The Zimbabwe Republic Police has released the nine members of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) arrested early on Monday. This was revealed by one of the human rights lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Doug Coltart. Said Coltart:
After eventually conceding that there was no lawful basis for detaining them, the police released @ARTUZ16 teachers and we marched out singing back to Africa Unity Square. Must be the first demo ever to have started INSIDE Harare Central Police Station!
The teachers have vowed to picket at the offices of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Mthuli Ncube until the government undertakes to pay their salaries in US dollars. The major teachers’ unions in- the country have all urged their members to go on strike when schools open for the new year tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the government is currently meeting with officials from the Apex Council as well as from the various teachers’ unions, that is, the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Union 9ZIMTA), the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), and the Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe(ARTUZ).
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