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Zaka man shot dead over son’s infidelity

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Zaka man shot dead over son’s infidelity

Thabiso Nxumalo

A Zaka man was shot dead by a South African based relative who also hails from the same area over accusations the now deceased’s son dating the alleged killer’s wife.
Allegations are that on October 5, 2021 Amos Mutamba from Chinoda Village in Chief Nhema shot Pitiros Mutero (64) at Mutero village under Chief Nyakunhuwa once on the chest with an unidentified firearm after an argument in which Mutamba accused Mutero’s son of snatching his wife in South Africa.
Mutero died on the spot.
Mutamba is said to have disappeared after committing the crime and police have since launched a manhunt for him.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and appealed to the public for information that can lead to the arrest of the accused.
“Police in Masvingo are appealing for information which may lead to the arrest of Amos Mutamba who is wanted for a murder case which occurred at Mutero village, Zaka.
“The suspect based in South Africa shot the victim, Pitiros Mutero aged 64 with an unidentified firearm on the chest after an argument in which he claimed that his South African based wife, Lillian Marinda was having an extra-marital affair with the victim’s son, Kilopas Mutero in the same country,” said Nyathi.
Other sources however said on the October 3, Mutamba went to Mutero’s homestead with concerns that his son was dating his wife.
They however agreed to discuss the matter on another day. On that fateful day Mutero went back to Mutero’s homestead in the company of Mutero’s brother Gwangu Mutero with a Toyota Pro Box vehicle.
“They tried to discuss the matter but they failed and this prompted Mutamba and Gwangu to leave. A few minutes later Mutamba came back and Gwangu is said to have heard him shouting at Mutero and later heard some gunshots,” said the source.
Gwangu is said to have rushed to the scene ad saw Mutero falling from the chair he was sitting on. He reported the matter to Zaka police and the body was taken to Msiso Mission Hospital for post mortem.

A tale of women with disabilities and scarcity of SRH services in rural communities

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A tale of women with disabilities and scarcity of SRH services in rural communities

…women travel over 10kms to access services

Clayton Shereni

MASVINGO- The advent of Covid-19 in 2019 came as a shock to the whole world and for third world countries like Zimbabwe, the pandemic was a major blow for its bedridden healthcare system.

In an effort to try and combat the spread of this deadly virus, government swiftly moved to impose strict lockdown restrictions that barred ‘unnecessary’ movement and tightened business hours even for the health system.

However, for a country whose majority live in rural areas and are women, this came as a disappointment and infringed on the Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) of many particularly those with disabilities.

Zimbabwean women with disabilities have greatly been sidelined when it comes to access to SRHR due to an unfriendly road network, cultural perspectives that deem them “not sexually active” and the long distances that other women have to travel to access these services at clinics and hospitals.

Communities and stakeholders including healthcare providers have ignored pleas for them to fairly treat people with disabilities (PWDs) in SRHR issues, which seem to be falling on deaf ears.

SRHR policy framework

Although the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) stipulates that each and every government should ensure that PWDs get access to SRHR services, Zimbabwe still lags behind and is not walking the talk.

In 2006 government drafted a National Reproductive Health Policy but experts have rubbished this policy for being silent on SRHR of women with disabilities and treating this group as second-class citizens.

Life has been a horror experience for rural women with disabilities especially those with mental illnesses and whose day-to-day living has been left only in the hands of God and a few caring relatives.

This has been the case for three sisters who are living with a rare condition since birth that has left them not able to do anything for themselves therefore in need of extensive care 24/7.

Face to face with a horror experience

Locadia, (30), Ngonidzashe, (33), and Sakina Mutekede, (36), are surely living a life that no one else would imagine and by virtue of being born in a poor family in Masvingo South, Ward 14, which is a rural village, these three have once in a blue moon accessed SRHR courtesy of a well-wisher.

Their mother, Shylet Mutekede is the only one who has been looking after them while their father looks after their brother who also has the same condition and sometimes exhibits violent behaviour.

The whole community, religious and traditional leaders have attributed the family’s situation to superstition and curses as cause of this worrisome condition.

TellZim News with support from Women’s Action Group (WAG) visited the family and had a face-to-face encounter with the tragedy that has befallen the Mutekede family for over 30 years now.

Upon arrival at the Mutekede homestead, one can easily conclude that the gods have not been smiling and seem to have turned their backs on this family.

For the mother and her three daughters, SRHR is something that they long for and seems so near, yet so far.

Narrating how they have been living, Shylet Mutekede said the road has been rocky and accessing SRHR services will always be a dream that they might not wake up from if something is not done urgently.

“It has been a very tough experience for me taking care of my children. They have been having their monthly cycles but I have no option than to use black t-shirts. Sometimes I just make them use these t-shirts then go to the fields the whole day and no one can change them so they will just have to wait till I come back,” said Shylet.

She also revealed that they walk a long distance to the nearest clinic and this has been a very big challenge for the family since the three women can hardly walk on their own.

“The clinic is quite a distance away, almost 10kms and sometimes when their situation gets worse, we will have to use an ox-drawn cart to Gunikuni Clinic. Life has been very difficult for me and for them as well, we all struggle to access SRHR and considering their situation, it pains me a lot and I hope one of these days we will find a long-lasting solution,” said Mutekede.

Uninterrupted access to SRHR surely means that one will make informed choices, knowledge, skills and safe sexual choices including choosing to or not to have sex.

Commenting on the case of limited access of SRHR by rural women with disabilities, Chief Chitanga, born Feleni Chauke said there is a greater need to improve access to SRHR services especially targeting women with disabilities because they are also in need of them.

“In many areas clinics are beyond even 10km some are as far as 20-30km especially in resettlement areas. Meanwhile we know resources may not permit that they construct proper structural clinics so may introduce mobile clinics where we know that they will be moving from one area to the other so that those with disabilities, especially women, access SRHR services even using a cart because they are in constant need of these services just like other able-bodied women,” said Chief Chitanga.

Economic, political, cultural, social and religious views are the multidimensional factors that have prompted able-bodied people to look at women with disabilities as not mentally and physically fit to access SRHR services.

However, some perverts have taken advantage of the worrisome economic situation with women in rural areas especially those living in abject poverty being the major victims.

Last year, 17-year-old Sharai Matowe who is mentally unstable, was lured by a fellow villager who then impregnated her in return for menial jobs since her family depended on piece jobs for survival.

Sharai was staying with her widowed mother Senzeni Makuleke and siblings sharing one leaky hut in the Dimbiti area under Chief Shindi, Chivi South Constituency surviving on very little food which they got from menial jobs.

Despite her condition, Sharai also had to accompany her mother to fellow villagers’ fields where they would work in exchange for food for themselves and her siblings including two disabled young boys.

For her, there was no time to travel long distances to the nearest clinic and access SRHR services because most of the time they would be in peoples’ fields looking for survival.

“I was impregnated by a local guy and he has not been taking care of me or the child. We do not know where he went but rumour says he went to South Africa. We are failing to get time to walk long distances to access SRHR services because we will be busy in the fields doing menial jobs for survival,” said Sharai.

The family has since relocated to Neshuro area in Mwenezi where they are now staying after being taken in by Makuleke’s brothers.

However, calls to setup SRHR friendly clinics in rural areas are moving at a snail’s pace and less is being done to fill the gap that has always been there.

Government and other development partners have been playing hide and seek when it comes to answering for this problem.

Government position on access to SRHR

Masvingo Provincial Medical Director (PMD), Dr Amadeus Shamhu said the Ministry of Health and Child Care was offering SRHR services and working flat out to ensure that they train health personnel who will cater for the needs of disabled women.

“Clinics are there and SRHR services are being offered at each and every clinic in rural areas. Right now, we are in the process of training personnel who will specifically deal with people with disabilities and other special groups,” said Dr Shamhu.

Covid-19 further crippled the country’s healthcare system due to trimming of health workers by decongesting clinics for fear of spreading the virus.

During the climax of the lockdown people shunned visiting their neighbours and many SRHR service providers closed their doors to the public.

Rural women with disabilities have always cried foul over scarcity of SRHR, lack of privacy and inadequate personnel that are specially trained to deal with PWDs.

Legislators have also failed in parliament to successfully lobby for an all-inclusive Sexual Reproductive Health Policy that binds the government to ensure that SRHR services are always at the disposal of each and every person regardless of their physical stature.

Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Senator Lovemore Matuke said that the government was doing the best to offer services to people with disabilities.

“Government is providing for everyone including the disabled. National Social Security Authority (NSSA) has got mobile clinics that also offer SRHR services so if requested it will be availed. Most of the wards in rural areas now have clinics and those with disabilities usually get services free of charge,” said Matuke.

Way forward

Disability Amalgamation Community Trust (DACT) Director, Henry Chivhanga said women in rural areas were facing a mammoth task in accessing SRHR services and urged government to be cognizant of every women in rural communities.

“You would find these people are facing a lot of challenges especially during the COVID-19 era which restricted free movement even to and from clinics to take family planning tablets.

“It has been a mammoth task for PWDs. Pads are now expensive and imagine the kind of experiences people who use wheelchairs have since they demand total hygiene but they have to compromise. We have seen that priority is being given to able bodied people and we urge government to avail these SRHR services free of charge and more often to all women without segregation,” said Chivhanga.

Funds should be poured in towards improving women’s access to these services and also for women’s rights organizations to carry out campaigns in remote areas.

It is a public secret that women with disabilities have a mammoth task when it comes to accessing clinics in rural areas and there is need for construction of more clinics and also to periodically offer door-to-door SRHR services in marginalized communities.

However, the big question still lingers on whether government and other stakeholders will walk the talk and surely address the epidemic that has befallen rural women with disabilities within a pandemic.

 

Wheat farmers raise concern over market price

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Wheat farmers raise concern over market price

…as government claims there shall be self-sufficiency in stock

Tinaani Nyabereka/Kimberly Kusauka

Wheat farmers in Masvingo have expressed concern over the recently announced new producer prizes for the commodity by government that they feel falls way behind their expectations in the wake of increased cost of inputs.
Recently Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Anxious Masuka announced the upward review of the producer prize set at ZW $ 55 517 for ordinary grade wheat while the premium grade will fetch ZW$ 66 621 during a cabinet briefing on September 28,2021.
Masuka also said the nation is expecting volumes of more than 300 000 metric tons against a national requirement of 360 000 metric tons.
“Zimbabwe is anticipating a volume of more than 300 000 metric tons of the cereal, against a national requirement of 360 000.
“This is on the backdrop of the current national wheat stocks which stand at 70 000 metric tons, making Zimbabwe wheat self-sufficient for the first time since 2005. Following extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including farmers’ unions, Cabinet has approved an upward review of wheat floor producer price to ZW$ 55 517,” he said.
He also said that the upward review was necessitated by changes in input prices that, in turn result in higher production costs.
“Farmers expect viability in their operations, and are grappling with cost increases in labour (51%), fertilisers both Compound D and Ammonium Nitrate (27%), and tractor and equipment (144%). The input increases have a net effect of 32 % on the total variable costs per hectare.
“The net contribution of inputs to total wheat production costs in 2021 is as follows: labour 3.19%, seed 5.14 %, fertilizers 26.15 %, chemicals 3.20% and operations 12.37%. The biggest driver of costs is the borrowing rate which stands at 40%,” added Masuka.
Mushandike irrigation scheme chairperson Denhere Bhusumani however said the market price for winter wheat is not enough to cover the expenses farmers incur when buying inputs.
“We bought all our inputs at a higher price so as farmers we are not pleased with the new prices set by government even though there has been a slight increase.
“We bought pesticides for quellia birds to protect our farms,” said Bhusumani.
Another farmer from the same scheme Wilson Makaha said the price of wheat at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) need to be revised since inputs costs were high as compared to last season.
“I am not happy with the price for our produce at GMB because the inputs were a bit expensive as compared to the previous season.
“We need to then change the ZW$ into US$ since the harvest combiners need to be paid in forex,” said Makaha.
However, Minister Davison Marapira who also grew winter wheat said increase of the market price will contribute to a good profit margin and he is in the process of increasing hectares under irrigation.
“An increase in producer price means a good profit margin to our wheat crop, we are doing an average of 9, 3 tons which is a good margin.
“We are in the process of increasing our hectares under irrigation to 600 by leasing land from others,” said Marapira.
The harvesting of winter wheat is already underway and expected to be complete by end of November.

The dire state of Zimbabwean service delivery

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The dire state of Zimbabwean service delivery

…as the world commemorates Habitat Day

Emmanuel Chitsika

“The urgency of improving living conditions has been brought to the fore by Covid-19, which has devastated the lives of millions in cities. Access to clean water and sanitation, along with social distancing, are key responses to the pandemic. Yet in slums it has proved difficult to implement these measures. This means an increased risk of infection, not only within slums, but in whole cities,” said United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guteress.
The above remark by Guteress on this year’s commemoration of World Habitat Day running under the theme ‘Accelerating urban action for a carbon-free world’ might be in great contrast to the state of service delivery in Zimbabwe’s most urban centres if not all.
Much has been said, with local authorities facing accusations by residents over failure to prioritise the welfare of urban dwellers through failure to provide clean and safe water, poor solid waste disposal as well as liquid waste management that has seen the discharge of raw sewer into natural water bodies.
Despite the fact, that local government, communities, academic institutions and other stakeholders should work together to create sustainable, carbon-neutral inclusive cities and towns, local authorities are found wanting when it comes to service provision.
Masvingo Town Council has been caught off-guard on the provision of clean water consistently in this Covid-19 era when the precious liquid is much needed.
Solid and liquid waste management is another cause for concern for the country’s oldest city, with Mucheke and Shagashe rivers being sewer-infested though they feed into Lake Mutirikwi that in turn supplies water to the city.
Town Clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa however reiterated council commitment towards improving service delivery.
“We are going to prioritize water supply in the city since it is constrained, making residents suffer especially during this Covid-19 pandemic when water is really needed.
“Our second priority is sanitation where the thrust is to collect 100 percent waste generated in the city and properly dispose it. We intend to boost our refuse collection fleet by purchasing two refuse compactors each year from 2021-2023,” said Eng Mukaratirwa.
Masvingo council have resumed construction works on the much awaited Mucheke Trunk Sewer project which the city fathers believe will go a long way in easing the overwhelmed sewer plants resulting in persistent sewerage pipe bursts.
Gweru mayor Josiah Makombe said their local authority has made several initiatives meant to protect the environment to ensure human health is prioritized.
“As a local authority, we ensuring that our environment is beautiful by ensuring city greening. We are encouraging residents to have zero carbon plans as climate is changing; we need to ensure that we are also taking that into cognisance for the sake of our health and well-being.
“We encourage stakeholders to avoid the unnecessary emission of carbon dioxide. Residents are also encouraged to make sure they dump refuse in bins so that our refuse collection team will collect on designated days,” said Makombe.
However, on the issue of making access to accommodation facilities is realised, Makombe highlighted that they do not have land for development of residential stands.
“Currently we do not have land for residential use. However we are encouraging our residents to be on the waiting list so that once we get land, they stand a chance to get stands,” added Makombe.
The plight of the vulnerable that have resorted to staying on streets of urban centres also highlight the dire need for proper shelter.
The UN set the Habitat Scroll of Honour award whose aim is to acknowledge initiatives, which have made outstanding contributions in various fields such as shelter provision, highlighting the plight of the homeless and improving the human settlements and quality of urban life.
Creating peace shelters for the vulnerable and displaced would go a long way in addressing such a societal ill.
The WHD commemorations come at a time statistics by the UN revealed that cities and towns across the globe are responsible for 70 percent global carbon dioxide from transport, buildings, energy and waste management that account for the bulk of urban greenhouse gas emissions.

‘Zanu PF a violent party’

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‘Zanu PF a violent party’

Clayton Shereni

MASVINGO- Opposition party MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa today urged Zimbabweans to brace for violence that he boldly claims will be propelled by the regime ahead of the 2023 elections.

Addressing journalists at a press discussion organised by TellZim News, Chamisa accused the ruling party of exhibiting violent behaviour ahead of every poll.

He said Zanu PF was tarnishing the name of the country and predicted that the shenanigans that were allegedly exhibited recently were going to persist ahead of the 2023 polls.

“What they did yesterday was primitive things. This is a modern day and what they did tarnishes the name of the country. For us it is almost like an assassination attempt because there could have been loss of lives.

“This shows you that even in the run up to the election, the leopard has not changed its spots. Zanu PF likes to do what they do best, their DNA which is violence especially when they know that they are not winning the election. It does not matter what they do, the writing is on the wall. The people are going to win and they have won,” said Chamisa.

The opposition leader also said all the violence which is being done by alleged Zanu PF youths will not deter their efforts and will not disturb their focus.

“You saw what happened yesterday in terms of the violence, which is an indication that our colleagues in Zanu PF are panicking and desperate. They cannot manage or hold us; this is why they are doing what they are doing. We are not shaken, we are not in any way disturbed but we are determined to go forward and do what has to be done,” said Chamisa.

Contacted for comment, Zanu PF Masvingo Youth League chairperson Godfrey Mukungunugwa scoffed at the accusation saying Chamisa is always in the habit of pointing fingers to his rivals and crying foul.

“That is what he has been doing since 2018 when he lost the election and claimed to have been rigged. Now they are busy circulating a file picture of me handing over food to the elderly and claim that I was bribing youths to attack him. That is what he knows best and we are not moved,” said Mukungunugwa.

This comes in the background of alleged sponsored violence by Zanu PF in Charumbira area where Chamisa’s convoy was attacked and vehicles were damaged by rowdy youths.

Chamisa is on a tour to meet grassroots and community leaders across Masvingo province where he says he will be hearing the citizens’ views and bring communities together.

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Girl (16) raped fetching wild berries

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Girl (16) raped fetching wild berries

Tinaani Nyabereka

Mvuma- A 16-year-old girl was recently ambushed and raped while collecting some wild berries at a tree near her homestead.
The incident that occurred on September 11, 2021 around 1600 hours only came to light after the minor complained of stomach pains last week.
Circumstances given reveal that the minor (name withheld) was on her way home from a nearby village where she had been sent to collect chicken feed.
As she was passing by, she discovered wild berries and decided to fetch some to eat.
She was then approached by an unknown person who tripped her to the ground before raping her once.
After the act the accused person told the girl not to tell anyone before leaving her alone at the scene.
After two weeks the complainant started having abdominal pains and informed her 28-year-old cousin sister who reported the matter at ZRP Lynwood Base.
On September 23, 2021 the girl was taken for medical examinations at Mvuma district hospital and evidence of forced penetration proved definite.
The accused person is still at large, with iinvestigations still in progress.

Residents association empowers communities in Mutare

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Residents association empowers communities in Mutare

Leslie Karumbidza

United Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Trust (UMRRT) has embarked on a community empowerment initiative by opening a sewing club in Sakubva where they donated manual sewing machines to women with disabilities in Sakubva ward 1 as well as several entrepreneurship tools to eight groups comprising of youths and women.
UMRRT Public Relations Officer Tendai Nyamadzi confirmed the initiative spear headed by UMRRT director retired Bishop Sebastian Bakare who took the opportunity to engage women in discussing challenges they face in the communities.
Retired Bishop Bakare said the donation initiative was inspired by expressions of hopelessness from unemployed youths after a tour he did two years ago in Mutare’s oldest high-density suburb.
“Mutare is our home and no one except ourselves can help us come out of poverty and unemployment lines. We should use our hands and skills, which is why we sourced these machines and tools for women, youths and men to use to earn a living,” said Bakare.
He also said UMRRT intends to grow the community’s self-sustaining livelihood empowerment initiatives by sourcing more tools and equipment for more groups.
“I encourage the first group of beneficiaries to effectively make use of the programme and make it successful to encourage benefactors to continue supporting,” he added.
Prudence Sauriri a resident from Sakubva said the tools would help idle youths and keep them off the streets where they are lured to engage in illicit drug abuse such as crystal meth popularly known as (guka).
“In Sakubva, drug abuse by youths is on the increase. The coming of guka is now a problem in our society. These tools for men and women groups will be a stepping stone to get youths organized and engage in work using own personal skills to earn a living,” said Sauriri.
Taurai Chingono another resident from Chikanga praised the residents association for this initiative that will be handy for unemployed youths.
“The initiative shows that you consider the plight of residents. We need more localized empowerment initiatives at grassroots level to empower ourselves as residents and in turn become proactive citizens that contribute towards the development of our city,” said Chingono.
Some of the tools handled over to the groups comprised of electrical sewing machines, carpentry tools such as G-clamps, hammers, planners, chisels as well as mechanic toolboxes.
The tools and machines were distributed depending with the projects intended by a particular group.

Lodges deny accommodating man with albinism

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Lodges deny accommodating man with albinism

…accuse him of intentionally messing bed linen

Kimberly Kusauka

HARARE- Hamilton Muto a 28-year-old man is failing to secure accommodation in Harare where he went to seek medical attention due to his health condition.
Muto who hails from ward 8 in Zaka had a cancerous growth on the face and got an operation in September after well-wishers chipped in.
However, he is being denied accommodation at lodges in the city because his wound messes bed linen since it is an open wound.
Sara Phineas Munemo who has been coordinating donations sent towards the welfare of Muto said they are stranded and plead for assistance in form of accommodation.
“We are pleading with any well-wisher who would like to accommodate Muto. Be it at a lodge or house, we will be paying for his rentals and upkeep.
“Muto is no longer welcome at lodges where he once stayed because they say he is an attention seeker and messes bed linen intentionally,” said Munemo.
Muto once stayed with his sister but the property owner had to chase him away due to his condition.
Currently he is staying in Mufakose at one of his relative’s house but fear she might dismiss him soon since she is not fully aware of the state in which Muto is.
“For the meantime he has been offered a place to stay by her mother’s sister, but the two never met before. The woman is not aware of his condition and we are not sure if she will cope when she finds out,” said Munemo.
Muto currently going for blood tests every three weeks is on special diet whilst being monitored by the doctor.
Doctor Mathew Wazara offered to operate and administer chemotherapy to Muto after TellZim News published a story of him seeking financial assistance to have an operation done.
For assistance towards Muto, he can be contacted through Munemo on +263 772 816 260.

Former Chipinge town secretary acquitted

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Former Chipinge town secretary acquitted

Livingstone Mtetwa

CHIPINGE-Embattled town council secretary Susan Dube was on September 29 found not guilty by a Chipinge magistrate on two counts of criminal abuse of office charges she was facing.
Dube, who appeared before Chipinge Magistrate Court on Thursday saw Jeffrey Mwakachiyeyi, another council worker, a water superintendent jointly charged with her in one of the cases being acquitted as well.
In giving judgment Magistrate Frankly Mkwananzi maintained that the accusations against Dube were unsubstantial, hence the acquittal.
In the first count, Dube was accused of illegally offering a residential stand to an intern at the institution.
However, Mkwananzi noted that the local authority’s policy was not clear and open to a multiplicity of interpretations as it spelt out that all employees are entitled to benefits.
“The condition of service says all and the key word there is “all”. Therefore, the intern is an employee of town council. The housing policy of council says permanent workers and does not in any way exclude non-permanent workers. As such, the intern was entitled to benefit a stand because he or she spent two years on industrial attachment,” said Mkwananzi.
On the second count, Dube allegedly took PVC pipes worth US$639 from her employer for personal use at her Kenilworth Farm.
In his ruling, Mkwananzi said proper procedure was followed as she paid the water connection fee and presented a proof of payment.
Prosecutor Thulani Zondwayo stood for the state.
Dube was arrested sometime in February by ZACC (Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission) officials on accusations of corruption.

‘Alcoholics, bar owners top women abusers in South Africa, Zimbabwe’

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Kimberly Kusauka

Excessive alcohol consumption has been cited as one of the major reasons behind failure by drinkers to control themselves and allegedly end up abusing women at both drinking joints and their homes.
The concern was raised during an online meeting hosted by Southern Africa Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) where different stakeholders gave their experiences in relation to alcohol consumption and regulation.
Mhoze Chikowore from the University of California, Santa Barbara History Department said the inability of one to control his alcohol has been a major driver of women abuse since the colonial period.
“Inability to control one’s alcohol consumption is known as alcohol use disorder. Beer became one of the causes of rape amongst black women, where they would be raped by whites especially at breweries,” said Chikowore.
Another presenter Oliver Van Beemen said beer is causing promotion of sexual abuse on women especially those who work at bars and drinking spots.
“Alcohol is promoting sexual abuse of women when they want to be promoted at work and this is happening in almost every African country.
“Women who work in bars and night clubs are usually regarded as prostitutes and they are sexually harassed by both customers and employers,” said Van Beemen.
One female participant in the meeting employed as a bar tender in Rujeko in Masvingo narrated her ordeal saying she sometimes suffer molestation by patrons and could even sleep with her boss to keep the job.
“Men sometimes touch my private parts as I serve them in the bar and they call me a prostitute but I am trying to earn a living and take care of my two school going children.
“I want freedom at work but these men hide behind beer and abuse me. I end up sleeping with my employer just to keep my job,” said the participant.

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