'We are women who are full of love'

The inspiring courage of Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu

Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu are free again. For three weeks they have been held in prison, after being arrested on the streets of Bulawayo. For most, the treatment they received at the hands of our police and jailers would be traumatising, Most would learn the lesson. Most would give up their protests, and keep a low profile from now on. Not Jenni. Not Magodonga.

These two, the co-leaders of the Zimbabwean female organisation Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), have been jailed before, and no doubt will be jailed again, as long as Mugabe holds sway in this country. They will be beaten, starved and ill-treated again. They know that.

Their example, their leadership has been inspirational. It has led to the WOZA membership swelling to more than 60,000 - and even the formation of a male wing, Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA).

This week I spoke to Jenni on her release. She is a familiar figure in Zimbabwe, as she is usually the only white face amongst thousands of marchers. And of course she and Magodonga can always be seen in the front row of any demonstration.

She told me:  "Our protests are non-violent. We sing gospel songs, distribute messages of hope, and hand out roses to members of the public. We are women who are full of love, and we know that fighting dictatorship should not involve violence."

But once again their love of peace and non-violence didn't stop the pair being beaten on the streets of Bulawayo three weeks ago during a peaceful demonstration calling for a swift implementation of a national unity government in the country. They were subsequently arrested, and charged with "disturbing the peace, security or order of the public."

Attempts to get them freed on bail were thwarted by the usual spurious objections and trumped-up legal technicalities, and this time their treatment in the Grey Street and Mlondolozi prisons was harsher than ever.

"We went through horror," Jennie told me. "The prisoners are being systematically starved, and the hunger is so great that even bits of orange peel and other scraps are fought over. There is no privacy, male prison guards are allowed to wander into women's washing facilities, women are stripped naked for inspection every evening... the cells are grossly overcrowded, the place is infested with lice, we were denied medication...it was appalling"

I asked Jenni what gave her and Magodonga the strength to carry on with their movement in the face of such treatment.

"We spread the message through both the marches and the arrests," she said. "People learn more about us when we get arrested, and join our struggle for democracy."

Jenni, 45, who had a Ndebele materanal grandmother, is fluent in the Ndebele language, and she attributes her dedication to WOZA to her experiences of the 1980s massacres in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.

"I belong to a generation that suffered a lot during the Gukurahundi era," she told me, "and no other suffering could be worse than that."

For the citizens of Zimbabwe the suffering continues. But as long as we have inspirational women like Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, there will always be hope.

Comments

[RMacleod]

It must be utterly dreadful now in Zimbabwe especially in the towns and cities. There are so many reports of the country's rapid disintegration, open sewers running through streets, lake Chevero out side Harare one big cesspool, cholera rampart and out of control,humans and dogs dying of starvation and disease, etc.

This is surely a picture of Hell and just to think twenty eight years ago it was the jewel of Africa.

[Jeremy]

I take my hat off to these two incredibly brave women. It shows the desperation of the Mugabe regime that they need to beat and jail peacefull women protesters. Without the inspiration of these women the rapes and killings of women and children would go unreported, they give the innocent and weak the bravery to stand up and tell the world of their plight. I have read of pregnant women kicked in the stomach by police and losing their child. Rape appears to be common place, especialy when they are the wives of the opposition.
How any government can treat its people this way and still remain in power is a mystery to me.

[vusi]

zambia must invade zimbabwe!!!

[Bwembya]

my country Zambia treasures every life and does not believe tanks and bullets on Zimbabwe is the solution.Zimbabweans like any peoples of SADC member countries are our dear brothers.This season of conflictual politics in Zimbabwe does not warrant mitary solution.We detest war because war is destructive, retrogressive not of a civilized generation.inaviding Zimbabwe and killing God's people in whose interest? Africa has DRC, Somalia,Slums of kenya, Ivory Coast and many critical hotspots taking heavy huma toll where service of intervention is needed.Zimbabwe needs a political and economic solution.Cholera cannot be fought with tanks and bullets but medical and necessary material support. Zimbabwe and Africa is breeding every true human being must counted in playing a contructive role of fostering peace and prosperity to Zimbabwe.Zambia will always play a progressive role in fostering regional and global peace.We love Zimbabweans and we believe in Africa.

[Bwembya]

Rumors of Zambia stooping low to the attacking dog must be discarded with contempt they deserve hogwash from war-mongers. My country Zambia treasures every life and does not believe that tanks and bullets on Zimbabwe would be solution to the myriad Zimbabwe challenges. Zimbabweans like any peoples of SADC and Africa as a whole are our dear brothers and sisters we swish no evil. This season of frictional politics in Zimbabwe does not warrant military option but diplomacy, consensus and compromise in a spirit of give and take for the good of the country.
Zambia has been a melting pot of many struggles for Africa since the sixties. We believe in the democratic peace theory and out rightly detest war because it is destructive, retrogressive and not an option of a civilized generation. Invading Zimbabwe and killing God's people in whose interest? Africa has DRC, Somalia, Slums of Kenya, Ivory Coast and many critical hotspots taking heavy human toll where service of intervention is justified.
Zimbabwe needs a political and economic solution. Cholera cannot be fought with tanks and bullets but medical and necessary material support from all that care. Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole is breeding and every true human being must be counted in playing a constructive role of fostering peace and prosperity to Zimbabwe. In this vein, Zambia will always play a progressive role in fostering regional and global peace. We love Zimbabweans and we believe in Africa. To Tanzania, Namibia and South Africa’s support against cholera, I say bravo! Let’s responsibly help our needy folks in Zimbabwe.

Zambia is an oasis of peace and strongly believe in peace than bullets and wars.

[MASVINGO CHANGAMIRE DOMBO]

WHO IS WRIGHTING THESE STORIES ?IS IT B. MBATA?Z.G.E? KANA URIIWE URIMUREVI WENHEMA.WHERE IS Z.G.E.TODAY