Since January 2022, ERA Zimbabwe has carried out consultations on social justice across the
country. In 38 meetings, almost 12,000 rural and urban people told us what they want in a new
Zimbabwe. We wrote down what they said and the result is the ERA Zimbabwe policies towards
the people of Zimbabwe.
We shall all be Free and Equal
All Zimbabweans shall be equal, regardless of gender, physical ability, colour, national origin or
tribe. Women’s and children’s rights shall be promoted and protected;
We shall be educated about the rights and freedoms guaranteed to us by our Constitution and by
international law,both regional and universal; and shall enjoy them freely;
We shall be free to meet, organize and speak our minds without fear or intimidation.
People Participating in Governance
People shall be informed of and encouraged to participate fully in all aspects of how the country is managed and run, fully exercising their rights as citizens; Any person born in Zimbabwe shall be allowed to become a citizen of the country. Birth certificates, national identity
documents and passports shall be easily available for all citizens;
People shall be free to choose the leaders they want, without fear and intimidation. Leaders at all
levels shall be chosen through free and fair elections, without rigging;
Women must also be encouraged to take up leadership positions to ensure gender balance;
There shall be an independent electoral supervisory commission to oversee the conduct of
elections and elections shall be monitored by neutral observers, both local and international;
People shall be free to belong to the political party of their choice and shall not be discriminated
against because of the party they support;
All other arms of government, especially civil servants, police and army, shall be non-partisan and
shall effectively serve the interests of the people.
ERA Zimbabwe: The Leaders We Want
All leaders shall be responsible, care for the people they serve and take their issues and problems
to heart, taking
action to develop their communities;
Leaders at all levels shall respect all people equally, listen to their concerns, consult them when
making decisions
and feedback to them;
Leaders shall understand that they will be held accountable and accept that the people who
elected them have the right to criticize policy;
Leaders at all levels shall publicly renounce corruption and nepotism;
Traditional leaders (chiefs and headmen) shall not be chosen by politicians but by traditional
methods. They shall be non-partisan and stay in the communities they serve, rather than sit in
Parliament.
ERA Zimbabwe: Justice in the Law
There shall be a new constitution - written by the people of Zimbabwe for the people of
Zimbabwe;
All unjust laws that deny basic freedoms shall be repealed;
There shall be rule of law and no single person will be above the law of the land and everyone
shall have equal
access to fair and just treatment under the legal system. Law breakers will be pursued,
prosecuted and punished
without regard to their political affiliation;
The judiciary shall be independent and non-partisan, committed to upholding the law and
promoting a culture of justice;
Prisoners shall be treated with dignity, kept in humane conditions and given access to
rehabilitation. Juveniles will not be treated as adults by the police, the courts or the prisons.
ERA Zimbabwe: This Land is our Land
The Land Redistribution Programme needs to start again and land be distributed fairly to any
Zimbabwean – of any
colour or gender – who will use it properly for the benefit of the country;
There shall be respect for property rights;
Farmers shall be helped with loans and inputs, so that they can develop the land productively;
Farmers shall receive a fair price for their produce and shall be allowed to trade freely.
ERA Zimbabwe: Wealth and Prosperity
Government shall make every effort to bring development, infrastructure and prosperity to all
parts of the country, both rural and urban, equally;
Government shall encourage investment in commerce and industry that shall create employment
and promote
prosperity for all Zimbabweans;
Government shall make every effort to control inflation by promoting production;
Zimbabweans require a transparent and fair system of taxation with feedback on how their taxes
have been spent;
Government shall genuinely act to stamp out corruption and not let it continue to destroy our
economy;
Real currency shall return and our money shall have real value once again.
ERA Zimbabwe: The Right to Earn a Living
All people shall have the right to earn a living so that they can be dignified and do not need to rely
on handouts to survive;
There shall be enough employment, with decent working conditions and a livable wage; equal pay
for equal work.
There shall be access to resources to start self-help projects, especially for youth and widows;
People should also be allowed to trade; licenses and stands shall be fairly distributed.
ERA Zimbabwe: Good Living
There will be enough food for everyone;
All basic commodities shall be available and affordable. If necessary, there shall be price controls
to make sure that
everyone has access to them;
Every person shall have access to decent, affordable housing. Rents shall be lowered and there
shall be respect for property rights;
All areas, both urban and rural, shall have affordable access to the services necessary for safe,
healthy living – clean water, proper sewerage and sanitation systems and refuse collection;
All areas, both urban and rural, shall have affordable, regular access to electricity;
There shall be a regular, affordable public transport system that provides adequate coverage of all
areas of
Zimbabwe. The elderly should be allowed free local travel;
The vulnerable in our society shall be protected; the elderly, widows, people living with HIV/AIDS,
orphans and the disabled shall be properly cared for by the state;
All people shall have the right to rest, sports and recreation.
ERA Zimbabwe: Educating the Nation
Every child shall have equal access to an education without any form of discrimination. Those
who cannot afford it shall have access to financial assistance;
Primary education shall be free and secondary education affordable as we were promised in 1980;
All students shall have a good quality education, taught in classrooms with enough resources –
books, desks and equipment.
There shall be enough qualified teachers committed to educating the next generation. We must
respect their
contribution enough to give them a living wage.
ERA Zimbabwe: We Want to be Healthy
There shall be adequate access to good healthcare, which shall be affordable for all
Zimbabweans;
Hospitals and clinics shall have enough medicines and equipment;
Those living with HIV/AIDS shall have adequate access to Anti-Retroviral medication; those who
cannot afford to pay shall be given the medicine and, if necessary, food aid for free;
The elderly shall not have to pay for medical treatment or medicines.
There shall be enough qualified medical staff committed to treating people with dignity and care.
We must respect
their contribution enough to give them a living wage.
People shall be allowed to die with dignity; burial charges must be affordable.
ERA Zimbabwe: Access to Information
There shall be independent radio stations, newspapers and television stations that shall provide
accurate, independent information; News reporting shall be balanced, unbiased and all political
parties shall receive equal coverage.
ERA Zimbabwe: Righting the Wrongs
There should be a meaningful apology made by those responsible for Gukurahundi and a truthful
explanation of why it happened;
Survivors of Gukurahundi and family members of the ‘disappeared’ should receive compensation;
The pots taken from the Njelele shrine in Matobo, Matabeleland, must be returned and the
desecration reversed with a full apology.
Those affected by Murambatsvina should receive the housing that they were promised; they
should also receive compensation;
Leaders who killed thousands in Matebeleland and those who looted our wealth through
corruption should be brought to justice.
ERA Zimbabwe: Respect for Culture
All people shall have equal right to use their own language and to observe their own culture and
customs.
Zimbabweans, especially the youth, should be taught their own and other traditions, so that there
can be respect for.
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