High Court quashes UZ Students suspension

By Lance Guma
04 November 2005

High Court Judge Ben Hlatshwayo on Friday quashed the suspension of student leaders from the University of Zimbabwe. Collen Chibango, Mfundo Mlilo, Wellington Mahohoma and Garikai Kajau were suspended by the Vice Chancellor Levi Nyagura for allegedly inciting a student rebellion over attempts to have them pay Z$150,000 towards hostel refurbishments.

Justice Hlatshwayo dismissed the suspension as unprocedural and ordered the University to meet the costs of the application. In an interview with Newsreel, the President of the Zimbabwe National Association of Students Unions (ZINASU) Washington Katema praised the judgement and said it was an indictment of the Vice Chancellor’s attempts to run the University like a 16th century dictator.

The judge, a former lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe himself surprised all and sundry by making a judgement against the establishment. Such judgments are rare in the country’s current judicial system. Last week, the ZINASU student leadership complained that the level of victimization they were facing countrywide had reached alarming levels. Disturbances broke out at the University of Zimbabwe two weeks ago over the controversial refurbishments, resulting in riot police besieging the campus and randomly beating up students.

At Bindura University, student leader Givemore Chari was suspended for allegedly invoking "feelings of hate and dislike" in the student body against the authorities. He was ordered to leave the university by Vice Chancellor, Professor Sam Tswana, and told he could not hold the position of SRC President. In Masvingo, students are being forced to join governments housing PR stunt, ‘Operation Garikai’ as part of their attachment.

At the Harare Polytechnic a dean of students was recently suspended for trying to poison a group of student leaders by pouring acid onto their sheets and food in the hostels. A separate incident also saw the President of the University of Zimbabwe Students Council expelled for allegedly cheating in his exams. At the Midlands State University, Ornwell Marasha, another student leader was expelled 3 weeks before he could complete his 3-year degree programme. He was accused of leading the production of a politically motivated video on campus, which allegedly brought the University into ‘disrepute’.