Several teachers working at various schools in Chiweshe, Rushinga and Kazangarare revealed that they had been integrated into the party’s structures against their will.
According to Progressive Teachers Union Zimbabwe, seven teachers affiliated to the union died during the June 2008 elections and more than 60 others were victimized, intimidated and tortured.
The organisation states that the 2008 election violence forced many rural teachers to migrate to neighboring countries such as South Africa and Botswana, while others sought refuge in urban areas.
A teacher who spoke on condition of anonymity in Chiweshe said: “We were told that if we are not in the party’s structures, it signifies that we belong to the Movement for Democratic Change.
“The political environment is getting tense and no one wants to be found on the ‘wrong side’ because we fear a repeat of the 2008 experience,” he said.
Another teacher from at a primary school in Chief Kazangarare’s area, Mashonaland West revealed that the manipulation of teachers by politicians is one of the reasons why teachers shun rural schools.
She said: “We are under strict instruction to conduct door to door campaigns for Zanu (PF). This is why most teachers do not want to be deployed to rural schools. At election time, we are either beaten up or forced to campaign for certain political parties against our will.”
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe Secretary General, Raymond Majongwe said his organisation was aware that teachers were being used to campaign for Zanu (PF).
Majongwe said: “We have received reports that some of our members in these areas are being forced to join Zanu (PF) structures from Chairmanship to all the other positions. We believe that there is no political party with a monopoly over teachers. They are citizens who must be allowed to choose a political party of their choice.”
He told The Zimbabwean that his organisation had engaged all the political parties to stop manipulating teachers and to ensure their safety against politically motivated violence.
Efforts to get a comment from the Zanu (PF) provincial leaderships in the affected areas were unsucceful.
Post published in: News