Horror stories coming out of Zimbabwe have today become commonplace. Each day a new twist emerges. Social services have shut down. Schools no longer work. There is no water. Hundreds are dying from cholera, an illness that is both preventable and curable. The economic system no longer functions. People are locked out of access to their own money and thus a means to buy basic goods including food.

Rape and torture of women has become both weapon and strategy in this unnamed war against the people of Zimbabwe. 

The recent rampage of police and some soldiers who went on the rampage,  the arbitrary arrest and detention of women activists and the abduction of Jestina Mukoko (at 5am in her night-dress), a human rights defender from the Zimbabwe Peace Project, who was abducted at 5am still in her night-dress.

There is a war in Zimbabwe! It has a name. It has a face! It is being fought across the bodies of women, men and children who live like prisoners in a country that is no longer theirs. They have no where to go. Nothing to eat. No means to speak their suffering because when they do, they are beaten up, abducted, tortured and thrown in deathly prison cells. Each day the world allows it, it takes away a limb, a child’s future, a decade of life or more from old men and women who starve and have no health care! Each day the casualties multiply.

What we are doing is not enough. Nothing short of sustained mass action by Zimbabweans and all who care about justice across the world will shift things now.  It is time for us to demand  in our words and actions “an end to the Humanitarian and political crisis”. 

As feminist activists, individuals, leaders and organizations concerned with issues of  democracy and justice, we witness this wave of military terror and suppression of the people of Zimbabwe and worry that this is indeed the intensification of the Zanu-PF threatened campaign of 'Ngatipedzenavo' 'lets finish them off'. 

We condemn the failure of Zimbabwean leaders to resolve the political crisis. We  demand that they provide leadership now or step aside to allow the people of Zimbabwe space to find new solutions on how to rebuild their lives and country.

We further condemn the failure of Southern African and African Union leaders to defend a people under attack by an illegitimate regime and fear that the people of Africa can no longer count on these bodies and those in leadership in our continent.  

We pledge solidarity with Zimbabweans who say: 

• Form a legitimate government  - end the human suffering NOW
• Bring safe and accessible water, food, medical care now!
• Stop the war on women’s bodies NOW!
• Hands off  human rights defenders NOW! 
• Give Zimbabwe back to its people NOW!

Written by Sipho Mtati, a feminist activist from South Africa.