we have believed and the public has believed and acted on it,” said Minister Nyoni.
Speaking at the same meeting, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) spokesperson, Commissioner Joyce Kazembe urged MPs and councillors not to be marginalised and advised them to mobilise people to register to vote ahead of the 2023 elections.
“During this process of voter registration, by the time we get to 2023, the young people that are 16 years will be on the voters’ roll.
“So when registration comes, they must make sure that they are registered,” said Commissioner Kazembe.
She urged the female politicians to be careful of some bad influences.
“Don’t let the other gender impose candidates.
“Please choose them yourself.
“Whatever it is, develop thick skin.
“Politics is not child’s play.
“Refuse to be ridiculed and intimidated by anyone.
“The reason is not for the money or whatever, but you make a difference in the lives of other women,” said Commissioner Kazembe.
She said in order to decongest the nominations courts, in line with the Covid-19 protocols they were recommending a separate day for the submission of nomination for the 30 percent quota system.
The ZEC official urged politicians to be wise in choosing their women representatives.
“It is very important when you go back, the women in the constituencies, yourselves in local Government structures and so on that you come together and say how are we going to select, what type of people do we have in the local authority, who do we want,” she said.
