HARARE – Three University of Zimbabwe lecturers were arrested on Wednesday, the first day of an indefinite strike called to protest poor pay, their union said.
Borncase Mwakorera, Obvious Vengeyi and Desmond Ndedzu – all members of the Association of University Teachers (AUT) – were detained at Avondale Police Station.
Their lawyer Munyaradzi Gwisai, also a lecturer, said the three lecturers were arrested at a “lawful picket that the university was advised of, same as the police.”
The AUT had “meticulously followed all the requirements of the Labour Act to go in strike,” Gwisai insisted.
“Lecturers gave notice and voted overwhelmingly to go on strike in protest against paltry salaries. A junior lecturer in 2018 was earning US$2,250 but today a lecturer esrns less than US$230 and less than ZiG6,000. This is less than the lowest paid worker in industry,” Gwisai said.
The lawyer said the arrest of the trio was “clear harassment by the police.”
“They are in good spirits, they know they have not committed any offence. They remain committed to their cause,” Gwisai added.
