I don't support cyber bullying and intimidation but I wonder at the timing of this upgraded bill. I am not belittling the need to protect people from this horrific crime but in light of the grave problems that Zimbabwe is currently facing I wouldn't have thought this particular crime in Zimbabwe would rank highest among all the problems that Zimbabwe currently has.
In the past year the Zimbabwean government has threatened people using social media to spread protest information with fines of $200 or imprisonment for 6 months and now that we are heading towards the 2018 elections they have upped the antics by increasing the fine up to a couple of thousand dollars and imprisonment of up to 10 years. Maybe I am being cynical but the government has a history of suppressing individuals from speaking out against them. In my mind I see this just as another ploy to intimidate and instil fear in anyone who stands up against them. Section IV of this amended bill is vague enough that anyone who speaks out against the government could be found guilty.
In a country where women are being raped and people robbed in broad daylight without the perpetrators being brought to justice the Zimbabwean government is willing to spend money to have people whom they deem to have broken this Cyber Law to be extradited to face persecution. Clearly their priorities are not right. They cannot solve the problems of unemployment, money shortages, lack of proper education and health facilities and yet cyber crime is a priority for them...this is ridiculous to say the least.
I want to see a change in Zimbabwe and this bill is one of the risks that I am willing to take to continue highlighting the human rights violations that are being perpetrated by the Zimbabwean government....I refuse to be suppressed!
Tuesday 29 August 2017
Tuesday 15 August 2017
Grace Mugabe the bully
Grace Mugabe was once quoted saying, ''As head of women's league Zimbabwe, my number one goal is to endeavour that no woman ever suffers from assault or violence of any kind and those who use violence against women shall face the full power of the law.'' In light of her attack on Sunday on a 20 year old defenceless woman this definitely indicates that she did not mean her words to apply to herself. The world is only now seeing the real Grace Mugabe that we the Zimbabwean people have always known.
The beating of Gabriella Engels by Grace Mugabe, whilst Grace's security forces stood by and watched, is a mirror image of what the Zimbabwean citizens are facing on a daily basis at the hands of those in government whilst those who are charged with protecting the citizens stand by and watch and in some instances take part in the abuse of people. Unlike other abuse incidents that have happened in Zimbabwe and have been suppressed by the government, Sunday's incident must have been a rude awakening to Grace, as she could not intimidate the young lady into not saying anything and also she could not control the narrative on how the information on the incident was disseminated. I as a Zimbabwean am sickened by the level of abuse against women in Zimbabwe. Women are being threatened, beaten and raped whilst those in authority stand by and watch. If those in authority cannot protect the citizens and are themselves the perpetrators of these heinous acts, then where can people turn to for help?
My prayer is that the incident in South Africa will also highlight the human rights abuses that have been perpetrated by Grace Mugabe and the Zimbabwean government. Now that the spotlight is on her my hope is that her day of reckoning is here and she will now, 'face the full power of the law.'
The beating of Gabriella Engels by Grace Mugabe, whilst Grace's security forces stood by and watched, is a mirror image of what the Zimbabwean citizens are facing on a daily basis at the hands of those in government whilst those who are charged with protecting the citizens stand by and watch and in some instances take part in the abuse of people. Unlike other abuse incidents that have happened in Zimbabwe and have been suppressed by the government, Sunday's incident must have been a rude awakening to Grace, as she could not intimidate the young lady into not saying anything and also she could not control the narrative on how the information on the incident was disseminated. I as a Zimbabwean am sickened by the level of abuse against women in Zimbabwe. Women are being threatened, beaten and raped whilst those in authority stand by and watch. If those in authority cannot protect the citizens and are themselves the perpetrators of these heinous acts, then where can people turn to for help?
My prayer is that the incident in South Africa will also highlight the human rights abuses that have been perpetrated by Grace Mugabe and the Zimbabwean government. Now that the spotlight is on her my hope is that her day of reckoning is here and she will now, 'face the full power of the law.'
Sunday 6 August 2017
Grace Mugabe a tyrant in her own right!
In our Zimbabwean local dialect we say, 'Imba mukadzi' which when translated means that 'the home is a woman'. As first lady Grace is that woman that we as a country should be looking to as a mother figure but she has failed in that duty by abusing the power of her position by brow beating the poor out of their homes, manipulating her way to get ahead and by ignoring her duty of care towards the citizens of Zimbabwe.
Despite already owning hectares of land that she took from the white farmers she has continued to displace vulnerable families in the bid to own more land and to increase her wealth. This year the residents of Arnold Farm in Mazowe found themselves homeless all because Grace Mugabe wanted that farm. Even though there was a court order saying that these evictions were unlawful, Grace proved that she is above the law and still had these families removed from that farm, with no consequences against her, from the government for such action. Are these the actions of someone who cares for her people?. She built a high school on what used to be the Mazowe Citrus Estate, that she claimed was for the poor and orphaned children and yet charges a staggering US$3500 per term. Most people in Zimbabwe can hardly afford to feed themselves let alone pay such amounts to cover for school fees. In displacing families for her own gain not only has she shown herself to be selfish but also greedy.
Grace Mugabe is well known for her political manoeuvring and public tirades against people who she deems to be against her and President Robert Mugabe. At one of the political rallies some years ago whilst Joice Mujuru was still Vice President and a favourite to take over as President upon Mugabe's death, she accused her of plotting to assassinate President Mugabe. She then used her influence to convince her husband to expel Joice Mujuru and her supporters from the ZANU PF party and this resulted in Joice Mujuru losing her post as Vice President. She is also linked to the G40 faction that is said to be opposed to the current Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeding President Mugabe. To my way of thinking it seems like she is trying to push aside anyone other than herself who could become President after Robert Mugabe's death.
Grace Mugabe has definitely shown aspirations that she wants to become Zimbabwe's next president as she was quoted at a rally outside of Harare in 2014 as saying, 'They say I want to be President, why not? Am I not Zimbabwean?' That's a very scary thought! Under her leadership as first lady there has been nothing but destruction and I shudder to think what our beautiful Zimbabwe would look like under her full leadership. Some people are born to lead and others are followers....Grace is definitely a follower!
Despite already owning hectares of land that she took from the white farmers she has continued to displace vulnerable families in the bid to own more land and to increase her wealth. This year the residents of Arnold Farm in Mazowe found themselves homeless all because Grace Mugabe wanted that farm. Even though there was a court order saying that these evictions were unlawful, Grace proved that she is above the law and still had these families removed from that farm, with no consequences against her, from the government for such action. Are these the actions of someone who cares for her people?. She built a high school on what used to be the Mazowe Citrus Estate, that she claimed was for the poor and orphaned children and yet charges a staggering US$3500 per term. Most people in Zimbabwe can hardly afford to feed themselves let alone pay such amounts to cover for school fees. In displacing families for her own gain not only has she shown herself to be selfish but also greedy.
Grace Mugabe is well known for her political manoeuvring and public tirades against people who she deems to be against her and President Robert Mugabe. At one of the political rallies some years ago whilst Joice Mujuru was still Vice President and a favourite to take over as President upon Mugabe's death, she accused her of plotting to assassinate President Mugabe. She then used her influence to convince her husband to expel Joice Mujuru and her supporters from the ZANU PF party and this resulted in Joice Mujuru losing her post as Vice President. She is also linked to the G40 faction that is said to be opposed to the current Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeding President Mugabe. To my way of thinking it seems like she is trying to push aside anyone other than herself who could become President after Robert Mugabe's death.
Grace Mugabe has definitely shown aspirations that she wants to become Zimbabwe's next president as she was quoted at a rally outside of Harare in 2014 as saying, 'They say I want to be President, why not? Am I not Zimbabwean?' That's a very scary thought! Under her leadership as first lady there has been nothing but destruction and I shudder to think what our beautiful Zimbabwe would look like under her full leadership. Some people are born to lead and others are followers....Grace is definitely a follower!
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