Teachers Forced To Attend ZANU PF Rallies And Register - Union

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) Monday claimed that its members were at the weekend forced to attend a Zanu PF rally at Kagande in Mutoko and were ordered to register as voters for the party in 2023.

The union posted on Twitter claiming that teachers affiliated to Artuz were now refusing to go back to their workstations for fear of victimisation. Artuz posted on its Twitter handle:

_Over the weekend, members of Zanu PF terrorised some teachers in Mutoko district, forcing them to register as part of the five million voters for Zanu PF. In some cases, Zanu PF had all the details of the teachers, they just visited to confirm. In Kagande, teachers were forced to attend a rally._

_A total of 31 trs reported through our hotline. Our rapid response team is in Mutoko assessing the safety of some trs who refused to attend the Kagande meeting & those who refused to register as ZANU PF voters for 2023._

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou who is also the MDC Alliance spokesperson for Midlands echoed the Artuz report. Zhou said:

_We also are witnessing a sad situation where village heads are teaming up with school development committee members and are evicting the incapacitated teachers from school accommodation._

_We want to warn such misguided figures that they have no locus standi in intervening in cases between teachers and their employer._

NewsDay reports that Zanu PF party spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo dismissed the claims saying Zanu PF is a party of law and order which subscribes to the rule of law. He added:

_If there are any instances of what Artuz is alleging, then they should report such matters to the police._

_If they want to get to the bottom of the issue, the Zanu PF provincial leadership is there. They should ask the provincial chairman what is happening. The police are there to contain such characters._

Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said he had not received reports of teacher intimidation by ruling party supporters.

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More: Pindula News; NewsDay