The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has reportedly fired shots and teargas to disperse students at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU)’s Mashava campus who were protesting against high fees and poor service delivery.
Former Zimbabwe National Students Union (Zinasu) secretary general Makomborero Haruzivishe confirmed the incident on Twitter. Said Haruzivishe:
Members of Zimbabwe Republic Police are firing shots at Great Zimbabwe University Mashava campus where students are demonstrating for
#FeesMustFall & against poor service delivery. This is proof that there is nothing new about this dispensation!
The protests by students on Thursday forced lectures to be suspended after they ran riot, demonstrating against erratic electricity supply, unsafe drinking water, no fixed bus time table, poor quality food, shortage of books in libraries and a sudden increase of fees among many other grievances. The students blocked all roads leading to Mashava campus with stones and logs, looted food and burnt GZU flags as they demanded better learning facilities and conditions.
They also accused Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Jonas Zvobgo and his management team of lacking interest in addressing the shortage of key resources at the higher learning institution. A student who spoke to TellZim News questioned the logic behind the construction of a durawall when the students do not have WiFi. Said the student:
We heard that Prof Zvobgo has given someone a tender to construct a durawall right round the whole Mashava campus but we do not have Wi-Fi here. How are we going to research? We are cannot continue tolerating this kind of poor management and misplaced priorities.
Police armed with teargases and button sticks had to intervene to disperse the students. Students blamed the police of sparking the violence that saw a shop that sells GZU regalia and insignia being looted. The dining hall was also broken into, and students made out with braai packs, bread and other foodstuff.
More: TellZim
Below are pictures of the students below:
fair,GZU ikutijairira.Students in attachment where given 60% fees reduction this past month,of which with us, fees yedu yakatokwira more.ED needs to show us he is for us and not against us if he is looking forward to seeing us vote for him come elections. Zvobgo and company are running the state institution more like a private company and not as its supposed to be!!
keep the ball rolling guys these tertiary institutions must provide value our money by providing excellent services
I passed through Mashava recently. The roads are very bad. At least the college MUST give the campus some decent appearance. What is wrong with these old guys in leadership positions? Can’t they get things rights sometimes?