SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe
Police on Wednesday threatened to arrest any teachers who continued with a planned, peaceful march in Harare, after the march was barred at the last minute.
The Progressive Teachers Union on Zimbabwe (PTUZ) had planned the march to hand over a petition to Education Minister David Coltart. The union has been seeking answers for what they say is the ‘suspicious’ transfer of some of its members from their Harare schools. They claim that ‘whistleblowers’ who report corruption at their schools have been targeted and are being transferred.
The protest had been organised for Wednesday. But despite more than a week’s notification to the police, as well as a formal acknowledgment by Minister Coltart that he would receive the petition, the police barred the march from taking place.
PTUZ Secretary General Raymond Majongwe told SW Radio Africa that on Wednesday morning they were told that the police did not have enough staff to monitor the march because Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai both had meetings taking place in the capital.
“We were told that if we tried to march and defied the orders we would be arrested. And despite the police saying there was a shortage of staff, there was a truck load of police officers in riot gear at Africa Unity square where our march was going to start,” Majongwe explained.
The PTUZ was planning to approach the courts seeking an interdict against the police action, but their lawyers suggested they find another date for the march. Majongwe said Thursday that they are still planning to have the petition delivered at a later date.
“It is disappointing that the police force continues to invoke draconian legislation to prevent workers and citizens from exercising their democratic right to assemble and protest,” Majongwe added.
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