More student activists arrested and detained in Zimbabwe

The arrest and detention of students in Zimbabwe have continued during a turbulent two weeks in which students were locked up for protesting against the incarceration of another student leader, Makomborero Haruzivishe. Some have also been charged for not wearing masks.

The arrests started on 26 February after several student leaders attended a press address outside Harare’s Rotten Row Magistrate’s Court in which a Movement for Democratic Change member of parliament (and former student leader), Joana Mamombe, and two other members of the opposition read a statement demanding the freedom of Haruzivishe.

Later that day, Paidamoyo Masaraure, the president of the Women’s University in Africa student representative council; Liam Kanhenga, Midlands State University’s acting SRC president; and Pritchard Paradzayi, Chinhoyi University of Technology’s SRC spokesperson, were apprehended at the court.

Charged for not wearing masks

Before they were released on the same day, having been charged with not properly wearing their masks and fined, they were joined by Takudzwa Ngadziore, the president of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU); Tapiwanashe Chiriga, the union’s secretary general; and Nancy Njenge, the gender secretary, who were charged with inciting public violence.

Njenge was released on free bail the following morning as the state did not oppose her bail application while Chiriga and Ngadziore’s bail hearing was set for Monday 1 March.

At the bail ruling, which was finally delivered on Thursday 4 March, Chiriga was released on ZWL$5,000 (about US$60) bail while Ngadziore was denied bail, with the magistrate stating that the ZINASU president could not be granted bail because he was already out on bail on three other cases.

His lawyer, Jeremiah Bamu told University World News that they have since applied for a bail appeal at the high court and they expected the matter to be heard this week.

Speaking to University World News, Chiriga vowed to fight on.

“I cannot afford to celebrate anything about leaving Mnangagwa’s terror dungeons after an unjustified week-long stay,” he said.

“My heart sinks knowing the filthy, inhuman and degrading conditions I left my brothers, Mako [Makomborero Haruzivishe] and Taku [Takudzwa Ngadziore], in when I left Harare Remand Prison.

“We have a group of people who are so scared of unarmed young people that they will employ a ruthless system to fight them when they speak out. They respond to words with terror,” added Chiriga.

Students vow to continue with protests

Meanwhile, four students were also arrested, on Wednesday 3 March, after they had participated in a protest calling for a fair bail ruling for Ngadziore and Chiriga.

The protest was sparked by magistrate Vongai Guuriro-Muchuchuti’s decision to postpone the bail ruling of the two to Thursday, three days after the matter had been heard.

Nyasha Ndoro, a journalist who was covering the demonstration, was also arrested but later released without charge.

The four arrested are Falon Dunga, Pritchard Paradzayi, Glown Magaya and Allan Chipoyi. They were charged with participating in a gathering with intent to cause public violence and were all released on ZWL$5,000 (US$60) bail two days later.

Speaking to University World News, Paradzayi complained about how they were treated by the police.

“We were beaten for simply wearing ZINASU regalia. They did not tell us our charge when they arrested us and denied us access to lawyers and food until around 7pm. They even kept us away from other prisoners. We were only formally charged the following day,” he said.

“We will not stop demanding the freedom of our cadres. We will keep fighting,” he added.

Three students who attempted to attend Friday’s bail hearing were arrested along with the ZINASU programmes officer, Innocent Sibanda, but were all released a few hours later without charge.

ZINASU has since released a statement about the recent student arrests. “The regime has arrested more than 10 students in the space of seven days. This signals a shrinking democratic space and deteriorating justice system,” reads part of the statement.