By Violet Gonda
14 July 14, 2005

Philani Zamchiya, the former Zimbabwe National Students' Union president, is recovering at the Avenues Clinic after he was poisoned Wednesday by suspected state security agents. The men accused him of organizing a National Constitutional Assembly demonstration which was planned for Thursday. The men who kidnapped him allegedly told him that he would lose his life if he continues participating in activities of the NCA.

Speaking from his hospital bed Zamchya said he was kidnapped, assaulted and forced to drink some liquid which was when he started experiencing severe stomach pains.

This is not the first time that he has been hospitalized after being attacked by suspected state agents. Zamchiya says he is fortunate that his situation has been highlighted, mainly because he is a former student leader. He says the silent majority face this brutality as the government continues to close the democratic space through terror and organized torture.

An NCA official, Ernst Mudzengi, who was at the hospital when we spoke with Philani said the activist only started talking Thursday as he had been unconscious since he was admitted to hospital the day before. The NCA official says the doctors confirmed that Zamchiya was given a poisonous substance.

Meanwhile the NCA issued a statement which said they strongly condemned the poisoning of the student activist. The pressure group said it deplores such murderous acts aimed at suffocating democracy. The statement went on to say: The NCA sees this as an open attack to the cause for a democratic constitution in Zimbabwe. Zamchya's tormentors are part of the clique that is benefiting from the status quo and are against an open democracy that will help spread the proceeds from national coffers to the majority of Zimbabweans. The existence of such reactionaries will certainly not stop the NCA from wedging the struggle for a democratic constitution in the country. More demonstrations and other forms of mass action in protest against the prevailing bad governance are on the cards.