Over 150 tertiary students took to the streets of Bulawayo in a peaceful protest which later turned bloody after the police forcefully dispersed the crowd. Gender and Human Rights Secretary, Privilege Mutanga, who is nine months pregnant, was badly assaulted and suffered a broken hand and a twisted ankle, she is currently admitted at Galen House where she is getting medical attention. The ZINASU President Clever Bere, NUST Secretary General Isheunesu Nyoni and ten other students were briefly detained at Bulawayo Central were they were subjected to inhumane treatment.                            Three of the arrested students were forced to masturbate and some were badly beaten. The street action was motivated by the continued decline of education standards. Students also expressed the crucial need for a free and fair election in the coming March 29 polls; they were also denouncing political violence and the use of physical coercion and intimidation of innocent citizens by politicians. The violent retaliation by the regime is a pure reflection of the growing political mayhem as Zimbabwe approaches the March Presidential, parliamentary and local government election and clear evidence that the regime is not prepared to afford democratic space for free participation to all.
Meanwhile…
Secretary General, Lovemore Chinoputsa, University of Zimbabwe Secretary for Legal and Academic Affairs, Fortune Chamba and Former UZ student leader Sambulo Matema were heavily beaten and arrested after leading a peaceful protest in Harare. The Information and Publicity Secretary Blessing Vava together with other five students were beaten but have not been arrested.They intended to hand a petition to the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education which was demanding a conclusion to the SADC-led talks, free and fair elections, media freedoms among other things. They are currently detained at Harare Central Police Station .Â
ZINASU condemns in the most vehement of terms the continued harassment of students.It is quite saddening that the very same government that purports to be promoting the participation of women should harass female human rights defenders. The case of the severe assault of nine months pregnant Mutanga exposes the hypocrisy of the regime that continues to scare women away from civic participation.
We also condemn gender-based violence such as the that witnessed today of three male students who were forced to masturbate by police.
Gender and Human Rights Department
Zimbabwe National Students Union
53 Hebert Chitepo Ave,
Harare, Zimbabwe,
+263912471673/ +26323358682
zinasu@gmail.com
www.zinasu.org
Defending academic freedoms in Zimbabwe
Post published in: News