Eight Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) students Friday missed their graduation after they were allegedly abducted by state security agents and detained for hours before being released late in the evening.
According to one of the victims, the students who are well-known activists and members of the Zimbabwe National Student’s Union (ZINASU), were taken away by alleged Central Intelligence Organisation members to a secret and secluded place where they were interrogated and had their national identity particulars taken away before they were released.
“On the graduation day we went to the graduation arena like other graduates when we got to the gate, we were individually nabbed by CIOs with the assistance of Bindura University security/informants that helped the CIO to identify us.
“Eight students were detained in the basement of the Faculty of Science Education (FSE) Complex from 8:am to around 14:30 pm.
“The CIO agents made us seat on the floor for the six hours of detention. They ordered us to unlock our phones and they opened our WhatsApp chats and text messages looking for signs of plots to disrupt the event.
“Despite finding no evidence, they did not release us. They brought a photographer who took pictures of us in our graduation apparel and took all our details including ID Numbers and residential addresses for all the detained students,” said the source.
The students were then released after President Emmerson Mnangagwa had left the institution and graduation had ended.
“One of the bosses, who said his name is Charles, said they detained us because we lacked patriotism. This is perhaps because we contested against ZICOSU, a child to ZANU PF,” said one of the victims.
The students alleged to have been abducted are Hillary Sumaira, Maxwell Chikowe, Nigel Gwanzura (former Zimbabwe child president), Lawrence Masiiwa, Tatenda Magetsi, Arthur Kariyamba, Blessed Mumvuma, and Eestina Macheka.
ZINASU secretary general, Ashleigh Pfunye said the student body will react as a united force.
“There is a hunt and persecution on student leaders which seeks to silence the students. But we shall respond as a united force and make sure the government respects the democratic rights of students.”
