Linda Masarira

In June 2018, Linda successfully registered to contest for the Harare central parliamentary seat in the 2018 elections driven by her gender equality and conviction that she can make a difference for all workers facing labour injustice in Zimbabwe.

In March 2018 she filed papers at the constitutional court challenging the legitimacy of President Emmerson Mnangagwa who ascended into power after 2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état in November 2017.

During 2018 Workers Day celebrations, Linda Masarira was barred from entering Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions VIP tent, Peter Mutasa the ZCTU president said they barred MDC-T spokesperson from sitting in the VIP tent because she wanted to disrupt the Workers’ Day celebrations.

In 2017, Linda Masarira sued top government officials including the current president of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa who was the Vice President as well as the then Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo, ZRP commissioner Augustine Chihuri and prison chief Paradzai Zimondi. She filed a $150 000 lawsuit for unlawful detention over an outstanding warrant of arrest.

After a series of demonstrations, petitions and protests for human rights violations by the Government of Zimbabwe during the Mugabe regime which she organised, she was incarcerated for more than 80 days in Chikurubhi Maximum Prison for challenging the government to respect humanity. During her days of incarceration, Masarira mobilised fellow women prisoners and led an inmate protest against poor conditions that women were facing including lack of sanitary pads and proper access to medical services. Because of her activism, Masarira was brutalised and moved to a male prison where she was placed on solitary confinement until she was finally granted bail by a High court order in September 2016.

Linda Masarira and her 5 other allies including Lynette Tendai Mudehwe of Zimbabwe Activists Alliance launched the Occupy Africa Unity Square Campaign in June 2016, which was organised to run for 16 days. The campaign was crushed by Zimbabwe Republic Police who then arrested fellow activist Patson Dzamara and several other campaign members for made up robbery charges.

2016 in December, Masarira reportedly said "Ndebele people are cowards and cry-babies" at a Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition conference which was held in Harare. The statement went viral on social media and she was accused for tribalism. Masarira then clarified saying that she meant most Ndebele people were reluctant to participate in efforts to confront the Mugabe regime in fighting for their rights.

Linda Masarira grew up in Harare where she was based before moving to Bulawayo, Hwange and Mutare where she was employed as a trainwoman. She returned to Harare in 2015 and then formed the Zimbabwe Women In Politics Alliance.

In May 2015, Linda appeared before the Mutare magistrate Annia Ndiraya for allegedly insulting the then President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe by referring to him as shit of which she denied charges citing that she was framed. She was the remanded out of custody on free bail.