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Michael Magoronga Midlands Bureau
HERS is one inspiring story of overcoming many hurdles on her way to the council chambers.
She didn’t have to fight against social norms associated with being a woman often undermined by society, but she had other obstacles to deal with as a woman vying for political office.
Councillor Theresa Chamangwana (32) is now a mother of three after giving birth to her daughter Tianna in the run up to the recently held August elections, but having to campaign while heavily pregnant.
Because she hails from Wozoli in Silobela, a rural area under Kwekwe District, Cllr Chamangwana had to travel long distances, most of them on foot.
Often, she had to fight against stigma and patriarchal norms attached to women in politics, in addition to the struggles of being pregnant.
But that did not deter her quest to land a council seat as she found herself as one of the 10 councillors who made into the Zibagwe Rural District Council on proportional representation.
Previously, a preserve for Parliament, the 30 percent quota system was cascaded downwards to local authorities by the government after serious lobbying by gender organisations.
As a result, Zibagwe RDC received 10 female councillors (seven Zanu PF and three CCC) on quota system, bringing the total number of councillors to 44.
Had it not been for the quota system, Zibagwe RDC would only have one duly elected female councillor out of 33.
Cllr Chamangwana, who was drafted into the Human Resources committee, explained the difficulties she went through during the campaign period as she had to balance between vying for political office and being pregnant and eventually giving birth.
“During the campaign period, I came across a lot of challenges like walking long distances of about six kilometers a day while I was pregnant. Obviously I was also being undermined just for being a woman. It’s not easy to convince men, especially in a rural set up where they believe a woman is good for household chores and not for political positions,” she explained.
The campaigns began prior to internal (primary) elections and it was not easy to sell the quota system idea to the electorate.
“People took time to understand the women’s quota system during the campaign and it was not shocking that some wanted to put men in there. But after many explanations, I am glad they managed to understand and eventually were supportive of the idea,” said Cllr Chamangwana.
Having risen through the Zanu-PF party structures where she started at the age of 19 as district secretary for youth affairs, Cllr Chamangwana felt motivated to take up the challenge and vie for a seat in council.
“I was motivated by the fact that I had been in politics since 2009 when I was still 19 and I thought it was time to take a more prominent role where I could represent the needs and challenges faced by fellow women in the community. I took it as an opportunity to be able to spearhead women projects in my area,” she said.
Now that she is in council, Cllr Chamangwana said the situation is better as compared to the campaign period when she was pregnant.
“Now I can carry the baby on my back and attend ward meetings. It’s better as compared to being pregnant. The baby can be playing with someone else while we do business. It is the same when we attend council meetings, I go with her since I am still breastfeeding.
“But I can leave her outside with a baby minder while I attend meetings,” she said.
It’s not easy juggling council business and being a mother.
“I can’t leave her at home because I want to breastfeed her until she is six months old and old enough for me to introduce supplementary feeding. But as it is, I take her with me everywhere I go. It’s not easy having to care for the baby and concentrate on council business at the same time,” she said.
Besides the new born, Cllr Chamangwana has two other children and a husband to take care of. However, this has not deterred her from effectively executing council business.
“I have not come across any problem so far in executing my duty as a councillor because I’m able to execute my job after breastfeeding my baby. I’m also grateful to my family, especially my husband who supports me as he looks after the other two children when I am away. Also, fellow councillors who support me through and through. They even take turns to entertain the baby at times,” she said.
Zibagwe RDC Chairperson, Councillor Chamunogwa Andiseni Zvishamira said council is in support of not only Cllr Chamangwana, but all other female councillors.
“She is a mother just like we are fathers at our houses and we have to understand that. So far, we have been working with her well together with other female councillors. We are really grateful to the government for introducing the quota system as we are getting other ideas that we were not getting before,” he said.
Online Reporter