The MDC Youth Assembly secretary-general, Solomon Madzore, has called for the immediate release of four Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) students who were arrested on Wednesday.
Madzore said it was sad to note that students and other activists continued to be arrested and intimidated despite the formation of the inclusive government in February.
Clever Bere, the Zinasu president, Kudakwashe Chakabva, Archieford Mudzengi and Brian Kagodoro were arrested at the University of Zimbabwe after convening a meeting outside the main library to discuss exorbitant tuition fees.
They are being charged with trumped-up charges of disorderly conduct in public. The four were arrested with 10 other UZ students who have since been released.
Under unclear circumstances, the Zinasu leaders were today taken to the Attorney-General’s Office under unclear circumstance after they had been taken by the police to Harare’s Magistrate Courts.
“This disturbing and unfortunate trend of clamping down on students’ freedom of assembly, association and expression has been resurrected in defiance of the laws of the country. The behaviour of the past continues to haunt the new dispensation. We are worried that the inclusive government has not moved with speed in terms of shedding off the chequered behaviour of yester-year,” Madzore said.
“Students must have the fundamental right to gather, debate and organize action where their interests are being affected. The issue of tuition fees which are beyond the reach of the students is one such instance.”
The reopening of the UZ has been marred by the shortage of student accommodation, exorbitant tuition fees and a serious water crisis at the institution.
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