Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum Teaching them a lesson: A report on the attack on Zimbabwean teachers UMP 1 March 2001 CH was demoted from being acting Head of Department at Mugabe Secondary School and denied promotion for refusing to support Zanu PF. He was harassed at work by the headmaster and fellow teachers who are Zanu PF supporters. His wife was forced to join Zanu PF, which led to the breakdown of the marriage. He was forced out of school housing and spent 18 days sleeping in the bush, without food for seven of these days. He took the matter up legally with Felix Muzawazi of Muzawazi and Partners. The Education Regional Director for Mashonaland East Province responded by freezing his Beverly Account (No 3625843A and Pass Book No. 23615). An urgent chamber application was made by his lawyer to have the account unfrozen and the High Court granted this following which the Ministry complied. They were supposed to transfer the victim from the school and promote him to teach ‘A' level but they returned him to the same school. The victim had to run away as he alleges that the CIO officers were after him. He stayed at Murehwa hotel for one night, but moved out and stayed in the bush after some people tried to force the door down and gain access to his hotel room. CH alleges that he was informed that his name was going to be cancelled from the pay sheet. MATEBELELAND NORTH This province has the highest number of political intimidation cases in the country. The province was also characterised by threats coming from a top government official. The Governor, Obert Mpofu, was reported to have threatened teachers at Sawmill Primary School in Nyamandlovu, who supported the MDC, that they would be thrown out of the province. Some teachers in Tsholotsho were allegedly transferred due to their support of the opposition MDC. Bubi-Umguza April 2001 Teachers at Sawmill Primary School in Nyamandlovu were allegedly threatened by Obert Mpofu, the Matabeleland North Governor, for supporting the opposition. They were told that they would be thrown out of the province. Hwange West 6 February 2002 A group of Zanu PF supporters reportedly ordered the closure of Ndangababi Primary School after intimidating about 20 teachers. About 60 toyi-toying youths chanting Zanu PF slogans closed the school after force-marching about 20 teachers to a base. The frightened teachers vowed not return. Tsholotsho April 2001 The Ministry of Education allegedly transferred Elton Mdingwa, Mtombeni and other unnamed teachers for sympathising with the MDC. “War veterans” then removed Mdingwa’s property from his cottage to ensure that he would leave the province. 15