A spokesman for Fort Hare University in South Africa has confirmed that around 12 Zimbabwean students were removed from Mugabe’s Presidential Scholarship programme because they engaged in politics. Minenzima Vusani claimed the programme had a clause barring students from being involved in any political activity in a foreign country.

“This condition, among others, is a cornerstone of the programme since 1995 when it began at the university and it has been emphasised to new and old students to maintain cohesion and oneness among beneficiaries and to protect the image and integrity of our institution,” he told the ZimOnline website.

MDC SA spokesman Sibanengi Dube however told Newsreel on Wednesday there was no such clause in the contract signed by the students. He accused Abyssinia Mushunje, a Zimbabwean lecturer at the university tasked with running the programme on the ground, of being behind the victimisation of pro-MDC students. Mushunje for example wrote a letter to the mother of one of the axed students, Blessing Tsiga. In it he complained that ‘your daughter is one of the ring leaders of the MDC grouping and yet ZANU PF gave her the scholarship to study in South Africa.’

Dube meanwhile told us the university is already demanding R51 000 from each student for the semester even though they have evidence the scholarship fund had already paid for the entire year. On Monday the university sent letters to the students telling them of the withdrawal of funding and demanded payment of fees by the 13th of October.

Student leaders say there are over 1000 students from Zimbabwe on the Presidential Scholarship scheme. A recent MDC rally at the university attracted around 600 scholarship students, and there are worries they too might be targeted for attending.

Dube said they had exchanged communications over the matter with Fort Hare University Vice Chancellor Dr. Tom Vuyo but he insisted there was nothing the university could do since the scholarship fund is the one that made the decision to withdraw funding and not the university. Meanwhile the axed students have had their meal cards cancelled and accommodation withdrawn. Dube expressed disappointment with local NGO’s for not being active in helping.