Under pressure, university reinstates medical academics

The University of Zimbabwe has bowed to pressure and lifted the suspension of two senior lecturers accused of inciting medical students to go on strike after the country’s two main medical groups said the suspensions would undermine the training of surgeons in Zimbabwe.

Lecturers had also threatened to quit teaching at the medical school, and doctors, who have been on a month-long strike, had vowed not to return to work if the suspensions were not lifted.

Dr Bothwell Mbuwayesango, a lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe’s medical school, who is also one of only three paediatric surgeons in Zimbabwe, was suspended, together with Dr David Chimuka, a senior cardiothoracic surgeon and fellow lecturer at the same medical school, for allegedly inciting medical students to go on strike.

On strike

Medical students and lecturers have been on strike since 3 September and senior doctors have given notice that they will also join the action. Among the students’ demands are an increase in allowances as they say they are unable to fulfil their obligations due to runaway inflation.

The University of Zimbabwe suspended Mbuwayesango, a celebrated surgeon who led an all Zimbabwean medical team that separated conjoined twins in 2014 during an eight-hour operation at Harare Hospital. It was the country’s second successful separation, the first being in 1985.

In a letter written to Mbuwayesango on 7 October, the University of Zimbabwe’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo said he had been suspended without pay and benefits.

“The university has good cause to believe that you contravened the University of Zimbabwe code of conduct section 16 schedule D subsection 16.2 which reads: ‘Any act of misconduct or omission inconsistent with the fulfilment of the express or implied conditions of his/her contract’, and subsection 16.31 which reads ‘inciting and-or taking part in the unlawful job action or strike by students or staff’,” reads part of the suspension letter.

“We regret to inform you that we find it necessary to suspend you from duty without pay as from today whilst your offence is being investigated.”

The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) said in a statement that “the training of surgeons will be undermined by this poorly considered move”.

Two days after the suspension, the university bowed to pressure after the Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZiMA) held a meeting with the institution and repeated concerns that the latest developments at the University of Zimbabwe would compromise the training of students.

In a statement released on 9 October, ZiMA said that in its meeting with Mapfumo they resolved to have the senior doctors’ suspension and dismissal lifted with immediate effect.

Suspensions of academics

The persecution of the medical academics follows the suspension in June of a Harare Polytechnic lecturer who was accused of denigrating Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Amos Dauzeni, a lecturer at the polytechnic’s Hospitality Department, was also barred from leaving the country.

The misconduct charge sheet said Dauzeni had displayed unbecoming behaviour or indecorous behaviour in breach of section 44(2)(a) of the Public Service Regulations during a conversation with a soldier in a bar in Harare.

It said during the conversation with Simbarashe Muti, a member of the Zimbabwe National Army, Dauzeni allegedly shouted that Mnangagwa had mismanaged the country’s economy resulting in the payment of poor salaries to lecturers and government workers.

Dauzeni earned less than US$35 per month ($465 RTGS) at the time.

“College authorities charged that during the altercation with Muti, who filed a complaint with the institution protesting against Dauzeni’s conduct, the lecturer reportedly went on to produce a copy of his pay slip, which shows that he earns $465 RTGS and threw it on the floor in front of the soldier and uttered the words ‘Take this piece of paper and give it to Mnangagwa’,” the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said in a statement at the time.

“The college authorities charged that Dauzeni had behaved in a manner unbefitting of a public civil servant. During his three months suspension period, Dauzeni will not be entitled to his salary and allowances and will not be allowed to leave Zimbabwe without the approval of the college authorities.”

Lawyers for Human Rights said more than 10 people have been prosecuted or persecuted since December 2017 for allegedly undermining or insulting the authority of Mnangagwa.

During the presidency of Zimbabwe’s former leader Robert Mugabe, more than 200 people were charged with criticising him, including opposition party supporters, human rights activists and ordinary citizens, the organisation said.