Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) Legal Secretary Boris Tapiwanashe has accused fellow students body Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (ZICOSU) of selling out fellow learners to police as students protest against recent fees hikes.
“Members of the ZANU-PF affiliated students Union (ZICOSU) are working in cahoots with police officers to threaten & intimidate our ZINASU leaders at UZ.
“The ZICOSU guys are helping with supplying information such as room numbers. Hands off our comrades,” he says.
Meanwhile, sixteen University of Zimbabwe (UZ) students were detained by police after their arrest on Monday for participating in a protest that erupted at the Mt Pleasant campus to press for a reduction in tuition fees.
14 were later released after paying fines, but the remaining two are expected to appear at the Harare Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
Sources said the suspects were smoked out from hostels using evidence of pictures circulating on social media.
The students led by the President of the Student’s Representative Council (SRC), Allan Chipoyi, who confirmed the arrests, held protests on campus threatening to boycott classes until the fees were reduced back to last semester levels.
Undergraduate fees were hiked from ZW$50 000 to between ZW$300 000 and $500 000, while some Master’s degree learners would need to pay ZW$1 million.
According to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) three students leaders were assaulted while in police detention.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has condemned the arrests saying students should not be treated as criminals.
“The number of students arrested as at Monday UZ demo has risen to 16. We continue to call for the unconditional release of the students, who we believe have no case to answer for all they did was to peacefully demand for affordable university fees,” said CiZC.
Zwnews
