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Open letter to Dr Lovemore Madhuku
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) (Chinyere)
March 12, 2010

State of the Union Address.

Point of Correction, ZINASU is not with you

Ahoy Comrades, this open letter is directed to Dr Lovemore Madhuku, the Chairperson of the National Constitutional Assembly's utterances in his "Open letter to the people of Zimbabwe by the National Constitutional Assembly Taskforce to mark the Tenth Anniversary of the year 2000 'No Vote'. In his letter full of emotions, disappointment, bitterness, anger and frustration, Dr Madhuku stated that ZINASU, NCA and ZCTU are part of an alliance that is against the current constitution making process. Point of correction Dr., ZINASU is not part of that alliance, the marriage between NCA and ZINASU came to an end when your organisation decided to "take charge" in the constitution making process and attempted to force the students movement to also take charge.

Dr Madhuku made this decision on behalf of NCA but unfortunately it was not supported by the majority of civil society organizations, political partners and Zimbabweans in general who are the stakeholders. Dr. Madhuku is so desperate to convince himself that he made the right move to the extent of clinging on ZINASU as one of his alliance. He wants to capitalise on the fact that ZINASU is a mass based movement of great minds which can amplify the take charge campaign, this is uncalled for.

The NCA's Ayatollah or life Chairperson should stop misrepresenting the students position on the Constitution, the students whom he is housing at the NCA are not the ZINASU leadership and cannot make decisions on behalf of the Union. The students of Zimbabwe during the 7th Bi- Annual Congress in December 2009 resolved to take part in the new constitution as it offers the students an opportunity to have their views heard. Many of the challenges facing the student of today is that education is not incorporated as a basic human right in the current constitution hence the Government can toy toy on the needs of the students without any legal implications hence the dire need to ensure that our voice is heard in the new constitution. Madhuku should shut up on democratic processes because he used violence and rigged elections to remain the ''the Spiritual leader'' of the now moribund and bankrupt NCA. Partners cannot invest their resources in a one-man band organization that operates like ZANU PF's Soviet style political bureau (politburo) with a ceremonial coordinator who cannot even sign five dollars without the approval of the ''Spiritual Leader".

To comrade Madhuku, ZINASU has no permanent friends but has permanent interests, any opportunity that permit for development in the education fraternity will be fully utilised by ZINASU in fulfilment of its mandate of defending academic freedoms in Zimbabwe. For you to house College drop outs at Bumbiro House and then address them as ZINASU leadership goes to show the kind of leader you are and the levels of desperation in your camp. It is only you, Takura Zhangazha and Lovemore Matombo who are behind the take charge circus. Surely a group of three people cannot call itself a movement. Look at all the people who have supported you how they have fallen from grace. Takura Zhangazha was fired from MISA for trying to impose the "take charge agenda" on the organisation, Clever Bere the former ZINASU President was bi-elected last year for going against the students he represented and lastly Lovemore Matombo is the only one "taking charge" as the workers he claim to represent are giving the constitution making process a chance. ZCTU is made up of various affiliates which for example GAPWUZ and PTUZ who are all taking part.

To Dr Madhuku, even if you blast other civil society organisations, donors and MDC, that is not going to stop the constitution from being written. If the churches, the students, business people, civil society organisations and political parties are contributing to the current constitution making process, which other people are you claiming not to be involved except yourself? Dr Madhuku wants to abuse ZINASU to legitimise his position and this is dividing the students' movement. Madhuku is not a student and should leave the students deal with their issues. The only relationship between the students and Madhuku is that Madhuku is a lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe period. He was never a student leader and cannot be one in retrospect. ZINASU is not an appendage of NCA, Crisis Coalition, ZCTU, and MDC, ZANU PF or any other body. ZINASU is a Student's Union and it is independent of any external influence. The Union serves and only serves the students interests. ZINASU was formed far much earlier in 1989 before the NCA came into existence. It represents more than 360 000 students in Zimbabwe unlike NCA which has imaginary members the majority who are MDC activists. The core mandate of ZINASU is to fight for the rights of the students. While the core mandate of NCA is the constitution, ZINASU concerns' are far much broader than the constititution hence it is unfair for him to split the students body through imposing the constitution as the core mandate of ZINASU.

The Union cannot be split on the basis of the constitution making process which will come to pass; the issues of students have always been there and will continue to exist during and even after the constitution making process. The Students Union has a constituency that expect deliverables and results from its National leadership on the challenges they are facing in institutions of higher learning. Madhuku is holding the Union at ransom by causing unnecessary confusion, divisions in pursuit of personal interests. Enough is enough Dr Madhuku, the students are about to lose their patience and will do whatever it takes to ensure you leave the Students body to operate on its own. It is the ZINASU general council that makes decisions on behalf of the students not Madhuku or NCA.

ZINASU is bigger than any individual, the interests of students are a permanent feature as long as men live on the land.

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