Grace Mugabe STOP it!

The Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) is appalled and condemns the abuse of teachers, school children and school premises by ZANU PF Secretary for the Women's League, Grace Mugabe.

The overzealous Grace Mugabe appears to have little regard for education and academic freedom, even though she claims to be a ‘PhD holder', because her consistent and deplorable conduct of disrupting learning in order to perform her cheap political circuses. In all the areas which Grace Mugabe has visited she has used school premises in many ways, most recent being Kanyemba Secondary School in Chiweshe and Chimhanda Secondary School in Rushinga.

Firstly, the members of her advance security team which are often members of the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), ahead of the event and are accommodated in staff quarters at nearby schools. While in these quarters they threaten teachers and any other school staff who are suspected not to be interested in supporting Grace Mugabe's megalomaniac political ambitions.

To subject teachers to psychological torture has repercussions on their performance in class. Teachers suddenly have to deliver the ‘correct lessons' for as long as the CIO is around the school and thus sometimes prejudice learners especially in subjects such as history where certain topics and discussions are sensitive to Grace's ecstatic fantasies. This conduct is against various declarations on academic freedom which maintain that security forces must not be deployed in learning institutions unless if there is a real threat to property or life.

Secondly by conducting her rallies on school premises, Grace Mugabe is disrupting lessons and thus unnecessarily prejudicing young learners who are enthusiastic to learn. This conduct invariable infringes on section 75 of the constitution of Zimbabwe which guarantees the right to education.

Thirdly, Grace Mugabe's conduct also breaches section 200, subsection (3a & b) which state that no member of the Civil Service may (a) act in a partisan manner and (b) further the interest of any political party or cause. By forcing teachers, school authorities and school pupils to provide logistical support to Grace Mugabe's political rallies as ushers and general hands, puts the teachers and school authorities who are members of the Civil Service in a compromised constitutional position with regards to their conduct.

Furthermore and more dangerously, Grace Mugabe wantonly violates the rights of children as set out in section 81, subsection (2h) which states that ‘every child under the age of 18 years has the right not to be compelled to take part in any political activity.' By conducting her rallies on school premises, with school children and during school hours makes her conduct ultra vires the Constitutional provisions. Therefore what Grace is doing is to shred to tatters the national Constitution which is the very basis of our democracy and this is unacceptable and criminal.

Given the hate speech, vulgar, bellicosity, tribalism and nak.ed violence which characterizes ZANU PF rallies in general and Grace Mugabe's rallies in particular, the young vulnerable minds are being traumatized in ways beyond imagination.

It is disheartening to see young 12 year olds standing bemused as Grace Mugabe vulgarizes about her political party members' sexual activities or when Mphoko spits tribal loaded bile right into the young ears, piercing and wounding their conscience forever. This is a gross human rights violation which must be stopped forthwith.

As RTUZ we warn the temperamental Grace Mugabe to keep her toxic politics out of schools and allow genuine young learners to enjoy their right to education quietly as they will never have the opportunity to attain fake doctoral certificates like she can do by means of a mere phone call.

RTUZ will soon approach the constitutional court for redress in this matter.

Released by;
RTUZ Infor