Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

13-15 August YWCA Resolutions
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU)
August 17, 2010

Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) at a student convention held from 13-15 August at YWCA Kambuzuma Harare to try and proffer a lasting solution to both the political crisis in Zimbabwe and the troubled education sector, where each of the 46 member tertiary institutions was represented by 4 delegates

Realising that the political crisis in Zimbabwe stems from a constitutional crisis, since the current Lancaster House Constitution was simply a cease fire document now patched with amendments which concentrate power in the executive and curtail fundamental human freedoms,

Alive to the sad reality that the COPAC led constitution making process is not people driven, as it is a partisan driven process and there is no space for ordinary citizens who are not affiliated to the three political parties in the inclusive government

Recognising the painful sacrifices made by the students in the fight for a democratic Zimbabwe which resulted in many of them being suspended, expelled, tortured and even being killed,

Recalling that the inclusive government came into being after Robert Mugabe had refused to handover power to Morgan Richard Tsvangirai after the29 March 2008 elections and its primary mandate being to pave way for fresh free and fair elections succeeded by a smooth transition,

Aware that there is political polarisation in Zimbabwe precipitated by the violence perpetrated mainly by ZANU PF against MDC supporters from the 2000 elections to date

Realising that students and youths have not been fully participating in the last national elections, primarily because most of the youths do not have identity documents, some do not appreciate the importance of voting and students are usually displaced from their constituencies during elections

Reaffirming our revolutionary commitment to democratise Zimbabwe through peaceful means

Disturbed by the continued deterioration of the education sector in Zimbabwe precipitated by government's failure to fund education due to its misplaced priorities and some financial constraints

We hereby declare that:

National Constitution

• Any new constitution for Zimbabwe must capture the hopes and aspirations of the students of Zimbabwe which are attached as annexure to these resolutions,
• Students will vigorously mobilise for the rejection of any constitution that does not capture in full the demands attached in annexure to these resolutions
• ZANU PF must cease forthwith from harassing citizens who choose to participate in the flawed COPAC led process
• War Veterans faction leader Jabulani Sibanda must be put under house arrest until COPAC concludes its constitution making process
• A new constitution is not a prerequisite for fresh elections but genuine electoral reforms

National Healing

• The Ministry of National healing has failed dismally to initiate the process of healing Zimbabwe therefore Students are now going to embark on a national healing drive
• Students shall not observe the 22 December Unity Day until and after Zimbabwe has been healed from scars of both inter party violence and the Gukurahundi atrocities
• ZINASU leadership must visit all politically volatile parts of Zimbabwe e.g. Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe to initiate the bridging of the polarised communities to avoid future election violence
• Perpetrators of political violence must be prosecuted in courts of law to deter others from committing the same crime in future elections
• Both the state and perpetrators of election violence must fully compensate victims of election violence and their families
• All students who were suspended or expelled from their institutions for fighting for a democratic Zimbabwe and defending academic freedoms must be reinstated with immediate effect

Pending National Elections

• The inclusive government is illegitimate and must cede power before February 2011 to pave way for fresh elections under new electoral regulations and the direct supervision of the United Nations
• Voter clubs must be set up in all the210 constituencies of Zimbabwe to encourage all students and youths to register to vote
• ZINASU must educate citizens of Zimbabwe of the new electoral regulations if the new proposed electoral bill becomes law
• The ZINASU leadership must confront the leadership of the MDC to interrogate the sincerity of the party in both dealing with student issues and delivering a democratic Zimbabwe

National Economic Policy vis a vis Social Service Delivery

• The National Executive must strengthen ties between the Students' Union and the Workers' union to create a platform for collectively demanding social service delivery
• Chiadzwa diamonds must be wholly owned by the government and all private players i.e. Mbada and Canadile must move out of Chiadzwa and all proceeds from gross diamond sales must go to national Treasury.
• 30% of the funds from all diamond sales must fund education from nursery to tertiary for only those who are studying in Zimbabwe
• The government must cease forth with funding the partisan and scandalous Robert Mugabe Scholarship Scheme
• ZINASU shall force the closure of all tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe until the current satanic fees are repealed

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