Coverage of women politician fizzled out after polls

THE coverage of women on the socio-political arena appears to have lost steam after the controversial March 29 harmonized polls.
This is largely because women who had been thrust on the foe of women empowerment lost power and authority in the poll.
Individuals such as Oppah Muchinguri, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and Shuvai Mahofa were seen as torch bearers of the crusade for women empowerment in Zimbabwe. But when they lost the elections no one seem to have taken over the torch from these women. As a result the media both state and private appear not to have an alternative voice for women in the absence of Muchinguri, Misihairabwi-Mushonga and Mahofa.
Fanny Chirisa, the Women in Politics programmes officer, agrees saying: “Those that were vocal over women issues have been voted. They are no longer in Parliament.”
But Chirisa said hope was not lost because the women who managed to get elected in the March 29 elections had not yet been given an opportunity to prove themselves. “We should not rule out those that were elected because they have not yet been given an opportunity.” But while Chirisa is optimistic that the new women MPs will successfully take the torch from those that fell by the wayside the State media appear to have already taken a hostile stance towards those that were elected on an MDC-T ticket.
Coverage of their activities has been largely derogative.
A good examples the coverage of the case of Lynette Karenyi, the MDC-T MP elect for Chimanimani West, who is alleged to have forged signatures from villagers so as to secure her nomination.