Chinhoyi women march against GBV

Conrad Mupesa Herald Correspondent

Hundreds of women in Chinhoyi recently used Valentine’s Day to march against gender-based violence.

The women, in conjunction with Women’s Coalition in Zimbabwe, braved the rains to march around Chinhoyi to raise awareness against gender-based violence.

Chairperson of the Mashonaland West chapter of Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Key Mufengi-Ncube, said there was nothing to celebrate during Valentine’s Day when there were women across the province being murdered or assaulted by their spouses.

“We chose to demonstrate today because of a number of reasons that include the recent heinous murder of a Chinhoyi women, Priscilla Kakondo, in a suspected gender violence act.

“For the past two years, we have witnessed three deaths of women at the hands of their spouses or partners in Chinhoyi alone. Although the world is celebrating Valentine’s Day, it is prudent for us to alert the same world on how women have become prisoners of love,” she said.

Kakondo’s body was dumped in Chinhoyi.

Co-ordinator for the Mashonaland West chapter of the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Ms Jane Mazhambe, urged women to open up as a way of curbing gender-based violence.

She said many women were living in abusive relationships, but could not let go because of societal expectations.

Officers from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Zimbabwe Republic Police and other stakeholders took part in the march.