By Costa Nkomo
The Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) has reported the arrest of more than 40 of its members at a local restaurant in Harare during a provincial meeting on Saturday.
The incident has sparked renewed concerns over the government’s alleged crackdown on student activism, coming just months after a similar arrest of ZINASU members in July.
The arrests’ details remain unclear, and police have yet to issue an official statement.
However, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) confirmed that the detained students are in police custody, with legal representation being provided.
“Several @Zinasuzim leaders & members arrested by @PoliceZimbabwe & detained at Harare Central Police Station. @TinasheChinox of @ZLHRLawyers is representing them,” ZLHR posted on its X account, formerly Twitter.
ZINASU National Coordinator Ashley Pfunye confirmed the arrests, stating that the students were holding a routine provincial meeting at the restaurant in Eastlea, Harare. “Yes, it is true. Our members were arrested while conducting a provincial meeting,” he said.
When reached for comment, police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was unaware of the incident, stating, “I am not aware.”
The arrests mirror a similar event in July when police disrupted a ZINASU annual general meeting, resulting in injuries to several students. At the time, authorities claimed their actions were necessary due to chaos and property damage.
