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Police harass student activists
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU)
February 10, 2003

Police in Bindura have arrested Itai Masotcha Zimunya under the notorious POSA. Itai, who is the ZINASU vice president was arrested while in the company of NCA national youth chairperson Alois Dzvairo and Towaitei a driver at the National Constitutiuonal Assembly. Tthey had gone to Bindura to mobilise for mass action for the NCA's demonstration which was supposed to be held on Saturday Feb 8.They are still in police custody and are expected to appear in court today.They were arrested soon after getting into Bindura.

In seperate developments several students union activists and leaders were detained for 2 hours at Glennorah police station. They included McDonald Lewanika, the secretary for Education and Research, G Chirangwithe secretary general of Masvingo Polytechnic, P. Mukundu, Mathias Bhasera, M. Marongwe, R. Chikwenhere, O. Marasha, T. Chirimambowa and T Mubvuma.They were arrested while distributing voter education material for the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) to which Zinasu is a member, on allegations that they were doing opposition party business. They were later released without any explanation.

In another incident, on Friday night 3 students union leaders were harassed by police at a local pub and had to run away. It was alleged that they were plotting to destabilise the country during the forthcoming Cricket world cup. They included the Secretary General of Zinasu, Tinashe Chimedza, who had just returned from South Africa, McDonald Lewanika, the ZINASU Education and Research Secretary and Madock Chivasa, the former treasurer of the University of Zimbabwe. Leading the harassment of these Students Union leaders was inspecter Makedenge of Police Law and Order section, whp was also the team leader of the team that disrupted the ZINASU bi-annual congress in December. The ZINASU office was barricated and surrounded the whole of Saturday by police officers who are looking for the leaders on allegations that they know about the planned disruption which might occur during the Cricket world cup.

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