Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

Civil society leaders call for mass protests against Mugabe
Lance Guma, SW Radio Africa
October 13, 2008

http://www.swradioafrica.com/news131008/civilsoc131008.htm

The Secretary General of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) Raymond Majongwe, and Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) leader Jenni Williams, have both called for street protests against Mugabe's move to grab the key ministries. The state owned Herald on Saturday published a list of ministries allocated to ZANU PF and the MDC, by Mugabe using a government gazette. The ZANU PF leader grabbed Home Affairs, Defence, Justice, Information, Local Government and Foreign Affairs Ministries while giving the MDC minor ministries.

Speaking at a public lecture organized by pressure group Bulawayo Agenda, Majongwe urged, 'all members of civic society and Zimbabweans in general to get onto the streets, in all cities and towns, in a clear sign to Mugabe that we are not accepting this.' He described Mugabe's unilateral allocation of ministries as a betrayal of the power sharing accord signed last month adding, 'we cannot continue to let Mugabe hold the country and us to ransom.' WOZA leader Williams echoed Majongwe's call saying, 'Mugabe should not be allowed to steal away our future. The deal, despite it's shortcomings, is the only sustainable foundation to rebuild Zimbabwe.'

Meanwhile the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) says it is planning a big demonstration Tuesday to coincide with the opening of parliament. ZINASU President Clever Bere told Newsreel although the continued closure of the University of Zimbabwe would pose a challenge for them they had committed students who were still going to come and participate. Other colleges planning to join include the Harare Polytechnic and other tertiary institutions in the city. Bere said they wanted to hand in a petition listing their demands to the 'elected members of parliament.'

The students are demanding free and quality education, a people driven constitution that guarantees education as a fundamental human right, improvements in learning conditions, lifting of suspensions and expulsions for student activists, repealing of repressive legislation and an improvement in the working conditions of academic and non-academic staff.

ZINASU has also expressed its outrage at Mugabe's move to grab key ministries. 'The list effectively removes the two MDC's from being partners, to spectators in the governing and running of the affairs of the country,' the union noted. They also expressed disappointment that ZANU PF wants to control the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education despite the party demonstrating 'a history of failure as evidenced by the current collapse of the education sector.' Although the students have reservations about the power sharing deal they said, 'it provides a framework for moving ahead.'

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP