Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
Teaching them a lesson: A report on the attack on Zimbabwean teachers
21 February 2002
A Zanu PF rally was organised by Major Zephania, Colonel Bangidza, Captain
Masabeya and Emma Ruparangana (Zanu PF Provincial Executive Member) at Rusitu
High School, interrupting 'A' level lessons. They forced the students to attend; however
the students ran away due to fear. The officials then accused EC, GU, HS, and one
other teacher of having something to do with MDC and threatened to order Zanu PF
youth militia to kill them. The following day the Zanu PF youth militia surrounded the
headmaster's home armed with axes and knobkerries. The victims managed to escape
and went into hiding. A report was made at Chimanimani Police Station.
Gutu South
1 January 2002
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Zanu PF militia allegedly besieged Machingambi Primary and Secondary Schools,
Chatikobo School and Soti Source School. They assaulted teachers and threatened to
kill them Teachers fled the area leading to closure of the schools. The teachers vowed
to return only after the presidential elections.
13-31 March 2002
Unnamed teachers of Masvingise, Mundondo and Nerupiri Schools were assaulted and
threatened with death by militia trained at Mshagashe (Masvingo North) by Francis
Zimuto, alias “Black Jesus”, and camped at Nerupiri School. They were given 'notices'
to leave the schools.
Masvingo Central
24 January 2001
Three unnamed teachers were abducted and handcuffed by about 100 “war veterans”
who had descended on Masvingo to force striking civil servants to return to work. The
three teachers were attacked after they had mistaken the “war veterans” for fellow
striking teachers and made MDC slogans at them. They were taken to the police
station. Police released the teachers soon afterwards.
9 March 2002
An ex-combatant went about labeling teachers in the area as sell-outs because they
were MDC supporters, threatening to deal with them after the Presidential Election.
Masvingo South
21 June 2002
Unnamed teachers from Mapanzure Secondary School had their homes ransacked by
suspected “war veterans” who led a rowdy mob of Zanu PF supporters. The incident
was reported at Muchakata Police station. No arrests had been made by the time of the
report. The Masvingo Provincial police spokesman refused to comment. The group
ordered teachers suspected of supporting the MDC to leave the area. The group then
went into a number of teacher's houses, seizing all their property before confiscating
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