Ruth Butaumocho
One wintry morning, while going through WhatsApp group messages sometime in June, 29-year-old Cde Uarabile Dube from Beitbridge stumbled on an advert looking for assertive women interested in leadership.
Eager to be part of such an important and powerful ensemble, Cde Dube inquired from a member of the group, who professed ignorance of the contents of the message.
Thinking that her dream of joining a non-governmental organisation would now be realised, Cde Dube immediately sent her application and motivational letter affirming her powerful leadership skills.
It was only three weeks later that she discovered that she had “unknowingly” ventured into politics after she was called to submit her fingerprints for vetting since she had been awarded a position as proportional representative councillor for the ruling party, Zanu PF, under Beitbridge Rural District Council.
“I was beyond myself with shock. Never had I ever imagined myself as a politician, worse at this age,” revealed Councillor Dube in an interview recently.
Cllr Dube is a beneficiary of a quota system in local authorities following a proclamation of a 30 percent women’s quota in councils made by President Mnangagwa in 2020 in line with the constitutional provisions to ensure gender balance.
Before she could barely learn a little political jargon, what followed was a roller coaster of events as Cllr Dube and her peers hit the ground running, campaigning for the ruling party’s aspiring Member of Parliament for Beitbridge West, Cde Ndou Thusani.
“Coming from the rural areas, everything was new. I had to quickly adapt to fit in my new role,” recalled Cllr Dube.
Adapt, she did, with haste, since it was only a few weeks before the harmonised elections.
It was during the campaigning period that Cllr Dube fell in love with politics and resolved that more women needed to occupy the space in the architectural political governance of this country, at any level.
Although there were not many women in party structures, Cllr Dube was encouraged to see the few female leaders, pushing for recognition against the odds.
“There is enough space for everyone in leadership circles. However, women would need to discard fear and begin to work around their leadership capabilities if they are to succeed.“
For instance, we need more women in local authorities so that they can push for service delivery on issues like water provision, collection of garbage and availing recreational services for communities.
Two months after her swearing-in, Cllr Dube has already covered ground in areas under her jurisdiction.
“I have already been to three wards, Ward 8, 9 and 10, attending budget consultative meetings. I would have wanted to attend more of the 15 wards, but I am not able to do so due to limited funds.
“However, I have held fruitful engagements with the community, who have expressed interest in working with female leadership,” said Cllr Dube.
She is currently studying for a Diploma in Office Management with the Institute of Commercial Management.
It is through her community interactions, mainly with women, that she has since resolved to stand for election in 2028, this time as a member of parliament.
“I have already resolved to stand for election for a bigger office than the one I am currently holding. As women, we need to stand up and offer leadership to our peers, without fear,” she affirmed.
Female representation in positions of authority has become one of the key indicators of development.
As early as the 1990s, research findings were already pointing to the fact that women’s under-representation in positions of authority is not only an indicator of gender inequality, but it helps entrench gender stereotyping.
However, with positive affirmations coming from young female leaders like Cllr Dube, there could soon be a paradigm shift, with more women venturing into politics and available leadership spaces.
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