African body petitions minister over UZ violations

An African academic rights watchdog has raised alarm over what it describes as a systematic erosion of academic freedom and trade union rights in Zimbabwe, placing the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) at the centre of the controversy.

In a letter addressed to Higher and Tertiary Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Development Minister Frederick Shava, the Africa Coalition for Academic Freedom (ACAF) urged the government to urgently intervene to halt alleged violations against university lecturers and trade union leaders.

ACAF, a Ghana-registered civil society organisation that monitors academic freedom across the continent, said its concerns are based on multiple reports verified through its monitoring desk and corroborated by sources in Zimbabwe, including the Association of University Teachers (AUT).

The organisation alleged that academics at UZ have been subjected to surveillance by university security personnel operating in civilian clothes, alongside officers believed to be from the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), during lectures, workshops, conferences and seminars.

ACAF further claimed that university authorities have denied venues for union meetings, reported union leaders to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) leading to arrests, and used the courts to pursue what it termed the persecution of lecturer representatives.

Other alleged violations include the dismissal of union leaders on what ACAF described as unfounded charges, such as using university facilities without written authorisation, as well as the non-renewal of fixed-term contracts for academics who took part in a prolonged strike between April 16 and October 31, 2025.

AUT spokesperson Obvious Vengai said academic freedom at the University of Zimbabwe was under severe threat.

"It is heartening to know that there are continental bodies that are observing and are concerned about the violations of academic freedom at our university," Vengai told Standard People on Friday. "We appreciate their solidarity and wish there would be other bodies to voice their concern, because what is happening at the University of Zimbabwe is not normal. The institution has since stopped being a reputable university."

Vengai alleged that security personnel were now directly interfering in academic processes. "Can you imagine that as we speak lecturers are being ordered by security guards to set exams, mark and submit to the security control room? The security department at the University of Zimbabwe oversees academic affairs," he said.

The ACAF also cited cases in which academics were allegedly denied sabbatical, contact and ordinary leave after expressing critical views of the university administration or government, as well as incidents where lecturers were reportedly compelled by security guards to mark examination scripts.

The coalition warned that the reported conduct amounted to violations of Zimbabwe's obligations under several international and regional human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

ACAF stressed that no African intellectual should be persecuted or intimidated solely because of their intellectual work or opinions, adding that academics are entitled to job security and fair disciplinary processes conducted by democratically elected academic bodies.

The organisation also echoed AUT's position that joining a trade union and participating in strike action are lawful activities protected under both national and international law, warning against what it described as the growing politicisation of trade union activity within universities.

ACAF called on Minister Shava to engage in constructive dialogue with AUT, reverse decisions it believes violate academic and trade union freedoms, and ensure that university authorities respect the rights and freedoms of academic staff.