#ThisFlag leader Evan Mawarire arrested for ‘praying with students’

By Gibbs Dube

Pastor Evan Mawarire of #ThisFlag campaign was arrested in Harare on Monday while medical students at the University of Zimbabwe were protesting against an increase in tuition and related costs.

Police declined to comment on Mawarire’s arrest but protesting students said he was live streaming on Facebook at the time they were staging the protest.

He is said to have prayed while the students were protesting and in his prayer he appealed for divine intervention to save Zimbabwe.

“The (UZ) security department has reported this morning that a gathering of medical students at the Students Union building had started throwing stones, a behavior that the University of Zimbabwe does not tolerate,” the UZ said in a notice on Monday.

“The University has now made a decision that all medical students should move out of halls of residence on campus and off campus with immediate effect.

“All medical students are therefore directed to vacate halls of residence with immediate effect and by no later than 13:15 hours, June 27, 2017.”

Mawarire told the students that the recent hike of fees from around $700 per semester to 1 500 was “an injustice”.

He said, “It is an assault on the future of our nation and we as the protectors and owners of that future – we cannot allow it to carry on. So these fees must definitely fall.”

Students Representative Council treasury general Ignatius Mukwichi said; 

“The fees have gone up by a margin of more than 33 percent and administration is using meaningless phrases such as pro-rating to justify the increase.”

“There are semesters that we don’t write exams but we pay exam fees. There are years when we don’t do laboratory experiments but we pay laboratory fees. Whether we use the bus or not we pay $100. Part one you use the bus only Fridays, part two and five not even. 

“All these are loopholes we want plugged instead of fees hike. In this economy, we can’t allow any fees increment. There are students already failing to pay the $772. No one is getting salary increment.” 

“Why is government not subsidising our education so that we go and work for three years there after finishing our studies?” Mukwichi queried. 

Pastor Mawarire participated in nationwide protests last year, which brought the country to a standstill. The protests, staged in conjunction with Tajamuka-Sesijikile Campaign, that were against the deteriorating social and economic situation in Zimbabwe were blocked by heavily armed police.

Zimbabwe’s economy has been declining fast due to lack of foreign direct investment, lack of capital to revive companies and related issues. VOA Zimbabwe/ Agencies