Sokwanele
Encyclopedia
Sokwanele is a popular protest underground movement
based in Zimbabwe
. They are pro-democracy
, and they embrace supporters of all pro-democratic political parties, civic
organizations and institutions. Sokwanele is committed to challenging and confronting - through non-violent activism
- the way in which the ruling party, Zanu-PF, governs Zimbabwe. Sokwanele is not affiliated to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) at all; in fact, the group's website very clearly states that they do not aspire to political office.
Sokwanele means 'enough is enough' in Ndebele; the Shona
equivalent of the name is 'Zvakwana
'.
Sokwanele communicates with its supporters primarily via a newsletter
that people can subscribe to online. They also have a website
, and they run a regularly updated blog
entitled This is Zimbabwe. The government has imposed very tight restrictions on the media
in Zimbabwe, and very few newspapers or radio stations that are critical of the government are permitted to operate. Sokwanele's communications provide a critical and impartial assessment of the government's actions, regularly reporting on corruption
, human rights
violations and bad governance
.
Sokwanele closely monitored, in the 22 weeks leading up to the parliamentary elections on March 31, 2005, the government's compliance with the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) protocol
'Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections'. The protocol was agreed by SADC leaders in Mauritius
on August 17, 2004 and Zimbabwe was one of the signatories. Sokwanele circulated their weekly assessments through a special newsletter entitled 'Mauritius Watch'. Their final report based on the mounting evidence of non-compliance concluded that the elections were deeply flawed and did not satisfy the SADC principles and guidelines, and therefore could not possibly be considered 'free and fair'. They reached this conclusion before the elections took place.
On polling
day itself, Sokwanele blogged regular updates from activists on the ground who alerted them to unscrupulous government activities which included refusing access to polling agents from the main opposition party, imprisoning MDC agents, incommunicado, after the vote; and controlling all forms of communication to and from the polling stations. They also reported on the difficulty that some voters had in trying to vote, and reports from voters of the presence of dead relatives on the voter's roll. On the basis of this evidence, after the voting was over, Sokwanele went on to produce a report that detailed the hour by hour events on polling day into how they allege the government comprehensively rigged the elections.
More recently, Sokwanele has written several articles
critical of the government's 'Operation Murambatsvina
(Operation Drive Out Trash).' Using Flickr
, Sokwanele has also compiled a set of photographs depicting the impact of Operation Murambatsvina on ordinary Zimbabwean civilians.
Media reports
Other useful links
Resistance movement
A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
based in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. They are pro-democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, and they embrace supporters of all pro-democratic political parties, civic
Civic engagement
Civic engagement or civic participation has been defined as "Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern."-Forms:...
organizations and institutions. Sokwanele is committed to challenging and confronting - through non-violent activism
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
- the way in which the ruling party, Zanu-PF, governs Zimbabwe. Sokwanele is not affiliated to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai
The Movement for Democratic Change Zimbabwe is a political party and the largest party in the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe. It is the main formation formed from the split of the original Movement for Democratic Change in 2005.-Foundation:...
(MDC) at all; in fact, the group's website very clearly states that they do not aspire to political office.
Sokwanele means 'enough is enough' in Ndebele; the Shona
Shona language
Shona is a Bantu language, native to the Shona people of Zimbabwe and southern Zambia; the term is also used to identify peoples who speak one of the Shona language dialects: Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika, Ndau and Korekore...
equivalent of the name is 'Zvakwana
Zvakwana
Zvakwana is an underground movement in Zimbabwe, that came to light in 2004. Its name means "enough is enough" in the Shona language, and in Ndebele it translates to Sokwanele...
'.
Sokwanele communicates with its supporters primarily via a newsletter
Newsletter
A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in...
that people can subscribe to online. They also have a website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, and they run a regularly updated blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
entitled This is Zimbabwe. The government has imposed very tight restrictions on the media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
in Zimbabwe, and very few newspapers or radio stations that are critical of the government are permitted to operate. Sokwanele's communications provide a critical and impartial assessment of the government's actions, regularly reporting on corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
, human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
violations and bad governance
Governance
Governance is the act of governing. It relates to decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. It consists of either a separate process or part of management or leadership processes...
.
Sokwanele closely monitored, in the 22 weeks leading up to the parliamentary elections on March 31, 2005, the government's compliance with the Southern African Development Community
Southern African Development Community
The Southern African Development Community is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. Its goal is to further socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among 15 southern African states...
(SADC) protocol
Protocol (diplomacy)
In international politics, protocol is the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state.A protocol is a rule which guides how an activity should be performed, especially in the field of diplomacy. In diplomatic services and governmental fields of endeavor protocols are often unwritten guidelines...
'Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections'. The protocol was agreed by SADC leaders in Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
on August 17, 2004 and Zimbabwe was one of the signatories. Sokwanele circulated their weekly assessments through a special newsletter entitled 'Mauritius Watch'. Their final report based on the mounting evidence of non-compliance concluded that the elections were deeply flawed and did not satisfy the SADC principles and guidelines, and therefore could not possibly be considered 'free and fair'. They reached this conclusion before the elections took place.
On polling
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
day itself, Sokwanele blogged regular updates from activists on the ground who alerted them to unscrupulous government activities which included refusing access to polling agents from the main opposition party, imprisoning MDC agents, incommunicado, after the vote; and controlling all forms of communication to and from the polling stations. They also reported on the difficulty that some voters had in trying to vote, and reports from voters of the presence of dead relatives on the voter's roll. On the basis of this evidence, after the voting was over, Sokwanele went on to produce a report that detailed the hour by hour events on polling day into how they allege the government comprehensively rigged the elections.
More recently, Sokwanele has written several articles
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
critical of the government's 'Operation Murambatsvina
Operation Murambatsvina
Operation Murambatsvina , also officially known as Operation Restore Order, is a large-scale Zimbabwean government campaign to forcibly clear slum areas across the country...
(Operation Drive Out Trash).' Using Flickr
Flickr
Flickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
, Sokwanele has also compiled a set of photographs depicting the impact of Operation Murambatsvina on ordinary Zimbabwean civilians.
External links
Sokwanele - key links- Sokwanele website (also see Zvakwana)
- This is Zimbabwe - Sokwanele blog
- 'What happened on Thursday night' : An account of how ZANU PF rigged the Parliamentary Elections
- Archive of Mauritius Watch articles
- Sokwanele on Flickr
- Subscribe to the Sokwanele newsletter
Media reports
- Thrown on the scrapheap
- Report claims evidence of Mugabe rigging
- Enough is enough
- Zimbabweans making noise for freedom
- Zimbabwe's fight for a free voice
- "We are everywhere" Says Shadowy Pro-Democracy Group
- Mugabe is spooked by the letter Z
- Police hunt Zvakwana
- US is 'fighting Zimbabwe with condoms'
- Police raid MDC Byo offices again
Other useful links