In late 2009, the Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) partnered with IDASA (An African Democracy Institute), the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) and the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) to conduct a survey to find out women’s views on transitional justice. Although there have been surveys done in Zimbabwe before none focused specifically on women, as they may have rather different views about the crisis, its consequences, and its resolution than the men.

The report details the findings on 4 of the 12 topics asked in the survey; elections, violence, the Inclusive Government and peace.  There will be other reports released in the course of this year.

 

During the March 2008 harmonised elections and the subsequent one man presidential run-off, they sacrificed everything to make sure the Movement for Democratic Change formation led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai won the election. To them, spending many days and nights in the open, without food and away from their families was not an issue. They did not complain when they were beaten, they were not moved when they became regulars at filthy cells and at Zanu PF bases, disguised as information centres. All they wanted was to ensure “the people’s project” succeeds.
Some of them, like the late Tonderai Nyahunzvi, were honest “soldiers” who literally left their homes to be in the trenches. Their hopes were very high that when the MDC-T finally gets into government, life would be much better. And when the inclusive government was formed, Elizabeth Saidi, Taizivei Gasa and the late Rumbidzai Kurira, among many other Mbare women, were hopeful that they would finally reap the benefits of the suffering and unhealed wounds of 2008. But to date, Nyahunzvi, Kurira and other MDC-T activists have died some of them from causes related to the 2008 election violence. Saidi said they have unsuccessfully tried to share their plight with the MDC-T leadership, but their pleas are falling on deaf ears. Addressing her colleagues who attended Kurira’s funeral wake at Mbare’s Joburg Lines on May 22, Saidi said they had been betrayed by politicians they supported under the most difficult of circumstances. “We are not happy with these politicians, they only use us when it suits them, and then forget about us while they enjoy,” said Saidi.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter called Zimbabwe a "tragedy still waiting to be resolved," but cautioned that it would be premature for the country to try to organize new elections until a number of measures have been taken. Following a meeting in South Africa, the group of Elders voiced their great concern on Monday at the slow pace of implementation of the Global Political Agreement for Zimbabwean power sharing more than a year after the formation of the chronically troubled national unity government in Harare. Struggle icon and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu said the Elders were disappointed that the Harare political accord underpinning a government including President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has not relieved the country's impoverished masses.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter called Zimbabwe a "tragedy still waiting to be resolved." Mr. Carter welcomed recent calls from two of the three parties to the unity government for elections to resolve the current impasse. But he said a number of measures remain to be taken to ensure such an election will be a successful one.

 

Rio Tinto's diamond unit in Zimbabwe says it has begun work on a $300m expansion programme to raise output six- fold, and is discussing with the government ways to improve the investment climate in mining. Neils Kristensen, head of Murowa, the 300000-carat-per-year diamond mine in southern Zimbabwe, said on the sidelines of a weekend mining conference the firm had begun preparatory work for the planned expansion. Rio Tinto owns 78% of Murowa, while Rio Zim — a wholly Zimbabwean-owned unit spun off from Rio Tinto in 2004 — controls the remainder. “We have reinvigorated our feasibility study for a major expansion. The expansion will increase production by a factor of 6-7 times and double jobs,” he said. “That would push our capacity to 1,8- million carats per year of high quality production, which is predominantly gem.” Rio Zim said last week the possibility of an improved investment climate in Zimbabwe had prompted Murowa shareholders to commission a review of expansion feasibility studies, to be completed by the end of the year .