Students lash out as universities stay closed

No arrests have been made as the notorious riot police, known for its brutal hand on protestors, arrived when the students had already dispersed. The UZ protestors were demanding that the lecturers continue to teach and end the semester as soon as February.

They called for the Mugabe regime to resolve the outstanding issues that have caused the lecturers to go on strike, such as paying their salaries in US dollars and providing them with the appropriate paper to sit the coming exams. 

Most students blame Mugabe’s policies for the collapse of the institution which was once ranked the best in southern Africa. They say that the regime must come to an end and should meet the demands of striking lecturers so that the universities can open.

They are playing with the nation’s lives, a year had passed now since lectures were suspended, said a student.

Analysts are expecting a significant drop in the number of students in universities should the fees be paid in US dollars as suggested. Fees would be between US$600 and US$800 per semester which they believe is out of the reach of average Zimbabweans.