War vets remove “MDC children” from schools

According to villagers from Lupane, a vast rural district in Matabeleland North, the crackdown began at the beginning of this month.

“The war vets say that our children cannot be allowed to attend ZANU (PF) schools because their parents are sellouts. They tell us that we should build our own MDC schools that we should send our children to,” said Mloyiswa Nyoni of Mathambo area, whose three children doing Grades seven, five and two were chased away from Mathambo primary school by the former freedom fighters, who have caused a lot of harm while pushing Robert Mugabe’s bid to cling on to power since 2000.

Teachers at nearby schools also confirmed the crackdown and said that they could not do anything against the war veterans, who they say, have always threatened to turn on them anytime they are prevented from punishing the MDC.

“Last week a parent came here to complain to us, after his children had been sent back home, despite him having no fees arrears. While we were still explaining to him, a group of about five war veterans stormed the headmaster’s office and sent the man packing with sticks. They accused him of trying to run the school yet his party had nothing to do with it,” said a teacher at Siziphile primary school in the same district.

The war veterans are said to have vowed that they will not rest until all children whose parents are MDC supporters stop attending school.At some of the schools, they are alleged to have even threatened to deal with teachers for allowing those children they would have chased to return.

“We have no choice but to follow their orders because they are a law unto themselves and the education ministry is doing nothing about that despite us having reported the matter to them,” said a headmaster at one of the schools.

Education officials in the province said that their hands were also tied on the matter.”They claim that they are carrying out orders from the ZANU (PF) officials and who are we to challenge that. This is no longer an issue of working for one’s family, but keeping one’s life as well. You know what these people can do and teachers are always on the firing line on this issue,” said an official.

However, ZANU (PF) denies any knowledge of the intimidation.

“We know nothing about that. Why do those people report to you instead of the police if such things are happening?” fumed party national chairman, John Nkomo.