By Jane Mlambo| “Why are they doing this to me? Is it that I am a woman or I come from Matebeleland,” said the weary former Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khuphe while wetting her cheeks at a press conference.

She had just been recalled from parliament by her chief nemesis Douglas Mwonzora who she is embroiled in a vicious fight over the leadership of the MDC party.

After announcing their split, the parliament of Zimbabwe went on to side with her rival Douglas Mwonzora and Khupe was recalled in parliament last week.

A battle hardened iron lady who has been in the opposition trenches since 1999, Khupe has seen it all- bearing the brunt of being a female politician in a toxic political landscape like Zimbabwe.

“I have been called a bitch They once composed a song saying I was a whore. It’s difficult to be a political leader in Zimbabwe,” she said.

Khupe is still baffled why the late Morgan Tsvangirai who she deputised for years would unconstitutionally appoint other deputies at his deathbed after being diagnosed of cancer.

“It was a slap on my face. It showed that he was not ready for me to take over because I was a woman,” she said wiping tears.

Khupe’s case is just a tip of the iceberg.

Women’s leadership and participation in politics in Zimbabwe is still not fully acceptable.Even those who are well educated to participate also face gender stereotypes that oppresses the women and mostly, women suffer sexual assaults from men. 

We have witnessed a lot of women oppressed even those who are leaders in the ruling party, a simple example is amai Mujuru, the way she was treated left us with a lot of unanswered questions.

It is not a new thing that women have been sexually assaulted. Even in opposition party, women are being physically and mentally abused, not just leaders but it goes down to even supporters.

We have witnessed a lot of women that are abused by the regime, but their voices are suppressed. 

A year after the horrific ordeal happened, opposition Movement for Democratic Change- Alliance supporter Edinah Chokwadi Mpofu, who works as a teacher, is still at pains to come to terms with the trauma caused by attack that she went through.    

“I still shudder, even though this occurred a year ago. The attack left me in a state of shock and despair,” said the grief stricken 36 Year-Old, Mpofu,  failing to hold back her tears. We break for some time as she could not continue. 

Mpofu is one of the thousands of women victims who have suffered as a result of their political association in Zimbabwe.

She believes her association with high ranked people in the party has made her life horrible in Zimbabwe.

“I am a mother who has a girl child, and the worst feeling ever is to imagine the same that happened to me, being experienced by my daughter.I will not say more but one day Karma will knock at their doors the same way they broke in my house.” Mpofu stated.

Three men pounced on Mpofu’s house attacked her and took her away. She was raped and assaulted by people she believes are Zanu pf .

Zanu PF led government has over the years abused state security forces or the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) officers to assault, rape, abduct and even kill opposition supporters, teachers, journalists, lawyers among others.

However, the government has denied it, alleging there is a third force involved. 

Her friends namely Joana Mamombe and Cecelia Chimbiri who were sexually assaulted have made breaking news for the past months and still suffering in the hands of the ruling party.The trio have been in and out of jail after there were abducted during demostrations.

“They can break us physically but they will never break our spirit and resolve. We are geared for change,” said Joana Mamombe who is a member of parliament for Harare East.

Mamombe said it was only God that they are still alive today.

“The CIO left us for dead. They made us drink unknown substance that made us unconscious. They violated us and dumped us more than 100 km from Harare,” she said.
 
While there is witnesses who saw them being abducted, the state has charged them with faking their abductions.

Popular female comedian, Samantha Kureya, aka Gonyeti has also in the past fallen prey to the machinations of the dreaded CIO after being abducted for her political satire.

“It’s difficult to be a woman in politics. You are called names by ordinary people and abused by the state. I have been jailed several times for my activism,” said Linda Masarira- the President of a political party called LEAD.

Social Commentator Pardon Taodzera said that it’s high time Zimbabwe which is a signatory of several charters of equality and women participation in politics make good on its promise.

“Clearly women have been maimed, abducted and abused by state and non state actors. The government should protect women in politics and stop harassing them,” he said.

This is a clear indication that women do not have freedom to participate in politics in Zimbabwe.