Zim police detain 16 teachers for protesting against poor salaries
Police yesterday arrested at least 16 teachers for demonstrating against poor salaries. The protest took place in Harare during talks between the government and civil servants over salaries and their welfare for 2022.
Detained are members of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ). The union’s Secretary General Robson Nikita Chere on Thursday morning said the 16 teachers were yet to be charged, a day after their arrest.
“Our Cdes are still unlawfully detained at Harare Central , No charges have so far been preferred against them even if it’s now more than 10 hours after being detained. A lot of Cdes are badly injured.
“As soon as the charges have been preferred against them our lawyers will let us know of the time that they will appear in Court and we will relay the message,” he said.
ARTUZ leader Obert Masaraure is among the detained teachers.
In a statement, Artuz said teachers were waiting to receive their salaries in US$ citing Paul) Mavima, Public Service and Social Welfare Minister “promised that 2022 is a good year for civil servants.
Teachers nationwide are preparing to celebrate the restoration of the pre-October 2018 salaries. We hope the government gets it right this time so that we revive the classroom.” Nehanda Radio
Blessing Vava, the National Director of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition has meanwhile condemned “the continued police brutality against teachers demanding a living wage.
“Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition is dismayed by the fact that the government continues to respond with brute force to genuine calls for a living wage in a highly inflationary environment.
“What is more disturbing is the fact that the government continues to show insincerity towards addressing the plight of teachers and civil servants at a time corruption and looting by political elites is rampant.
“We continue to witness more talk and no action in as far as addressing the plight of teachers and civil servants is concerned,” Vava said. Nehanda Radio
