The environment is tense in areas such as Mashonaland Central, East and West where teachers are being targeted for their allegiance to the MDC-T.
“Reports coming to me show that while the surface looks still, underneath there is serious gnashing of teeth. The reports we are getting are that Zanu (PF) has upped its game and it appears our teachers feel threatened. The PTUZ claims seven teachers affiliated to the union died during the June 2008 polls and more than 60 other members were victims of harassment, intimidation and torture.
The 2008 election violence forced many rural teachers to take refuge in urban areas as well as in neighboring countries such as South Africa and Botswana.
The PTUZ has on numerous occasions implored the government to ensure schools are declared peace zones during election time. Elsewhere, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association fears the exclusion of teachers from the country’s electoral processes. ZIMTA President, Richard Gundani, said: “We have received reports of fears of exclusion from the country’s electoral processes. Our hope is that we will have a peaceful election that will see a new government in place because there has not been any meaningful dialogue between teachers and the current inclusive government.”
Post published in: News