Fort Hare MDC students fear being sent to prison

By Alex Bell
04 December 2009

Twelve students from Fort Hare University in South Africa have expressed fears about returning home to Zimbabwe, saying they will be sent to prison for supporting the MDC.

The students’ government scholarships were withdrawn because of their alleged involvement in political activity on campus. The programme, meant for under-privileged students, is funding around 750 individuals at the University, but it’s understood that ZANU PF functionaries are now abusing it to punish those said to be taking part in MDC activities on the campus.

The twelve students who had their scholarships revoked have this week said they are now too afraid to return home, after the University allegedly offered them funds for a trip to Harare in order to negotiate the scholarships. They said the University’s vice-chancellor, Dr Tom Mvuyo, offered to pay R3
000 for each student to go back to Harare to sort out their scholarship
disagreements with the government.

But according to South Africa’s Daily Dispatch news service the MDC branch chairperson at the University, Juma Ulete, claimed the Fort Hare administration was setting the students up. He said that Mvuyo knew what was awaiting the students in Harare.

“It’s obvious; on our arrival there we will be charged with treason, which carries the death penalty,” Ulete is quoted as saying. “They said we’ve lost the scholarship because we defied orders of Mugabe … even if MDC is part of the government…we will be sent to prison.”

The spokesperson for the MDC South Africa, Sibanengi Dube, told SW Radio Africa on Friday that the concerns are absolutely legitimate, as the students have faced increasing intimidation in recent weeks. Dube explained the students have already been told they are guilty of ‘deception’ for being MDC activists, saying the charge carries the same weight as treason. Dube continued that the students have also been threatened with expulsion, and have often not been allowed to buy food on campus “because of interference of ZANU PF functionaries.”
“The situation is terrible and the University is clearly under instruction of ZANU PF functionaries,” Dube said.

Dube laid the blame for the intimidation at the feet of former Transport Minister and ZANU PF loyalist, Chris Mushowe, who is overseeing the Fort Hare scholarship programme. Dube accused Mushowe of instructing University officials to prevent the MDC students from writing exams, although all students were eventually able to complete their exams.

Dr. Mvuyo meanwhile has dismissed the claims that the university is conspiring with ZANU PF to send the students back home, saying the students themselves requested the funds to return. He also reiterated his argument that the University had nothing to do with the suspension of the scholarships.

Mvuyo has previously tried to distance the university from the problem, saying in October, at the height of the scandal, that they were ‘not a party to the scholarship agreement between the Zimbabwean government and the scholarship holders. As with any other similar funding arrangement, the terms are a matter between the government and the students’. He has also explained that Fort Hare had not expelled the students but had asked them to contact them to ‘discuss alternative payment arrangements’.