Johannesburg – A worrying trend has emerged on the other side of the Limpopo River, where Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have arrested student leader Gamuchirai Chaburumunda.
Amnesty International said the student activist and Zimbabwe National Students Union organising secretary was the sixth University of Zimbabwe student to be arrested in the past four weeks.
Chaburumunda was arrested by the ZRP after writing an exam on Thursday.
The rights body named the other arrested students as Darlington Chigwena, Benjamin Watadza, Emmanuel Chitima, Comfort Mpofu and Lionel Madamombe.
“All the five have been denied bail,” lamented Amnesty International.
Zimbabwe’s popular opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), said charges against Chaburumunda were “unclear”.
CCC added: “This [Chaburumunda’s arrest] brings to six the number of student activists detained under flimsy charges”.
The Bulrushes was yet to get comment from the ZRP as to why the students were arrested.
Zimbabwe is set for elections on 23 August 2023 and fears are mounting that those opposed to the “ruling” ZANU PF party may be harassed, thrown in jail, or in extreme circumstances murdered.
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