Edmore Zvinonzwa
As Zimbabwe marks the Women’s Month, ethnomusicologist, artist, producer, historian, author and researcher, Joyce Jenje Makwenda is set to launch a documentary, History of Women Politicians of Zimbabwe, which focuses on the country’s female politicians across race and political divides.
This comes as liberation war historiography has been openly biased, eulogising white, as well as western supremacy, relegating Africans to play peripheral roles.
Even their efforts towards extricating themselves from the yoke of colonialism are not acknowledged.
On the other hand, little has been said about the women – on both sides, that is the white settlers as well as their subjugated African counterparts.
As efforts continue to tell the Zimbabwean and African story, we also see women taking up the mantle to document the role that women played, especially in politics.
The documentary shows the roles that women played during the different epochs in which they existed.
She started researching on the History of Women Politicians of Zimbabwe in the early 1990s, interviewing around 65 women with her research dating as far back as the pre-colonial era to today.
Significantly, her story begins with Mbuya Nehanda and Queen Lozikeyi, King Lobengula’s wife whose inspirational roles towards the execution of the liberation struggle have remained invaluable.
The popular tune Mbuya Nehanda kufa vachitaura defined the spread of the struggle for liberation as more and more joined the fight. “… my bones will surely rise again”.
These fighters included women - “thousands and thousands who crossed the border to fight the war, who are not talked about today” as freedom fighter, Margaret Dongo notes in the documentary.
We see women drawn from the colonial government such as Tawse Jollie, Muriel Rosin and Eileen Huddon, from the African nationalists’ side – Ruth Chinamano, Sunny Takawira, Victoria Chitepo, Stell Madzimbamuto, Julia Zvobgo, Joana Mufuyana Nkomo and Sally Mugabe among others.
Jenje Makwenda, who has built one of the biggest private social history collection/archive at her house in Harare, also notes in the documentary that the nationalists’ wives were “virtually married to the struggle”.
They raised children by themselves as their husbands remained in detention and ultimately turned into politicians themselves as they fought for their husbands’ release.
A number of them joined women’s clubs, which were uplifting activities during the struggle for liberation but also became springboards for political activities. These culminated in them running for [political office as reflected in Ruth Chinamano, Angeline Masuku, Betty Mtero and Tenjiwe Lesabe among others.
Jenje Makwenda adds another dimension to show that she was not selective by including women from opposition political circles: Lynette Karenyi Kore, Thokozani Khupe, Paurina Mupariwa and several others.
The women speak for themselves in the documentary and by getting into politics, they are claiming their space in a setup whose decision-making function belonged to the men.
In an interview with Zim Now, Jenje Makwenda said her major objective in producing the documentary was to push today’s woman emulating these heroics.
“I produced this documentary because mostly I want to show that women of today can learn from those who came before them, who were into politics when there were not even structures like today. I also liked the spirit of different races working together. What drove the women was love and the desire to create a better society. I am worried with the dropping numbers of women politicians today and thought this documentary could inspire them to prepare for the 2028 elections,” Jenje Makwenda said.
In the 2018 elections, four women and 18 men ran for presidency while in the 2023 polls only a single woman contested the presidential election.
Jenje Makwenda has 38 years of working experience, covering areas of early urban culture, music, politics, education, religion, media, fashion, sex and sexuality (taboo issues) and cultural issues and women’s histories in Zimbabwe over and above writing a number of books and novels.
She has also produced and directed award-winning film documentaries.
She has also established one of the biggest private social history collection/archive at her house in Harare.
Jenje Makwenda has received several awards and honours over the years, including:
1992: Producer/Director: A documentary on Zimbabwe Township Music 1930s – 1960s – got a special mention at the Southern African Film Festival 1993.
1992: Interviewer/Translator: Nyanja and Shona for a documentary
On “Africa Exchange” United Nations Volunteer (UNV/UNDP)
1993: Producer/Director: A documentary: “A Christmas to Remember- With Early Township Dwellers” December – Second best TV Producer of the year 1994 National Journalistic Awards, Zimbabwe Sponsored by Reuters.
1995: Producer: A magazine program at The All Africa Games COJA-Z’95 for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation
1996: A member of the Jury Documentary and short films at the
Southern African Film Festival
1997: Directed Namibia Special - A film by Sadc Film Makers on Namibia. Produced by The Nordic Sadc Journalism Centre and The Finnish Broadcast
1997: Producer/Director: The Epworth Theatrical Stutters – A documentary - Musical Group from the 1950s
1998: Produced/Directed: The Bantu Actors/Mattaka Family A documentary (A Family Musical Group which goes back to the 30’s)
2000: Produced/Directed: Film Documentary - Pre-Election Violence and its after Effects on Women and Children
2001: Produced/Directed: Film documentary - Development through Radio (DTR) or Rural Radio Listening Clubs Project - How this has helped in Women’s Development
2023 - History of Women Politicians of Zimbabwe - Funded by OSISA and JJMCA
Zimbabweans must be waiting with bated breath, for the documentary which will provide a significant shift to the manner the Zimbabwean story is being told. It will also debunk the previous biases relating to the liberation struggle narrative, where women are also in the mix and playing critical roles.
Happy Women’s Month!
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