Students consider rival union after ‘sham’ elections at UZ
By Lance Guma
01 June 2007.

The rigging of elections by Zimbabwe’s Registrar General seems to have rubbed off onto student council elections at the University of Zimbabwe a week ago. Following accusations of double voting and the use of riot police to intimidate voters, progressive student leaders at the university are said to be contemplating the formation of a rival union to represent students. The feeling is that Zanu PF sponsored candidates were able to grab key posts on the back of massive financial backing and outright rigging.

Washington Katema a coordinator with the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) told Newsreel the idea was one among many that came out during a brain storming session between students, after the chaos of 23rd May. Its alleged one of the candidates in the election, Christopher Mutangadura, called in 3 truckloads of riot police to force a counting of votes after students confiscated ballot boxes, protesting at the rigging that was taking place. Other candidates like Edwin Kunaka allegedly canvassed for votes right outside the polling booths and the general impression in the student community is that the election was stage managed to produce a result favourable to government-sponsored candidates.

Despite the dean of students nullifying the poll, Vice Chancellor Levy Nyagura is said to have over-ruled him and endorsed the process. Clever Bere the SRC President at the National University of Science and Technology who observed the poll, condemned it as fundamentally flawed. ‘Is this what you call an election?’ he is said to have asked his colleagues.’ Another student leader Blessing Vava noted that ‘it is disturbing when rigging start at grassroots level and it shows how desperate ZANU PF has become, as revealed by their big involvement in student activism.’

Meanwhile a ZINASU student leader Tellington Kwashira, who was abducted by suspected ruling party thugs in the Goromonzi farming area on Wednesday,is said to have been released on the same day. Kwashira is the Education and Research secretary for ZINASU and was serving his industrial attachment with the General Agricultural and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe in the area. A ZINASU statement said he was on an official farm workers assessment visit when he was taken to a ZANU PF office near Ruwa. It’s there that he was allegedly detained and assaulted. The mob used the usual government rhetoric as an excuse, accusing him of working with the British government to reverse the land reform programme in Zimbabwe.