…As the academy trains 60 aspiring women politicians
Melinda Kusemachibi
Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) has reiterated their call for more women to strive and acquire top leadership positions in all sectors as it continues to train them.
WALPE Academy with support from Diakonia Africa recently trained 60 women who aspire to acquire leadership positions in Mushawasha, Masvingo rural.
WALPE argued that when women are empowered they have great chances of acquiring top positions.
WALPE Executive Director Sitabile Dewa said that they are empowering women to fully participate in elections.
“We are only empowering women. WALPE work is rooted on building capacity of aspiring female leaders to fully participate in electoral processes and need a conducive environment for them to excel at local and national level leadership and decision making process,” said Dewa.
She also said the training sought to create a society where women fully participate in leadership.
“The training seeks to create a just society where women excel in all facets of development through free, active, effective and full participation in leadership, governance and decision making process at both local and national levels.
“Aspiring female leaders are trained on transformative feminist leadership particularly on the following skills in preparation for public offices, political career development, etiquette and confidence building, campaign strategies, introduction to public service, social accountability and volunteerism, climate change, sexual reproductive and health rights, resilience building and public speaking,” said Dewa.
“When women are adequately empowered, they have a higher chance of occupying leadership positions. LetsGo 5050, SheElectsSheLeads,” read a statement on WALPE Twitter handle.
WALPE Academy also trained women in Ngundu and Masvingo rural training aspiring women leaders in which WALPE Academy said that there is need to have more women in positions of leadership and influence in all sectors.
WALPE is a women’s political empowerment and leadership academy set up to advance knowledge and deepen the capacity of women who want to successfully run for public office positions. It provides women with technical and practical training that empowers them.
The academy is driven by the need to challenge the status quo, through creating platforms and opportunities for women to get into decision making and leadership positions.
Women in Masvingo province who contested in the recently held local authority and national assembly by-elections suffered heavy defeats after losing to their male counter parts.
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Ward 4 candidate Thokozile Muchuchuti got 284 votes while winner and party rival Aleck Tabe got 660 votes.
Zimbabwe Patriotic Front candidate Faith Chuma got 139 votes losing to Zanu PF’s Zizhou Munyaradzi who got 6832 votes in Chivi South, while in ward 7 Masvingo Urban MDC-Alliance candidate Gertrude Chuma got 43 votes.
Everjoy Chidindi got 21 votes and lost to CCC’s candidate Richard Musekiwa who got 3452 votes.
