For a protracted struggle of this kind, the struggling
individual woman (or man) should have material and moral support. It is
of the utmost importance that they should be able to secure an income
while the struggle continues. Without economic support, the individual
may break down or end up as a beggar or a prostitute.
In countries like Tanzania, where there is no
social security, there is a need to create some mechanisms for providing
such support through, for example, Juwata or professional
organisations. A fund should be created for this purpose. Once these
organisations think that their member has a cause to complain they
should offer financial and material support.
This is a critical factor for every worker, man or
woman. Moral support, which is the support of one’s friends,
colleagues, peers and family is also important. As far as I am
concerned, my dismissal was enough to paralyse and incapacitate me.
In fact, I don’t doubt that it was calculated to
destroy me totally. At the time of my dismissal I was separated from my
marital home and was struggling to build my life afresh.
My dismissal meant a double struggle – a struggle
to survive and a struggle to get reinstated. I had no close relatives in
Arusha since my parents were resident in a different part of the
country. At the same time, in l985, inflation was at its peak and I was
being thrown out of the company house. I could easily have become
destitute and a mental wreck.
What saved the day was that I was able to use the
knowledge I had to my advantage and had established a considerable
network of friends within and outside my country, who gave me emotional
and moral support. Because of my involvement with women’s issues, I was
invited to several meetings, conferences and workshops, locally and
abroad, which mostly proved to be paid trips. These greatly enhanced my
economic well-being. I was also able to take jobs of a temporary nature
as a consultant or to present papers or give talks for a fee.
In terms of moral support the greatest and the
most prized and touching contribution came from the workers at FAL who
used to visit me occasionally and provide me with maize, rice and
bananas or beans. They would drop by from time to time to check on me
and enquire how my case was progressing. Their support was most
encouraging. Friends, both near and far, used to telephone me or call on
me to take me for a drink. My lawyer friends enlightened me on the
procedural side of my case. Other friends would volunteer financial
support. The combination of all these kept me going.
Lesson number four
Ignorance of one’s legal rights and a lopsided
appreciation of the political system may hinder women (and men) from
winning their cases or from even attempting to struggle. It is very sad
that some people tend to place either too much or too little faith in
the institution of justice and political system.
It was heartbreaking for me sometimes to hear
people say in Kiswahili: ‘Hata ukilalamika, malalamiko yako yatafika
wapi?’ (Even if you appeal against your dismissal, what kind of result
can you hope to achieve?) These people evidently were sure that I was
going to lose the case. The instruments of justice were not perceived as
an impartial arbiter between my more powerful adversaries and myself.
In a way, I could understand this perception, but I
was willing and ready to test my hypothesis that law can be impartially
administered, provided that the individuals, who have to deal with a
particular case, and the system under which one petitions, are not
inherently unjust.
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