Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

ZINASU condemns the redetention of Mukoko and others
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU)
May 06, 2009

The Zimbabwe National Students Union out rightly castigates the re-detention of all former political detainees including Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) Director, Jestina Mukoko and Movement for Democratic Change Chief Security officer, Kisimusi Dhlamini. The continued incarceration of these activists is illegal. They were initially abducted, tortured and detained without trial. The February 2009 release on bail of the detainees was premised on negotiations between the main political parties, MDC and ZANU PF as per the September 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA). However more than three months after the formation of the inclusive government there are still outstanding issues, such as the repeal of oppressive laws and restoration of the rule of law. Their release was short lived as the state indicted the activists on the 5th of May 2009 without taking into account the circumstances leading to their detention and the poor medical conditions of some of the activists.

The re-detention of these victims of severe torture and trumped up charges under oppressive laws that should have been repealed is not only a violation of their rights but also a gross provocation of all peace loving Zimbabweans, whose hope for a better future is grounded on the success of the Global Political Agreement. President Mugabe and the cabal behind these well calculated efforts at derailing the coalition government should be equally held accountable and responsible. The MDC parties must resolutely take a clear position by urgently seeking recourse with SADC and the AU the guarantors of the G.P.A pending complete withdrawal from the inclusive government if ZANU PF and President Mugabe continue to violate the GPA.

The suffering of Jestina Mukoko, a woman and mother calls upon every woman in the country to unite and confront her captors. ZINASU will not continue to sit back and relax in the face of such callous inhuman persecution of one of us, whose only crime was to stand up and fight for the rights of all Zimbabweans.

ZINASU equally condemns the harassment and arrests of students since the formation of the coalition government. ZINASU's Secretary for Legal Affairs, Courage Ngwarai spent more than one week in detention at Masvingo Central Police Station without trial while other student leaders were arrested in Bulawayo.

There is clearly no willingness to respect human rights and to allow democracy to prevail in the country. ZANU PF is reverting back to its usual ways of partisan and selective application of the law, constant abuse of opposition politicians and human rights defenders completely undermining the so called spirit of inclusiveness. The state is deliberately ignoring those who abducted Jestina and the other detainees.

Zimbabweans should brace themselves to protect their rights by going back to the streets to confront the regime in Harare. It should be made clear that no matter how brutal the Harare regime can be. It is a matter of time before justice catches up with them.

Visit the ZINASU fact sheet

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