Bulawayo-Women of Zimbabwe Arise (Woza) activists in Bulawayo yesterday blocked major city roads, disrupting traffic while demanding that devolution of power be included in the new constitution.
Several women were seen lying prostrate on the roads, forcing motorists to stop at the intersection of Main Street and 8th Avenue. They were demanding that motorists blow their horns in support of devolution.
Woza leader Jenni Williams confirmed the development and said seven of the women were arrested.
Police could, however, not confirm the arrests. Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Mandla Moyo said he was out of town and could therefore not confirm the incident.
“I cannot confirm that,” he said. “I wouldn’t know. I am on the outskirts of town.”
Williams told NewsDay in an interview that the protests, held under the code name “Die-in”, saw members of her pressure group “faking death” as a symbol that “Bulawayo is dying and residents will soon become refugees in their own city”.
“Two of the three planned protests took place whilst the third was stopped by riot police who followed the activists for over 30 minutes as they tried to regroup,” Williams said.
According to Williams, yesterday’s “street occupation” was part of a long-drawn campaign to push for a devolved governance system.
“We not only want devolution of power to be enshrined in the constitution but to be implemented as well,” she said.
The placard-waving activists also marched across the city streets, distributing leaflets.
Most motorists supported the campaign, blowing their horns as they drove along the streets.
“Woza feels that the reason the economy and cities like Bulawayo are being left to die lies in the political culture of centralised power and resource control,” she said. “Woza is of the view that a key way to change this destructive culture is through a devolved system of government which must be adopted as a principle in the new constitution.”
Some of the posters read: “We demand an end to police and military occupation of our streets, they are our streets! We will occupy them; “exercising our right to peaceful protests, freedom of assembly and expression”, “Bulawayo and Matabeleland are dying. The elite have killed Bulawayo”.
Police were also seen manning various street corners around the city soon after the Woza demonstrations.
Woza leader Jenni Williams confirmed the development and said seven of the women were arrested.
Police could, however, not confirm the arrests. Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Mandla Moyo said he was out of town and could therefore not confirm the incident.
“I cannot confirm that,” he said. “I wouldn’t know. I am on the outskirts of town.”
Williams told NewsDay in an interview that the protests, held under the code name “Die-in”, saw members of her pressure group “faking death” as a symbol that “Bulawayo is dying and residents will soon become refugees in their own city”.
“Two of the three planned protests took place whilst the third was stopped by riot police who followed the activists for over 30 minutes as they tried to regroup,” Williams said.
According to Williams, yesterday’s “street occupation” was part of a long-drawn campaign to push for a devolved governance system.
“We not only want devolution of power to be enshrined in the constitution but to be implemented as well,” she said.
The placard-waving activists also marched across the city streets, distributing leaflets.
Most motorists supported the campaign, blowing their horns as they drove along the streets.
“Woza feels that the reason the economy and cities like Bulawayo are being left to die lies in the political culture of centralised power and resource control,” she said. “Woza is of the view that a key way to change this destructive culture is through a devolved system of government which must be adopted as a principle in the new constitution.”
Some of the posters read: “We demand an end to police and military occupation of our streets, they are our streets! We will occupy them; “exercising our right to peaceful protests, freedom of assembly and expression”, “Bulawayo and Matabeleland are dying. The elite have killed Bulawayo”.
Police were also seen manning various street corners around the city soon after the Woza demonstrations.
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