Zimbabwe authorities arrest students in renewed onslaught against dissent

ZIMBABWEAN police on Monday detained 10 student teachers after arresting them for allegedly staging protests in the capital city against a steep hike in tuition fees.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers swooped on some students as they were gathered at Belvedere Technical Teachers College in Harare and allegedly protesting against the decision by college authorities to hike tuition fees and for not being allowed access to campus for those with outstanding payments. The students are due to write examinations in October.

The 10 students namely Lavender Makoni, Stephen Mariwo, Julia Munyanyi, Tariro Chineganda, Talent Madzivanyika, Nqobizitha Masuku, Blessing Nyamarowa, Nokhuthula Zengeni, Walter Muzami and Tracy Ngomambi were first detained at Milton Park Police Station and were later transferred to Harare Central Police Station, where they were charged with disorderly conduct in a public place as defined in section 41 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

The 10 student teachers, who are represented by Tinashe Chinopfukutwa and Paidamoyo Saurombe of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and are detained at Harare Central Police Station are expected to appear at Harare Magistrates Court on 21 September.

Chinopfukutwa and Saurombe were on Monday evening making frantic efforts to get Makoni admitted in hospital after she sustained some injuries from assault by police officers who arrested him.