UZ fines 'protest' student for humiliating Mugabe

The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) has fined graduand Tonderai Dombo $50 after the institution's disciplinary committee found him guilty of breaching rules of students' conduct following his protest in front of President Robert Mugabe during a graduation ceremony in September.

Four other graduands - Thembinkosi Rushwaya, Alexander Mukamba, Tinotenda Mhungu and Hlalanilathi Khosa - were, however, cleared by the committee.

The five - facing charges of violating rules of students' conduct and discipline, commonly referred to as Ordinance 30 - were represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights attorneys Denford Halimani, Jeremiah Bamu and Dorcas Chitiyo.

Dombo pulled a shocker after he demonstrated against the unemployment situation in the country while Mugabe was conferring degrees at the university.

He stood up and waved an A4-sized placard inscribed "graduates today, rovha Mangwana (loafer tomorrow)", as Mugabe watched from the high table.

Dombo was then hurriedly escorted outside the venue and detained by alleged State security agents.

Zimbabwe has an estimated unemployment rate of over 90 percent, with government failing to deliver the promised 2, 2 million jobs. Halimani told the Daily News that they were now awaiting a response from UZ vice chancellor Levi Nyagura on the matter.

"The disciplinary committee recommended a $50 fine and a final warning for Dombo. We will wait to see if the vice chancellor will confirm or change that. In Rushwaya's case, the committee agreed that he was no longer a student so they could deliberate on it . . . the others were acquitted," Halamani said.

"The committee also agreed to let Dombo carry on with his postgraduate studies for an Honours degree in War and Strategic Studies," he said, adding that the issue of the graduands' certificates had not been deliberated on.