News / Press Release
RTUZ Statement on the prosecution of Shamva head and workers
03 Mar 2016 at 15:17hrs | Views
The Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) is disgusted by the continued abuse of state resources by overzealous elements in the security sector to harass and victimize workers in the education sector. In this regard the union condemns with total contempt the arrest and prosecution of Shamva Primary School headmaster Edson Chuwe, typist Edna Garwe and School Development Association (SDA) member Lenman Pwanyiwa.
The trio is being charged with the unconstitutional section 33 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act which criminalizes virtually all criticism of the sitting President. This section of the law has long been condemned by the judiciary and human rights lawyers as it impedes on the freedom of expressing and speech.
To have such a law still being enforced in an era where defamation has been decriminalized and within the jurisdiction of a new constitution which puts fundamental rights at the very centre of our democracy is all but shocking.
The frivolous and vexatious charges are arising from various caricatures of President Mugabe which the trio is accused of having shared via social media platforms facebook and Whatsapp. That in this day and age the state can waste its resources to prosecute citizens for sharing harmless pictures on social media boggles the mind and shows the extent to which the government bureaucrats and authorities disregard our national constitution.
These charges come at a time when RTUZ has registered its concern over the abuse of school facilities, teachers and school children by political parties in particular ZANU PF women's league secretary Grace Mugabe. It also comes hot on the heels of victimization of RTUZ leaders by the state as it charged them with various malicious charges that are designed to deter them from undertaking their legitimate duties.
RTUZ is also worried about the silence of the parent Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education when its workers, who deliver exceptional results with very little resources, are victimized and abused by state actors who are pursuing narrow political ambitions.
The deafening silence confirms what the union has always argued that the current Minister has very little concern for education and indeed Lazarus Dokora competes closely with former Minister Eanias Chingwedere for the accolade of worst Minister of education since independence.
As a union we are grateful to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) which continues to tirelessly provide legal representations in all the cases where state actors are attempting to harass and victimize teachers. We will also mobilize solidarity for the 3 comrades when they appear in court on March, 8,
2016.
Released by;
RTUZ Information +263 776 129 336
The trio is being charged with the unconstitutional section 33 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act which criminalizes virtually all criticism of the sitting President. This section of the law has long been condemned by the judiciary and human rights lawyers as it impedes on the freedom of expressing and speech.
To have such a law still being enforced in an era where defamation has been decriminalized and within the jurisdiction of a new constitution which puts fundamental rights at the very centre of our democracy is all but shocking.
The frivolous and vexatious charges are arising from various caricatures of President Mugabe which the trio is accused of having shared via social media platforms facebook and Whatsapp. That in this day and age the state can waste its resources to prosecute citizens for sharing harmless pictures on social media boggles the mind and shows the extent to which the government bureaucrats and authorities disregard our national constitution.
These charges come at a time when RTUZ has registered its concern over the abuse of school facilities, teachers and school children by political parties in particular ZANU PF women's league secretary Grace Mugabe. It also comes hot on the heels of victimization of RTUZ leaders by the state as it charged them with various malicious charges that are designed to deter them from undertaking their legitimate duties.
RTUZ is also worried about the silence of the parent Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education when its workers, who deliver exceptional results with very little resources, are victimized and abused by state actors who are pursuing narrow political ambitions.
The deafening silence confirms what the union has always argued that the current Minister has very little concern for education and indeed Lazarus Dokora competes closely with former Minister Eanias Chingwedere for the accolade of worst Minister of education since independence.
As a union we are grateful to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) which continues to tirelessly provide legal representations in all the cases where state actors are attempting to harass and victimize teachers. We will also mobilize solidarity for the 3 comrades when they appear in court on March, 8,
2016.
Released by;
RTUZ Information +263 776 129 336
Source - RTUZ
