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ZINASU leaders tortured
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) NTCC
September 19, 2011

Members of the notorious Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) tried in vein to stop the ZINASU Masvingo Provincial Congress and the regional launch of the Deposit your Voice Campaign by illegally detaining the Union leadership that was set to travel from Harare to Masvingo on Friday 16 September 2011 for the historic congress.

The group comprised of Co-Chairpersons Obert Masaraure and Tafadzwa Mugwadi; Advocacy Committee member, Kundai Chambara; Finance Committee member, Noel Gotora and two veteran students' activists Patric Danga and Jorum Chikwadze

The unsuspecting student leaders were rounded up by 10 armed men near Mbudzi cemetery at around 20.00hrs on Friday night as they were waiting for transport that could ferry them to Masvingo. The six leaders were blindfolded and forced into the back of an open truck and were taken to an unknown location. The unrepentant Intelligence security details took turns to torture the six demanding to know where ZINASU is getting funding and demanded information about the Deposit your Voice Campaign which was launched on 14th of this month.

The student leaders were handed over to Waterfalls police post at 2330hrs and were charged with disorderly conduct. The ZINASU leaders were forced to pay an admission of guilty fine of US$20 each on Saturday 17 September at 13000hrs and were released after having been seriously warned not to disclose to anyone how the security details had treated them . The fines were receipted by one Sergeant Jangara. Speaking over the phone from Masvingo the ZINASU organizing and logistics committee member Welcome Zimuto decried the heavy handedness of the state in dealing with student leaders as they fight for the liberation of the education sector.

Meanwhile the Masvingo Provincial Congress was held successfully and a new Provincial leadership led by Gamuchirai Mukura was ushered into office. ZINASU has successfully held four out of a possible six regional congresses which are a precursor to the 8th Bi-annual national Congress. The Union leadership is set to be in Mutare on the 24th of September for the fifth congress before wrapping up in Bulawayo on the 1st of October.

ZINASU will not be cowed by the ancient and dark tactics designed to best selfish interests which are being used by the government of the day to try and stop the Union from executing its legitimate mandate of representing students of Zimbabwe.

Visit the ZINASU fact sheet

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