2 students abducted during SRC election campaigns, says Zinasu

Two students from Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) were allegedly abducted on Monday night during campaigns for the Student Representative Council (SRC) elections, in what the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) has described as a politically motivated attack.

In a statement released on Tuesday, ZINASU identified the abducted students as Lindon Zanga and Marlvin Saint Madanda, both active members of the union. The pair was reportedly taken by unidentified men driving a grey Isuzu truck, which witnesses claim had earlier been spotted on campus distributing campaign materials for the rival Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (ZICOSU).

According to ZINASU, the abductions occurred at Mzimba Shopping Centre in Chinhoyi, a few kilometres from the university campus.

"The two student leaders were snatched in front of dozens of witnesses in a brazen act of banditry that has not only instilled fear but also exposed the modus operandi of a rogue regime seemingly afraid of open contestation of ideas," the union said.

ZINASU alleges that the incident forms part of a wider strategy to intimidate and silence dissenting voices among students ahead of the closely contested SRC elections.

"This is a panic reaction from ZICOSU, which is directly sponsored by the ruling Zanu-PF regime, and a clear attempt to silence the students' voice," ZINASU added.

"Students have ceased to be seen as beacons of academic excellence. In the eyes of a jittery regime, they are viewed as terrorists who defy oppression."

The union also accused Zanu-PF Youth League Political Commissar Taurai Kandishaya of being involved in orchestrating the intimidation.

"The notorious presence of Youth League Political Commissar Taurai Kandishaya, who has a sordid history of doing everything necessary and unnecessary to please his bosses, should not be overlooked. His hand is visible in this case," ZINASU said.

ZINASU has demanded the immediate and safe release of Zanga and Madanda and vowed to pursue legal action over the alleged abductions.

University authorities and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) had not yet issued an official statement by the time of publication.

The incident has reignited concerns about political interference in student politics, a long-standing issue in Zimbabwe's tertiary institutions where pro-opposition and pro-government student unions frequently clash, often amid allegations of intimidation and violence.