Mnangagwa to beat up “sell-out” teachers refusing to support him

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has threatened to beat up teachers who are refusing to support him and his Zanu-PF party.

Addressing over 5 000 teachers at the launch of the Teachers for Economic Development (ED) at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) yesterday, the President issued a chilling warning to teachers saying they face beatings for failing to support Zanu-PF.

“Our party and government are ready to support you,” Mnangagwa said.

“We have the Zanu PF chairperson here (Oppah Muchinguri). You (Muchunguri) heard me telling them that the Zanu PF party supports them (teachers).

“Your children here (the teachers) have chosen to stand with us. Nurture and guide them. Those who would have shown errant behaviour, you should pinch them, don’t beat them too much. Anenge aita musikanzwa munoshunya hamunyanyi kurova.”

Mnangagwa’s threats come at a time when teachers, nurses, doctors among other public workers are threatening to engage in job action over poor ZWL salaries.

They want their wages to be pegged in US dollars.

Commenting on the sentiments by the Zanu-PF leader, Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) said the courts should intervene and stop Mnangagwa from threatening teachers who do not want to support him.

“The courts will be invited to intervene here. A whole President should not be allowed to overtly threaten violence against teachers who choose not to support the Zanu-PF party. The Civil Service should remain non partisan,” ARTUZ said.

Muchinguri, who is also the Defence Minister, said “anti-Zanu PF teachers” were “sell-outs”.

“I want to appreciate the Teachers for ED for putting their hands on the deck for the tasks of building our economy and defending the legacy of the second republic,” Muchinguri said.

“This resonates very well with the values of our liberation struggle as inculcated to the teachers by the Chitepo School of Ideology. We don’t want to hear any more of the reproach against our teachers that they are sell-outs. Let’s stop it now.”