She was so badly beaten across her breasts that they swelled for days and later pus accumulated inside them. She had to visit the hospital everyday for almost a week to get the pus squeezed out. Jane* had committed the “serious crime” of participating in a demonstration to demand that the voices of ordinary Zimbabweans be included in the SADC mediated talks.

Little Trish may well go down in the annals of this country as among the youngest individuals ever to be arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). Only 3 months old and with only two nappies at hand, she and her mother were illegally detained for four days in prison. Learning of this cruelty through the media, well-wishers donated some nappies but the police decided Trish had no right to clean diapers and kept them away.

This is what life has typically become for members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA – meaning “come forward”). Illegal detentions, assault, death threats, physical and mental torture, humiliating and degrading treatment, you name it. Anything to break the spirit of these human rights defenders who’ve succeeded in becoming a nuisance to state agents while fighting for the rights of all of us.

These women are often incarcerated in extremely bad conditions where they are deliberately crowded into police cells designed for much smaller numbers. The cells are filthy, containing human excrement, fleas and lice. The blankets – if provided – are in the same condition. The toilet normally doesn’t flush and the women are denied sanitary pads.

In detention they also undergo degrading treatment like being forced to remove underwear – a particular fetish for some police officers. They are tortured through falanga – beating the feet soles of their feet, or are made to stand for long periods with bent knees (known as air chairs).

WOZA has thus just released a damning report: The Effects of Fighting Repression with Love that documents the nature and extent of violence experienced by WOZA at the hands of repressive state apparatus (police, army, and intelligence).

According to Wozani Moyo of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, “The targeted abuse at WOZA is systematic and meant to weaken democratic movement in the country.” It is also meant to intimidate and deter them from participating in further civic action.

But WOZA women are determined. They have persevered in spite of recurrent harassment and mistreatment. They withstand the pain and are prepared to suffer anytime for the sake of a brighter future for their children, and to stand up for their rights. According to WOZA, this is “tough love” which is an appropriate response to the crisis in Zimbabwe and a cause to apply pressure upon the Zimbabwe government through peaceful protest.

The report not only seeks to document abuses against WOZA women; it also aims to bring to the attention of Zimbabweans and the international community at large their bravery in trying to make a difference.

With a membership of over 55 000, WOZA continue on their journey to demand freedom chanting slogans like Strike A Woman, Strike A Rock!

*Not her real name

To get a driver’s license in Zimbabwe has become one big hurdle for most would-be drivers. No matter how good a driver you are if you don’t cough up some Z$850million (inflation adjustable), you risk being stuck at the CMED stage for a very long time. Sometimes you fail a test for even the smallest, possibly forgivable mistakes like straddling your parallel parking white line with only two inches of your back wheel. However, your instructor would have told you point blank: pay Z$850million – you still take the test with a lot of leniency that in essence guarantees a pass. Pay a billion, and you need never go for the test at all. Just get your pass mark and proceed to VID where you can also pay your way for possibly double the amount. Oh, and these charges also vary according to the conceptual basis of what Dennis Nyandoro described as ‘speed markets’. The more elite or better dressed you look, the higher the cost. But then again, for most would-be drivers the question of moral integrity shapes the final way forward.

Speaking of morals, this was a contentious issue on this week’s 3rd Degree on SA’s e.tv. I’m probably developing a fetish for the show but the topic discussed wouldn’t stop gnawing at me for awhile. Apparently SA’s taxi rank operators (a.k.a. hwindis in Zim) have silently declared most taxi ranks no- go areas for mini-skirts. (Criteria of classification of such lies within their discretion). Women clad in short skirts have had them ripped off. Some have reported being stripped naked and having fingers poked into their private parts and other forms of sexual abuse. Some have even been followed and raped or stabbed. In Zimbabwe, although not as severe, most women suffer in silence the subtle sexual harassment that often manifests itself in rude whistling, suggestive remarks and gestures; or a quick grope on the breasts or buttocks in worst cases. 3rd Degree’s Debra Patta has, over the months, developed a talent for irritating a lot of people by her hard-hitting, aggressive interviewing techniques. But for the open-minded who are interested in getting answers, hers is one of the best ways of extracting them.

The hwindis interviewed (who sounded idiotic or were simply camera shy) seemed convinced that women who wore thigh revealing skirts were looking to and deserved to be raped. Although their arguments were hardly discernible beyond something to do with culture and their “harassed sexual feelings”, Patta kept insisting to whoever would listen that what women wore was not their business and they ought to learn to check their “childish sexual feelings and concentrate on the road”. One of the male passengers interviewed said something along the lines of:

“We all know that prostitutes have historically adapted such kind of dressing to lure men. Prostitutes are an eyesore and are the major drivers of moral decadence. If you agree to the fact that prostitutes generally wear minis for their trade, and then you wear them yourself, what will you be communicating? What’s the point? If you dress like that yourself and expect us to treat you with respect, you’d have to be joking”.

I got the feeling she was fighting a losing battle although I applaud the fact that she tackled the issue. Although I subscribe to the right to wear what you want where you want; I still feel the hwindis have a point even though we will not be bothered to hear it or seek to understand it from their perspective. I mean, I have been to many a workshop or other social gatherings like kitchen parties where women tell each other and agree amongst themselves that men are childish, or ought to be treated like children and this is often a good enough reason to excuse infidelity. Men are simply childish in that area. Most women then act accordingly by prepping themselves up to stay young and desirable and even going to the extent of consulting a n’anga so that their men don’t ‘stray’. If this is acceptable (that men are childish and naturally cheat) and understandable, why then is it so hard to imagine that some men (childishly) find mini-skirts sexually ‘harassing’ (in short arousing?).

Personally, though not a man and probably biased in the sense that I’m no huge fan of any kind of skirt anyway, I still find some of the skirts on our young girls quite offensive in the feeling-ashamed-for-them way. I’d welcome comments on what others feel or think about this issue because I’m not sure we are at the stage we should be forcing our rights to dress down chauvinist throats but rather, like domestic violence, we should be seeking conscientization and understanding through mainstreaming ideas around dress sensitivity.

I thought I never had any opinion of Dr Simba Makoni until I had the opportunity to watch an exclusive interview he gave to South Africa’s E.TV 3rd Degree show. Although I know a lot of Zimbabweans neither had privilege or opportunity to watch it, I know it would have really cleared the air for those who are not so sure whether to vote for him or not. I must say, that even after Debra Patta’s infamous 30 minutes of hard-hitting, straight-forward confrontation, I felt I knew Dr Makoni much less.

The man just wouldn’t be engaged, constantly evading questions with obscure answers and responses like, “Don’t put words into my mouth”. Or “You are best asking so-and-so that question,” etc. Asked what he thought of Morgan Tsvangirai for President he initially had nothing to say but later described him as a patriot who was simply standing up for what he believes in.

Asked what his opinion of Mugabe was – considering the history of Gukurahundi – and what he would do about him if he became President, Makoni retorted that he respected Mugabe as a leader and for what he achieved, and concerning the Gukurahundi atrocities, he would welcome some evidence concerning that matter. Hello? Was this guy on the moon? What a denialist and, how so deeply insulting. One must keep in mind that this guy is also ready to give Mugabe amnesty. He also claims to not have heard about the army chief saying they will not support or salute any other candidate save for Mugabe. Man …

Asked what he made of the criticism leveled against him and how he felt towards Mugabe for “leading Zimbabwe into its economic decline where inflation is soaring and people are starving”, he told the interviewer he felt “sad” for Mugabe and had no ill feelings towards him. Not that one expected him to engage in the diatribe of mudslinging and name calling now characteristic of Zanu PF, but eish, his complacency really smacks of a boot licker with so much Zanu PF blood running thick in him. Or probably he is just a true gentleman. Go figure.

Here are some of the questions that kept burning in my head after the show – why does this guy sound so apologetic? Why is he so prepared to grant amnesty to President Mugabe? And for crying in a bucket, what does he mean when he says he doesn’t stand against Mugabe but rather, stands for something else? What is the difference anyway?

Many people have, from the beginning, been convinced that Makoni was just a ‘stalking horse’ for Mugabe. Many hypotheses and theories around his candidature have been flying around. Above all, it is undeniable that voter registration did increase significantly following his announcement. But if this guy is raising the hopes of many Zimbabweans under false pretenses, I feel sad for him, to use his words. If you want more insight and probably something to help you decide how you are going to vote on March 29, visit the full transcript of Makoni’s interview here. Personally, I’m not sure what to think anymore.

And as a matter of interest, TV SA is currently running a forum where people echo their sentiments concerning the Makoni interview. You can view it here. I must say I was captivated by one who wrote:

“I must say thanks to 3rd degree for working hard at discouraging the people of Zimbabwe from voting now RGM can surely walk his way to victory. We would even vote for a monkey if it contested in the election where ever it comes from. Do you know most people were not going to vote were it not for Simba – people now believed there could be a way out but well there’s always big mouthed journalists who have to go and cast doubts on people’s mind. Obviously Miss Reporter you have a boss and am sure he makes some decisions against your word of advice – so should we hold that against you. Why then would you hold it against Simba. We are tired of these speculations we just want to change even if it’s from within.”

* A stalking horse is a candidate put forward to mask the candidacy of another person, for whom the stalking horse will then withdraw.

I was extremely disappointed to read from this week’s Zimbabwe Standard that a lot of local musicians are out of tune on censorship, their biggest threat in the music industry. The Standard said that musicians were uncertain whether they should join the rest of the world in marking Music Freedom Day on March 3 or not. After pleading last week via e-mail to artistes to suggest how to celebrate the day, Mary Jaure, spokesperson of the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimra) said she had received only one response from musician Dudu Manhenga by Thursday. She later blasted them for their laid back approach to the day. In the same story, DJ Mzee from South Africa was quoted saying: “I think it will be folly for the musicians in your country (Zimbabwe) to forget that this day is more important to them than any other. I know of the struggles people like (Thomas) Mapfumo went through.”

Last week I also challenged our readers to partake in celebrating and commemorating this day, I also hoped some musicians would give us feedback. Zilch. Well, it’s kinda sad; I think musicians should be moved to help fight their own battles. Then the rest of us can just but lend in our support. It’s more saddening considering what other serious musicians go through in order to fight for the right to freedom of expression. They risk their lives and careers through protest music and social commentary. Yet other musicians have such a nauseatingly laid back approach to it all.

But I do have the pleasure of announcing that Cde Fatso will be launching his much awaited debut album, House of Hunger that embodies the many voices of those struggling for justice in Zimbabwe. The struggles of vendors and victims of Murambatsvina, the fights of workers for a living wage, the anger of displaced, marginalized youth who walk the streets of Harare and life under Zanu PF in general. With his Toyi Toyi Poetry, Cde Fatso and his band, Chabvondoka, describe the struggle, describing Zimbabwe as a house of hunger, both literally and metaphorically.

The 28-year-old controversial artist endeavors to create what he calls a new form of urban protest music that will not just disappear after the elections, but will create a continual rebel youth culture in the struggle for liberation. His biggest target audience is the youth, although the music is expected to transcend all layers of the social fabric. The most captivating aspect of Cde Fatso’s music is that it’s a unique blend of instruments, chorus and poetry. For a sneak peep, the album consists of songs like Mastreets, which highlights the power that unemployed youth posess, though many do not realize it. City City describes the daily drudgery of ordinary citizens commuting everyday. They may encounter challenges in this failed state, but hey yo they love this place! Love You like A Riot Needs A Petrol Bomb is a song one is never sure if it is more than a love song.

If you are looking for something that will give you all the reasons why you should go and vote, this album is for you. It tells you the story of Zimbabwe, the quiet hell its citizens go through daily, and even hints on who is to blame.

The performance of Cde Fatso and band were labeled “the best of the festival” at HIFA 2007. They have also moved audiences with their rebel poetry in France, the UK and South Africa alongside artists like Mzwakhe Mbuli, Dizraeli and Chiwoniso.

Fans of protest music, freedom of expression and those who love their rights are invited to the official launch of House of Hunger at the Mannenberg Jazz Club, Fife Ave Shopping Centre, Harare, March 13, 2008 from 7:30pm till late.

Although I love music, I never used to think of it as a big thing until I interviewed a couple of local musicians when I was still a journalist for the national newspaper. They made such shocking revelations about the industry that they loved and had chosen for their careers. They gave testimonies of how they and their colleagues had been tortured, jailed, exiled and even killed, banned or denied airplay because of their music. I began to wonder why certain forms of music attract so much discomfort and therefore silenced. I recall even then that when I submitted their story to my editor, it was considered to be not newsworthy and never saw light of day on the broadsheet.

South African musician Johnny Clegg once said: “Censorship is based on fear.” Fear of what? Music is a free expression of the ideas that may express musicians’ hopes and aspirations, their joys and sorrows, or simply how they see things. However these expressions often conflict with those of people in power. One wonders whether they genuinely feel threatened by (healthy) criticism or they simply do not like or appreciate music at all? In Zimbabwe it seems more like some are threatened by the very nature of a free exchange of ideas. Musicians form a critical aspect of social commentary – what my lecturer used to call the social conscience. They, like everyone else, have rights to certain levels of freedom of speech. Music censorship is a threat to the future of music around the world.

Today, Monday, March 3rd is Music Freedom Day, an annual global event advocating freedom of musical expression. Musicians and broadcasters worldwide will focus on music censorship.

I bet most people, music lovers or not, have no idea what kind of hell most musicians go through. Often, when we talk about human rights defenders, only groups like WOZA, human rights organizations and other direct protesters come to mind. Protest musicians, with their subliminal, often subtle messages are often forgotten but constantly face the wrath of the powers that be for being too vocal.

It might open your eyes if somebody reminded you of how government has arrested, banned and harassed people for simply expressing themselves through art and music whilst trying to make a living as artists.

• South African DJ Cleo has apparently been banned from ever performing in Zimbabwe because he uttered “bad things”. What DJ Cleo allegedly uttered was a critical comment about President Robert Mugabe’s economic mismanagement. According to DJ Cleo, the ban came after he made a joke on the radio about his trip to Zimbabwe.
• Raymond Majongwe’s music has been banned from the Zimbabwean radio. The government has been uncomfortable with Majongwe’s music because it is too critical. Although he is still battling it out with the government, people distribute his music on the streets thus some play his music in the comfort (safety) of their cars or homes.
• Thomas Mapfumo, of Chimurenga music style, exiled and most disliked by the Zim government, has made the US home after facing a complete blackout of his music in Zimbabwe.
• Do you remember also, our childhood favorite DJ on the former Radio 2, Brenda Moyo, who suffered under Jonathan Moyo’s regime. She was forcibly retrenched after she had played two blacklisted songs and generally failing to play according to Moyo’s tune.
• Maskiri, an urban grooves rapper with an explicit and cutting tongue has been forced to change the title of his upcoming album, ‘Vuka Vuka’- meaning ‘Aphrodisiac’ or a sexual enhancing drug- in order for him to get airplay from the state broadcaster. His music is considered explicit content.

There are many others- the likes of Chiwoniso Maraire, Hosiah Chipanga and Andy Brown who’ve rubbed certain people the wrong way with music considered either too critical or simply illicit.

Music censorship is a very real threat to most musicians’ careers and lives. This threat heightens especially towards elections- like this very period we are in. But as poet Chirikure Chirikure once said, “Elections come and go, but a poem or a song lasts a century.”

Some of the questions to ask ourselves are: should critical/protest musicians/ offensive content musicians be silenced even if they have specific audiences who would like to listen to them? Shouldn’t it be up to the individual to select and listen to particular content for themselves rather than have it censored on their behalf? Does censorship really work? For instance, in Zimbabwe, musicians manage to evade censorship by creating songs with double-meanings. And they often get away with it. Musicians like Oliver Mutukudzi, although well respected, have almost been in trouble with the government for songs perceived to indirectly refer to and mock the president. Although Mutukudzi himself never once said the song Bvuma Wasakara (loosely translated to mean, Admit it: You are now too old) referred to the president, his audiences deduced meaning for themselves. Well, a member of his stage team had initially beamed a light on the portrait of Mugabe while the song played amid cheers from the crowd. This is what set the ball rolling on the inquiry about the song which Mtukudzi defended by saying it had been derived from his personal family experiences and only talked about domestic issues – not anything political. That’s the beauty of music, people make sense of it in whichever way they like. The song is still blacklisted to this day.

Music can be banned but the voices of the singers will never be silenced. Above all, people will always be eager to listen to the banned music. Banned music, like pornography, always finds a way of circulating.

Let us know your thoughts. Should certain music be censored? Who should decide this? Tell us about some of the music/musician you’ve loved and why, but has been censored for some reason. Leave a comment here, or write to us on info [at] kubatana [dot] org [dot] zw or phone us on +263 4 776 008. Kubatana will put together and publish the various thoughts of our readers.

For ideas on how you can participate in advocacy for music rights and the right to freedom of expression in general, visit the Freemuse website. Freemuse is the World Forum on Music & Censorship, advocating freedom of expression for musicians worldwide.

And if you thought music wasn’t such a big thing, did you know that the Taliban in Afghanistan are trying so hard to stop everyone there from playing music, blowing up CD-shops with bombs, and giving fines to people who play music in their cars? Imagine the possibility of a music free generation, doesn’t that scare you?

Go ahead, play a controversial song, interview a censored musician, or dedicate your next song to freedom of musical expression on Monday, 3 March.

I usually take a breather from staring at my computer all day and stretch my legs by walking around Newlands shopping center and going into TM supermarket looking for whatever can be found on the shelves that I might be interested in. So the other day I marched into TM expecting the usual quiet inactivity and glaring empty shelves. I was happy to find some Dettol bath soap on the toiletries shelf. The usually empty toiletries section had something else I hadn’t seen in a long time in any supermarket: cans of anti-perspirant and all sorts of other deodorant. It was not just any deodorant at that but excellent brands like Shield and Lentheric among an array of what I consider inferior brands. Ironically the price range was the same across inferior and superior alike; at only $39 million! Well, maybe that’s not very cheap to some people, but for those who have looked around for these things know what I’m talking about. Thinking I wasn’t reading the prices correctly, I chatted up the guy who was still putting price tags on various products on the same shelf. He reassured me that I was reading correctly, and yes, he’d just put on the prices himself.

I wondered aloud why they were so cheap debating whether to take one or not. The guy volunteered that it made sense because it was “just old stock.” Old stock? Where was it getting old at all this time? I mean, I come here almost daily for the past one month. I gently prodded further and he explained, or rather, confessed that the stuff had been there all along in their storerooms. It had been removed when the ‘task force’ was going around slashing prices. Understandable, but the shelves continued to be bare even after the Zimbabwe government backtracked from the price controls, so why didn’t they put back the products, I asked. Surely such behavior is common only among saboteurs?

Saboteur, what is that, he asked? I explained that sabotage is a deliberate action of subversion, deception or dishonesty. He gave a soft laugh and said, “These are uncertain times and God only knows what other crazy ideas ‘those people’ might just wake up with again. Besides, there is a little saboteur in all of us. I mean now that you’ve found these deodorants unusually cheap, aren’t you going to hoard as many of them as you can in anticipation of the unknown? I tell you, it’s going to take a while to cure the nation of things like speculation and hoarder mentality.”

How dare that man even suggest I was a saboteur? I took four cans of anti- perspirant . . .

The other week I walked into a pharmacy looking for ibuprofen, a painkiller one can purchase without prescription.  I however happened to have my mother’s medical prescription for some drugs only a doctor and pharmacist can prescribe. After getting my painkiller, I inquired from one of the male pharmacists if they had any of the drugs on the prescription. He stared at the prescription for a moment then told me they hadn’t had those kinds of drugs in months. As I turned to leave, he leaned forward and whispered, “But I can sell you mine, if you like.” Taken off guard, I looked around to see the other pharmacists smiling at me with knowing looks. I purchased my mother’s medication at an obviously inflated price on a little black market thriving right there in the pharmacy.