The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Women are often excluded from the political arena due to the patriarchal nature of politics in which men are considered bearers of authority.
Those that do make it into politics struggle with the patriarchal systems and structure of politics that usually make it hard to strike a balance between work and family.
Traditional patriarchal norms have assigned women to be the primary responsible figures for family affairs while men become successful politicians and decision-makers.
Several other less tangible ways that include long working hours, which are mostly not family-friendly, discourage women from joining politics.
Based on statistics released by UN Women in 2019, more than 70% of the parliament seats are held by men while male ministers make up 80% of ministerial positions globally. 181 out of 193 heads of states are men.
Zimbabwe is not an exception as in most communities, people have not become comfortable with voting female candidates into decision making positions. This also affects aspiring female candidates as they end up shying away from leadership roles.
In so doing patriarchythen denies women the right to participate in politics despite the participation being strongly supported by the Constitution.
In seeking to expand gender balance, Chapter 2, Section 17 (subsection 2) of the Zimbabwean Constitution states that the State must take positive measures to ratify gender discrimination and imbalances resulting from past practices and policies.
The Constitution supports gender balance in all spheres. Section 56 (Part 1) articulates equality and non-discrimination, insisting that all persons are equal before the law and that they have the right to equal protection and benefit of the law.
Part 2 states that women and men have the right to equal treatment, including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social domains.
The Constitution also established a Gender Commission tasked with promoting gender equality in all spheres of life.
In seeking to upsurge the gender balance in local government politics, the quota system guarantees 30% of seats to female politicians
Priscilla Maposa, the Country Manager for Gender Links, said there is need for capacity building initiatives like mentorship and workshops in various areas like grooming and etiquette, gender responsive service delivery and electoral processes with junior councillors and young women.
She said these will help in encouraging female participation in politics and in a way help curtail patriarchy.
Gender Links has already been working with all 92 local authorities in Zimbabwe, including the 10 local authorities in Manicaland where they have supported local authorities to conduct inter-generational dialogues between youths and councillors to orient them on governance and service delivery processes.
“Besides supporting female councillors with the mentioned means, Gender Links is also conducting various 50/50 campaigns with councillors at the fore front in their localities and this is to ensure that women participate and we achieve that 50/50 equality in our local authorities and subsequently in all levels of politics,” she said.
Meanwhile, some female politicians in local government have taken it up to themselves to become gender champions and confront patriarchy head on. One such woman is Councillor Winnimore Mushakavanhu of Ward 33 Mutare Rural District Council.
The 58-year-old gender champion, with the support of her family, has confronted patriarchy head on and has since 1976 been in the frontlines of Zimbabwean politics, despite having had six children to look after on a daily basis.
Mutare Rural District Council has 36 councillors, 35 of which are men. Cllr Mushakavanhu, a strong advocate for female participation in politics, is the only female in the council.
A farmer and a mother, Cllr Mushakavanhu has been on the seat on two consecutive terms.
Having started her political journey in the liberation struggle when she was only 14 years old, Cllr Mushakavanhu rose in the ranks until she became councillor.
Currently she is the Manicaland chapter chairperson of the Women in Local Government Forum (WILGF) as well as the national deputy treasurer of WILGF, among other posts in Mutare Rural District Council (MRDC).
Her entrance into local government politics was a tough one as she had to contest with nine men in 2013 for the councillorship seat.
“It was tough. We all know that because of the patriarchy beliefs, people will choose a man over a woman any day for decision making positions. Here I was, a mother of six, a farmer who needed her farm and home looked after and contesting with eight men who had all their time and money invested in winning this seat,” she said.
Had it not been for her family’s support, she doubts she would have made it.
“My race as a female politician has been hard but the support that my husband and children have been giving me since I started has been overwhelming and I believe because of that, I ignored all the patriarchal downfalls and stood up to challenge it,” she says.
Cllr Mushakavanhu commended the availability of reliable and sustainable support for programs and operations that champion gender mainstreaming in MRDC.
“Thanks to the MRDC leadership, I continue advocating for women to join forces and lobby for the full implementation of Section 17 of the constitution. It talks about full participation of women in all spheres of governance, and our council, despite them being men, they all support me. We cannot do this alone, men will not keep supporting us if we do not take up these positions as we should,” said Cllr Mushakavanhu.
She said while it is a blessing that she is in office, it is saddening that she is the only female councillor in Mutare district.
“The levels of women in representative positions in our district is quite saddening because there is power in numbers. Had we been maybe four or five, or even half the council, then our results to the community would be multiplied a hundredfold than those I am reaping now,” she said.
Cllr Mushakavanhu lamented the patriarchal structure of politics saying it creates more challenges for women, thereby scaring them away from participating in politics.
“The patriarchal structure of politics has also created a more challenging working environment for mothers but it should be us as women who advocate against that patriarchy and it becomes a difficult task when I am the only one against 35 men in the council. I do stand my ground when I am in council but I need the support of other women so we meet the needs of more women out there,” she said.
She said being a councillor is hard work as every day you are expected to balance the needs of the community, your political party (if you belong to one) and the council.
“It is hard work really, it will make legitimate demands on your time on top of your personal commitments to family, friends and workplace, but as long as you know that you are in this for the good of the community (which includes your family) you give it your best.”
While President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently announced that the quota system will be extended to local government to allow equal representation of women in politics, fears that the bulk of male councillors will not welcome the move are still rampant.
Fellow councillor in the MRDC, Cllr Moses Mujaji, said politics need to have a new norm which excludes patriarchal structures as they are hindering women from joining as well as participating in politics.
“Those that join politics usually have a short-lived political life as they end up giving up. Politics is not just for men but for all of us as we all need to be represented. A woman knows best what other women need and it should just come automatically that a woman should represent her fellow woman,” said Cllr Mujaji.
He commented Cllr Mushakavanhu for being an active politician in local government despite facing all the hurdles that come with looking after the family and farming.
ENDS
