Join WOZA’s campaign. Fill out the following timesheet and deliver it to your local ZESA office: ZESA Power Cut Timesheet

Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) members began to deliver protest notes directly to suburban and city ZESA head offices in April 2007. Our members were complaining about poor service and inefficient billing systems. They complained that they could not afford the high bills and on top of that buy candles, matches, paraffin and firewood. Three years later, our issues remain ignored members organised for protests in April 2010. The peaceful protests were mobilised after members decided they needed to put direct pressure on ZESA to provide a more efficient service and fair and affordable billing system.

Members also attended public meetings of the Competition and Tariff Commission in Harare and Bulawayo. They directly asked questions and made submissions, including a request for prepaid meters so that people only have to pay for the electricity that they use. Members also questioned why their electricity bills are so high when they don’t have a regular electricity supply and why Zimbabwe was supplying electricity to other countries when there is not adequate supply for this country. They want properly publicised load shedding timetables. In many areas members go for days, sometimes weeks without electricity. They also complained about ‘estimated bills’. They want ‘actual’ bills. Those present were not all happy with the responses given by the ZETDC chairman, Mr. Muchai.  In Bulawayo, two members were briefly detained by plain-clothed police officers. They were searched and had their ‘yellow cards’ confiscated.

On 12th April 2010, Bulawayo members marched to ZESA offices in Lobengula Street to deliver yellow cards to ZESA for poor service and high tariffs. When members arrived at the Lobengula Street offices officials quickly closed the gates and locked the doors, refusing to come out to receive the ‘yellow card’, which had to be posted under the door. Again on 15 April, Harare members of WOZA marched to ZESA’s Megawatt House. Once again ZESA officials refused to come out and address the peaceful group so ‘yellow cards’ had to be posted under the door. Riot police armed with tear gas and shotguns arrived and ZESA security guards insisted that riot police arrest WOZA’s National Coordinator Jenni Williams. 65 members responded in solidarity. Police however decided to detain Williams, Mahlangu, Manjengwa and Madukani.  They spent 6 days in custody and were released without charges because the Attorney General refused to prosecute them.

While the four activists languished in filthy conditions, President Robert Mugabe and other politicians were grandstanding at the Independence Day celebration. Mugabe spoke of the need for Zimbabweans to “foster an environment of tolerance and treating each other with dignity and respect irrespective of age, gender, race, ethnicity, tribe, political or religious affiliation.” Empty words without meaning.

After the release of the four leaders, a message was received from ZESA Chief Executive Officer that he wanted to apologise but WOZA is still waiting for an appointment. It appears that the electricity provider would rather have its paying customers arrested than dialogue with them about their concerns. This arrogant behavior is further confirmation that ZESA is not interested in providing a service to Zimbabweans but is only interested in taking advantage of their need for a basic requirement. Since the protests, WOZA leaders conducted a further consultation and over 4,000 members raised the following issues:

This is a member’s typical budget.

WE THEREFORE GIVE ZESA A SECOND YELLOW CARD AND MAKE THE FOLLOWING DEMANDS:

1. Members face power cuts of up to 18 hours! We urgently need proper timetables of load shedding that you will obey.
2. It is well done to ZESA for making electricity saving bulbs available at a cheaper price but we still cannot afford these. Please can ZESA make firewood, candles and matches available at affordable prices. We are worried about the damage to the environment caused by the cutting down of trees but we still need to cook food.
3. This is our final plea for ZESA to do something for the fixed meter consumers who are being cheated. They are willing to pay for the electricity used but you must give them discounts when there is no electricity.
4. Urgently put in place a proper and transparent billing system. Metered consumers will only pay ACTUAL bills. Stop sending us inflated estimates.
5. ZESA should immediately create a smoother process of customer’s claims for compensation. Many people have lost household goods and homes because of power surges.
6. There needs to be a better balance between your staff and equipment payments. Review your staff complement and salary scale. We, the consumers cannot afford to pay the bill for highly paid staff members who do not perform as expected and loot ZESA resources and infrastructure. Review recruitment policy urgently and recruit professionals, not relatives or friends. We are also sure that less luxury cars will mean more transformers for us.
7. ZESA be aware that you have a role to play in community safety and power cuts mean increased muggings and rape.
8. Some hospitals are facing 8-hour power cuts. We demand ZESA to ring mark hospitals as they are essential services and should not face power cuts. Please can there be dignity in death - mortuaries cannot be cut off.
9. Members expressed disappointment that the parliament Competition and Tariff Commission public hearings merely gave ZESA an opportunity to defend themselves instead of genuinely examining if it was time to remove the monopoly or alternatively to discuss the option of returning electricity to city council. We DEMAND that parliament convene further hearings on this issue.
10. Members using fixed meters advised ZESA that the current service only deserved a US$5 payment and not payment calculated for a full service. Along with the warning, members are prepared to pay US$15 if they get 24 hours 7 days a week service. There has been no improvement, so we are going to record the exact hours we receive electricity for the last two weeks of May. After calculating, if there is no improvement, WOZA will give ZESA a red card and “suspension’. A suspension means a ZERO service ZERO bill boycott of payments from 1st June 2010.

Zimbabweans, we DESERVE a better service. Let us demand power to the people. Let us hold hands to fight the darkness brought to us by ZESA. Fill out the power cut timesheet above and deliver it to your local ZESA office to prove how you are being affected by the power cuts.

WOZA members arrest themselves in solidarity outside ZESA headquarters in Harare

The four WOZA members arrested on Thursday outside ZESA headquarters, Jenni Williams, Magodonga Mahlangu, Clara Manjengwa and Celina Madukani, have finally been released from police custody after spending five nights in cells. The Attorney General’s office refused to press charges against the four women due to lack of sufficient evidence. The women did not appear in court as defence lawyer, Harrison Nkomo, spoke directly with the Attorney General’s office. Officers from the Law and Order Department at Harare Central had tried to force the women to pay ‘admission of guilt’ fines on Saturday to ‘buy’ their freedom. WOZA will now being suing the Zimbabwe Republic Police for wrongful arrest and detention.

The four women endured hellish conditions in the cells - the worst that these veteran activists who have been detained on numerous occasions have ever seen. All women require medical treatment for a rash all over their bodies and diahorrea due to the filthy conditions and flu symptoms from the cold conditions. Their bodies also ache from being forced to sit and sleep on cold concrete for six days.

The corridors and floor of the female cells were covered in urine and human faeces due to blocked toilets and only sporadic water supply. The women were also initially subjected to verbal abuse from police officers until the nonviolent activists refused to accept the abuse. By the end of their detention however, many officers were supportive. What is clear is that police officers also have to work in these inhuman and degrading conditions.

The human rights defenders can also testify to the large-scale corruption being practiced in the cells. Bribery is rife; with bribes being paid by prisoners to secure their speedy release from the horrific conditions. The sale of mbanje (marijuana) is also commonplace.

WOZA is relieved that the four women have finally been released and would like to thank all friends and supporters that phoned the police station or communicated their support. Jenni, Magodonga, Clara and Celina appreciate the solidarity. Nonetheless, WOZA would also like to express outrage at their detention for six days in horrendous conditions when police officers knew that there was insufficient evidence. This malicious harassment of human rights defenders is continued evidence that very little has changed in Zimbabwe despite the formation of a unity government over a year ago and the conciliatory words of the President a few days ago. The insistence of ZESA employees that the peaceful activists be arrested will also be remembered. It appears that the electricity provider would rather have its paying customers arrested than dialogue with them about their concerns. This arrogant behavior is further confirmation that ZESA is not interested in providing a service to Zimbabweans but is only interested in taking advantage of their need for a basic requirement.

To read a copy of the yellow card the WOZA protestors were delivering to ZESA, click here: ZESA yellow card

To read a copy of WOZA’s report on electricity services in Zimbabwe, click here: WOZA report on ZESA

WOZA members arrest themselves in solidarity outside ZESA headquaters in Harare

Watch video footage of the demonstration here: WOZA ZESA demo Harare 15.04.10

In his Independence Day address today, President Robert Mugabe spoke of the need for Zimbabweans to “foster an environment of tolerance and treating each other with dignity and respect irrespective of age, gender, race, ethnicity, tribe, political or religious affiliation.” At the same time, four WOZA activists, Jenni Williams, Magodonga Mahlangu, Clara Manjengwa and Celina Madukani were spending their fourth day in the cold, dark, filthy cells of Harare Central Police Station. Their crime? Exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest and asking electricity service provider, ZESA, to improve their service and revise their flawed billing system. The demonstration in which the four women were arrested, together with 61 comrades who were released without charge later the same day, was entirely peaceful. The women have not been formally charged by police and yet have been subjected to an extended detention. Is this the tolerance, dignity and respect that the President is referring to?

Detention in appalling conditions is the reality for human rights defenders in Zimbabwe. 30 years of independence from colonial rule is an achievement worthy of commemoration. How much sweeter would it have been if the party that helped to liberate the people of Zimbabwe was now not actively involved in their oppression? It is time that the promises of the liberation war are delivered to the people of Zimbabwe.

Please continue to call Harare Central Police Station on (+263 4) 777777 or (+263 4) 736931 or (+263 4) 725803 or (+263 4) 733033 or (+263 4) 721212 to ask police officers why they are continuing to detain the WOZA activists and insist that they not be mistreated in custody.

To read a copy of the yellow card the WOZA protestors were delivering to ZESA, click here: ZESA yellow card

To read a copy of WOZA’s report on electricity services in Zimbabwe, click here: WOZA report on ZESA

WOZA members arrest themselves in solidarity outside ZESA headquaters in Harare

Watch video footage of the demonstration here: WOZA ZESA demo Harare 15.04.10

Jenni Williams, Magodonga Mahlangu, Clara Manjengwa and Celina Madukani will remain in custody until Tuesday 20th when they will be taken to court. The four women have yet to be formally charged. Police officers tried to force the activists to pay admission of guilt fines, which they refused to do as no offence had been committed.

The continued detention of the women is once again a clear indication that harassment of human rights defenders continues unchecked under the government of national unity and makes a mockery of the Independence celebrations that no doubt will be taking place across Zimbabwe this weekend. 30 years later, the majority of ordinary Zimbabweans still do not enjoy the fruits of freedom. The promises of the liberation war have not been delivered to Zimbabweans who struggle to survive every day, wondering how they will feed their children tomorrow. Human rights and dignity denied to women, men and children who wish that the great achievement of 30 years of independence from colonial rule was something that could be celebrated. There is very little to celebrate in the cold, dark cells of Harare Central Police Station.

Please continue to call Harare Central Police Station on (+263 4) 777777 or (+263 4) 736931 or (+263 4) 725803 or (+263 4) 733033 or (+263 4) 721212 to ask police officers why they are continuing to detain the WOZA activists and insist that they not be mistreated in custody.

WOZA members arrest themselves in solidarity outside ZESA headquaters in Harare

The four WOZA women arrested at the ZESA headquarters in Harare yesterday, Jenni Williams, Magodonga Mahlangu, Clara Manjengwa and Celina Madukani, remain in police custody. They have still not been formally charged. Their lawyer, Harrison Nkomo of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, was granted access to them this afternoon. They are in good spirits despite the appalling conditions in Harare Central Police Station. Law and Order officers will decide tomorrow morning what charges they will prefer against the four activists. Due to the public holiday on Monday, if the women are not taken to court tomorrow morning they will remain in custody until Tuesday at the very least.

It has also emerged that a 23-year-old MOZA member, Timothy Katyora, was beaten in Harare Central Police Station yesterday by six uniformed officers. The young man was with a group of activists who presented themselves at the Charge Office attempting to hand themselves in in solidarity with their arrested comrades. Timothy was hauled away from the rest of the group into the guard room and beaten over the head by six officers, who were questioning him constantly about what he was doing there. After being beaten for several minutes, he was chased out of the police station. Timothy received medical treatment for bruising and headaches this morning.

The arrest and continued detention of the four women for exercising their constitutional right to demand a fair service for the electricity that they pay for makes a mockery of the Independence celebrations that no doubt will be taking place across Zimbabwe this weekend. 30 years later, the majority of ordinary Zimbabweans still do not enjoy the fruits of freedom. The promises of the liberation war have not been delivered to Zimbabweans who struggle to survive every day, wondering how they will feed their children tomorrow. Human rights and dignity denied to women, men and children who wish that the great achievement of 30 years of independence from colonial rule was something that could be celebrated. There is very little to celebrate in the cold, dark cells of Harare Central Police Station.

Please continue to call Harare Central Police Station on (+263 4) 777777 or (+263 4) 736931 or (+263 4) 725803 or (+263 4) 733033 or (+263 4) 721212 to demand that the WOZA activists be taken to court tomorrow and that they not be mistreated in custody.

Watch footage from the demonstration here: ZESA demo Hre 16.04.10

WOZA members arrest themselves in solidarity outside ZESA headquaters in Harare

61 of the 65 members, including juveniles, arrested outside ZESA headquarters in Harare earlier today have been released without charge. Four members, Jenni Williams, Magodonga Mahlangu, Clara Manjengwa and Celina Madukani, remain in custody and will spend the night in cells. They are being charged with participating in an illegal gathering.

Please continue to call Harare Central Police Station on (+263 4) 777777 or (+263 4) 736931 or (+263 4) 725803 or (+263 4) 733033 or (+263 4) 721212 to demand that the WOZA activists be taken to court tomorrow and that they not be mistreated in custody.

Watch footage from the demonstration here: clip-21

The peaceful group waited patiently for management of ZESA to come and address them to no avail. Finally, riot police, armed with tear gas and shotguns arrived. ZESA security guards insisted that they arrest Jenni Williams, WOZA’s National Coordinator, who had been attempting to persuade management to come and address the crowd. Police officer initially demurred but the ZESA security guards insisted until the riot police arrested Williams. When the protestors saw the arrest of their comrades, many handed themselves in in solidarity, jumping into the police vehicles to ‘arrest’ themselves. Others followed to Harare Central Police Station where they also tried to hand themselves in but were turned away. Approximately 70 members are currently in custody in Harare Central Police Station, including Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu. Human rights lawyers are in attendance.

As with the peaceful protest in Bulawayo on Monday, the demonstration sought to put pressure on ZESA to provide a more efficient service and billing system and to stop taking advantage of economic problems to bill people excessively for a substandard service. The ‘yellow card’ serves as a month’s notice to ZESA to shape up or face ’suspension’. WOZA/MOZA also threaten to mobilise for a ZERO service ZERO bill boycott.

The protestors received immense support from bystanders and from people who were at Megawatt House to complain about high bills. One resident of Glen View high density suburb showed WOZA leaders his monthly electricity bill of USD 1,681.50.

It is believed that there is absolutely no electricity in any of the police cells at Harare Central Police Station. This is obviously a cause for concern should the activists be detained overnight. Please phone Harare Central Police Station on +263 4 777777 to demand that the WOZA activists be released immediately.

To read a copy of WOZA’s yellow card, click here: ZESA yellow card

To read a copy of WOZA’s report on electricity services in Zimbabwe, click here: WOZA report on ZESA

Two hundred members of WOZA and MOZA attended the public meeting in order to present their views to the Commission on ZESA. As the delegation were due to answer questions, two members, Million and Mavis Sibanda, took the opportunity to go to the toilets, which are in the reception foyer. As soon as they entered the foyer, they were grabbed by two plain clothed police officers who searched their bags. The police officers then insisted the two members accompany them to Central Police Station. This incident took place under the eyes of the Commission Secretary who was registering attendance in the foyer.

WOZA National Coordinator announced to the meeting of the arrest of the two members, asking the Commission and the Permanent Secretary of Energy and Development to explain this harassment when members had come to engage ZESA as consumers. She then called on the members present to hand over their ‘yellow cards’ and leave. Whereupon all 200 members present processed to the front stage to hand over the cards and walked out.

WOZA leaders then questioned the Commission Secretary as to why these people had been arrested and she referred the matter to her boss. Two of the ‘bosses’ came out of the function and were informed of the arrests. They agreed that as organisers they would follow up and asked WOZA members to come back in to the meeting. They declined until their members were released.

At the police station, Million and Mavis were being interrogated as to their objective in the meeting and a bunch of ‘yellow cards’ found on Million were confiscated. They were mwade to narrate their life history which was noted down on a profile form. Some other police officers then apparently came to their rescue asking why they had been arrested. Upon hearing the explanation, they said they are also suffering from high electricity bills and long cuts and that WOZA should be allowed to protest on this issue. They then insisted the two WOZA members should be released. Upon confirmation of their release, the rest of the WOZA members went back into the meeting.

WOZA would like to condemn the continued harassment of human rights defenders and questions the commitment of the state to allow citizens to participate in public forums.

To read a copy of WOZA’s ‘yellow card’, click here: ZESA yellow card

To read a copy of WOZA’s report on electricity services in Zimbabwe, click here: WOZA report on ZESA

Four simultaneous protests converged on the Lobengula Street offices but officials quickly closed the gates and locked the doors, refusing to come out to receive the ‘yellow card’. The peaceful protests were mobilised after members decided they needed to put direct pressure on ZESA to provide a more efficient service and fair and affordable billing system.

The issue of ZESA needing a telling-off seemed to have wide support and both vendors and bystanders joined in the protest. The protestors sang a popular song: ZESA - into oyenzayo siyizonda (ZESA we hate this thing you are doing). Police officers who responded on foot and by vehicle were heard to support the protest through direct comments to WOZA members. One police officer said to a member, “you are back from telling ZESA off? Well done keep it up.”

As the peaceful group tried to persuade ZESA officials to come out and received the yellow cards, business activities in the ZESA building and at the police headquarters opposite came to a halt, with staff seen peering over the walls and out of windows supporting the protest. A ZESA employee was overheard saying, “maybe we will get paid on time now because of this pressure.”

WOZA leaders knocked at the door to the offices for over 15 minutes trying to get the ZESA officials to come and receive the ‘yellow cards’. People dressed up as ‘bosses’ were seen converging at the reception giving instructions to the receptionist and also trying to call on their mobile phones. They refused to come to the door to receive the ‘yellow cards’, but once these were posted under the door, they quickly came to collect them. The thousand-strong procession then dispersed, walking calmly past the police vehicle, which was parking to monitor the protest. 11 police officers just stood and watched. After the crowd had dispersed a ZESA employee came out and started to kick the placards onto the street but a police officer told him to stop and pick them up nicely. The same vehicle was then seen driving around town for 30 minutes monitoring the dispersing of members, including the tailing of WOZA leaders, Williams and Mahlangu.

The ‘yellow card’ for ZESA comes with a warning to shape up their service during the month of May or face a ZERO service ZERO bill boycott of payments from 1st June 2010. Members using fixed meters advised ZESA that the current service only deserved a US$5 payment rather than the current level of payment calculated for a full service.

Along with the warning members are only willing to pay US$15 for 24 hours 7 days a week service. Consumers are aware of an ongoing consultative process to look at tariffs. This process is at the public hearing stage hosted by the parliament appointed Competition and Tariff Commission.  The card serves as a months notice to shape up or face ’suspension’.

WOZA is a community based social movement of 70,000 members countrywide and as such have capacity to mobilise a boycott.

To read a copy of the WOZA ‘yellow card’, click here: ZESA yellow card

For a full copy of WOZA’s report on electricity services in Zimbabwe, click here: WOZA report on ZESA - April 2010

WOZA is clear about what it want - a placard at the protest in Bulawayo 08.03.10

SIX HUNDRED members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) marched to the High Court in Bulawayo today in protest against the utterances of the Minister of Education, Senator David Coltart, made in Parliament last week. The Minister said that he would not stop teachers from receiving the illegal incentive payments demanded from parents. Minister Coltart had been invited to receive a petition that the peaceful demonstrators were delivering but could not attend due to a prior commitment. A clerk at the court received the petition instead.

WOZA vigorously oppose the practice of teachers refusing to teach children until their parents provide them with cash incentives. These ‘top-ups’, over and above the usual school fees and school levies which most parents are unable to afford anyway, are just another nail in the coffin of the education system in Zimbabwe. In a recent report on education released in January 2010, entitled ‘Looking Back to Look Forward - a WOZA perspective on education in Zimbabwe’, WOZA demanded that the Ministry of Education stop this practice immediately. It is therefore incredibly disheartening for the Minister to publicly state that they have no intention of doing so.

Four simultaneous protests began and converged upon the High Court. Police officers and clerks at the court merely watched the peaceful protest, listening to the song sung by the demonstrators - “women are crying for an education for their children. Their tears are sorrowful.”  WOZA chose International Women’s Day for the protest as the education of their children is an issue close to the heart of every mother.

WOZA National Coordinator, Jenni Williams addressed members outside the Court, explaining that Minister Coltart’s utterances in parliament were unfortunate as they promoted illegal incentives and corruption. Magodonga Mahlangu lead the singing and sloganeering that finally dispersed the peaceful group.

After the protest dispersed, two plain-clothed police officers cornered Williams and Mahlangu outside the Post Office. As they called for back up the activists calmly walked away.

WOZA leaders were recently summoned by the co-ministers of Home Affairs and instructed to notify police of any processions despite the fact that WOZA does not need to notify police under the current exceptions as it is not a political organisation. Before being dismissed, Minister Giles Mutsekwa of the MDC delivered a subtle threat that they could be ambushed on their return to Bulawayo that day.  It is unclear as to if it was intended as an active threat but in the current security situation, activists remain vigilant about continued reports of threats on civic society leaders.