Violent clashes escalate between student factions

By Lance Guma
11 March 2010

Violent clashes between the two factions of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) are threatening to spiral out of control, after students loyal to a faction beaten up over the weekend, retaliated on Tuesday. Last year ZINASU split into two groups, one supporting the MDC and the government constitution making process and the other opposed to it and supported by the National Constitutional Assembly and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.

The memorial service for the late Susan Tsvangirai at Glamis Stadium in Harare on Saturday became a battleground for influence between the two factions. Its alleged MDC-T youths attacked the ZINASU executive led by President Tafadzwa Mugwadi, seen as opposing their party in the power struggle. But on Wednesday the faction led by President Joshua Chinyere, and accused of planning the attacks at the memorial service, issued a statement claiming their leaders had been assaulted on Tuesday.

Spokesman Wisdon Mgagara said their members were surrounded near Fourth Street in Harare ‘by these thugs, who started beating them with logs, metal objects, knives and clenched fists, accusing them of failing to support the “Take Charge” Constitutional Campaign. The leaders were taken to the Avenues Clinic for medical attention. The Secretary General Grant Tabvurei, sustained head and mouth injuries.

Newsreel spoke to both factions on Thursday and their version of events differed greatly. Mugwadi denied his executive organized any retaliatory attacks. He however said they gave feedback to students back in college over what happened at the memorial and it was possible some may have decided to take the law into their own hands and retaliate. Mgagara, speaking for his faction, said their rivals had wanted to politicize the memorial and MDC-T youths were forced ‘to apply some physical counseling to the guys.’

A former student leader who spoke to Newsreel said the students did not have any differences between themselves and alleged they were being exploited by the MDC-T on the one hand and the ZCTU and NCA on the other. ‘The major players in this equation have to put a stop to this, otherwise these clashes have the potential to get out of control and ultimately tarnish these organizations,’ he said. He added that the chaos was a product of the slow pace of democratic reform, with everything still mired in confusion and protracted negotiation, and people are getting frustrated.