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Elusive votes: Binga female politicians battle patriarchy

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Aspiring Binga politician Tabona Muleya is frustrated by her community’s reluctance to embrace female leaders.

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Muleya (28) from Sinamagonde has over the years invested financial resources and time to learn the ropes in politics, but feels her efforts are going down the drain.

In 2013, the budding politician contested as an independent council candidate for Binga Rural District Council and garnered a mere 13 votes.

Muleya believes that if she was a male candidate, she would have easily won the poll given the amount of grassroots support she enjoyed and the highly subscribed campaign meetings.

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“I was voted for by only 13 people in 2013 and I have lost interest,” she said resignedly.

“When you campaign, they will listen to you but the outcome of the polls showed that our people are still reluctant to support female candidates, mainly because of misplaced cultural beliefs that we can’t lead.

“The chiefs, village heads and other ordinary villagers associate a man with power and believe that women should play subordinate roles.

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“Women’s voices are always disrespected even if we do command a lot of support in the communities and we know the issues that affect them.”

Muleya says the fact that she was a single mother complicated her political aspirations as unmarried women are looked down upon in her community.

“It’s not easy to convince people in a patriarchal society that you will be able to lead them when you are a woman,” she said.

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“It’s even worse when you are a single mother like me.”

Binga only has one female councillor out of 25 and has no female representative in the National Assembly or Senate.

Muleya’s story resonated with that of 51-year-old Juliana Muskwe, who has been contesting to be a Member of Parliament since 2013 on a ruling Zanu PF party  ticket.

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Muskwe from Tinde says her greatest hurdle is winning the confidence of traditional leaders, who are considered to be power brokers in rural constituencies such as Binga.

“I started contesting for political office in 2013 on a Zanu PF ticket in Binga South and I lost,” she said.

“I tried again in 2018, but I was not successful and I believe one of the reasons I lost is because I am a Tonga woman.

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“Our culture does not encourage women to become leaders and often our voices don’t matter during political campaigns.”

Muskwe said the patriarchal nature of society also made it difficult for women to support fellow female candidates as they were conditioned to believe that only men can lead.

“I have been to various countries such as Kenya and Ghana to learn about leadership,” she added.

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“I would come back emancipated and campaign to a point where l would be confident of winning, but when it comes to elections I will lose.

“I have been neglected by fellow women, who are also victims of patriarchy because they are told by men that we can’t lead.

“Our culture teaches us that women can’t stand in front of men at whatever platform and our community takes this to heart.”

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Muskwe has even been encouraged by fellow women to give up on her political ambitions because they feel she is wasting her time.

However, the tough talking activist is not giving up yet and plans to contest in Zanu PF primary elections for the Binga South parliamentary seat ahead of the 2023 elections.

“I want to articulate women’s issues in Parliament and also to give fellow women the confidence to stand up for things that matter to them,” Muskwe added.

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“After my experience where I have lost elections twice, I feel that I have a lot to offer in building the capacity of female leaders in Binga.”

Twenty-nine-year-old Lenziwe Nyoni said she will not let the hurdles encountered by women like Muskwe and Muleya stand in the way of her political ambitions, but does not want anything to do with party politics.

“I want to contest as an independent candidate because the dominant MDC Alliance party already has its own representatives (for the 2023 elections),” Nyoni said.

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“My wish is to speak for voiceless women and children in council so that they also get equal opportunities in education and employment.”

Zimbabwe’s new constitution adopted in 2013 sets a quota for female representatives in Parliament.

Analysis of party lists by the Women in Politics Support Unit shows that neither the ruling Zanu-PF, which has a 30% quota for women, nor the main opposition MDC Alliance, which boasted a 50% quota for women, have lived up to their manifestos.

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In 2018, 47 political parties fielded candidates and 20 of these did not field any women candidates.

Only two parties fielded only one woman each. In total, women comprised a mere 15% of candidates leaving 84 out of 210 constituencies contested by men only.

The constitution provides a quota of 60 seats set aside for proportional representation and this increased the number of female legislators from 16 to 34%.

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The 60 reserved seats for women are additional to any women elected to the other 210 National Assembly seats.

Similar provisions also apply to the Senate.

There are calls to extend the quota system to local government where women only comprise 14% of councillors in Zimbabwe’s urban and rural councils.

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President Emmerson Mnangagwa last year backed proposals made at the inaugural Women Councillors Indaba held in Victoria Falls for a quota for women in local government leadership positions.

The 2013 constitution also created the Zimbabwe Gender Commission whose mandate is to promote the elevation of women into leadership positions and defend their rights.

Zimbabwe is a signatory to many declarations aimed at increasing women’s participation in decision-making processes.

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They included the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa and the Southern African Development Community’s Gender and Development Protocol.

Prince Dubeko Sibanda, MDC Alliance chairperson for Matabeleland North, attributed the poor representation of women in leadership positions to cultural beliefs and at times lack of capacity.

“When I got into this position in 2013, I made sure that a woman was given the position unopposed, or at least challenged by another female candidate that is why we have one (councillor),” Sibanda said.

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“I think one of the reasons why women are not standing up for electoral positions is an issue of culture.

“While women make the majority of our political mobilisers in the district, when it comes to standing up and leading our culture generally indicates that men can lead and because of that we haven’t had many women standing up to take up leadership positions.

“We find that most women in terms of capacity they are lacking, especially women that participate in politics.”

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Sibanda said some educated women were not willing to join politics.

“You will find that most women, who are professionals or academically equipped don’t want to associate with politics,” he said.

“Those who tend to have an interest are poorly resourced and lack the confidence to challenge for political office.

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“But we are still busy trying to identify more and more women so that they can occupy these positions.”

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National

Chidzivo, Waison take top honors at Vic Falls Marathon

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

Blessing Waison and Fortunate Chidzivo took top honors at the 2025 Econet Victoria Falls Marathon yesterday, as Zimbabwean long-distance runners excelled at Africa’s most prestigious road race.

Econet General Manager – Marketing, Mrs Tariro Muchena (left), and Finance Director, Mr Chengeto Moyo, present the winner’s prize to men’s marathon champion, Blessing Waison, at the 2025 Econet Victoria Falls Marathon, while Victoria Falls Mayor, Mr Prince Moyo, looks on

The event, which featured athletes from over 40 countries, saw Waison storm to victory in the men’s full marathon, clocking 2 hours, 13 minutes, and 16 seconds. He narrowly beat decorated Olympian Isaac Mpofu in a thrilling duel that brought thousands of spectators to their feet.

Godwin Katakura followed closely in third, completing an all-Zimbabwean podium sweep in the 42.2km race. The trio’s success came with bigger rewards this year, after Econet Wireless doubled the total prize purse to $50,000.

Waison walked away with $3,000, while Mpofu and Katakura earned $2,000 and $1,500, respectively.

In the women’s marathon, Chidzivo delivered a commanding performance, clocking 2 hours and 42 minutes to claim another major title in her illustrious career. Ethel Pangiso and Phillipa Dube completed the women’s podium in second and third place, respectively.

Rising star Wayne Kabondo turned heads in the men’s 21km half marathon, overcoming a formidable field to finish in 1 hour, 3 minutes, and 44 seconds. Kabondo pocketed $1,500 for his efforts.

In the women’s 21km race, Caroline Mhandu crossed the line in 1 hour, 17 minutes, and 50 seconds, ahead of Miriam Sibanda and Melody Kaseke.

The marathon’s inclusive spirit was evident in the 18km Specially Abled Races, which saw uplifting performances across different categories. Godknows Hamadziripi claimed the men’s tricycle title, while Samson Muroyiwa won the handcycle event.

Among the women, Stella Jongwe triumphed in the handcycle race, and Ratidzo Tomu took first position in the tricycle category.

Organized by Econet Wireless in partnership with Wild Horizons, the 2025 edition drew over 5,000 participants and spectators from more than 40 countries. The marathon route, widely regarded as Africa’s most scenic, winds through game reserves and offers spectacular views of the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls.

https://x.com/vic_falls_live/status/1941861569450725776?s=46

Beyond the races, this year’s event featured live music, traditional dance, health expos, and community wellness activities.

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National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

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BY WANDILE TSHUMA 

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

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National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

Mandishara, who worked for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), was on patrol in the Gatche-gatche area with fellow rangers and police officers.

At around 10 pm, Mandishara returned to the harbor where their boat was docked, and that’s when he encountered the elephant. The elephant charged at him, causing fatal injuries. His colleagues were nearby, resupplying at the Gatche-gatche Irrigation Scheme.

Mandishara’s body was taken to Kariba District Hospital for a post-mortem, and the incident was reported to the police.

ZimParks has sent a team to manage the problem elephant and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Director General of ZimParks, Prof. Edson Gandiwa, and his team have sent condolences to Mandishara’s family, friends, and colleagues. Mandishara will be remembered for his dedication to wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.

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