HARARE – Lawyers have petitioned a court in Harare seeking to clear three University of Zimbabwe lecturers who were fined for allegedly protesting over poor salaries and working conditions.
The lecturers — Professor Obvious Vengeyi, Boncase Mwakorera and Desmond Ndedzu — who are leaders of the Association of University Teachers (AUT), were arrested on April 16 and charged with disorderly conduct under Section 41 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
They were detained overnight at Harare Central Police Station and later made to pay US$15 admission of guilt fines to secure their release.
Their lawyers Kelvin Kabaya, Emmanuel Lawrence Chibwe and Tinashe Chinopfukutwa of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights are now challenging the confirmation of the fines at the Harare Magistrates Court, arguing the trio acted lawfully and were exercising their constitutional right to protest.
“The lecturers only paid the fines to avoid pre-trial detention during the Easter holidays, not as an admission of wrongdoing,” the lawyers said in a statement.
In a letter dated April 22 to the provincial magistrate, the lawyers cited Section 65 of the constitution, which guarantees the right to collective job action, and said they are prepared to defend the lecturers should any formal criminal charges be filed.
The trio was accused of staging an unlawful picket with other UZ staff demanding improved remuneration and working conditions.
