Secretary General of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) who was reportedly abducted in Guruve earlier today has been released, union’s president Obert Masaraure has said.
In an interview with 263chat following reports of Chere’s abduction, Masaraure alleged that Chere had been abducted by state security agents was dropped at Guruve police station under the custody of Chindudzi.
“Cde Robson Chere was abducted whilst he was conducting a planning session for our several education campaign in Guruve, members from the central intelligence organisation invaded the meeting room and dragged him out and two unidentified men took him to an NP300 vehicle and drove away.
“There are efforts underway to try and locate him and we have alerted the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights who have also deployed a lawyer to try to ascertain where he has been taken to. We are advised that there is a police officer at Guruve police station called Chindudzi who claims to know where Robson Chere is but Chere is still to be located by the lawyers who are still driving around Guruve trying to locate him
“We are living in a very dangerous situation where we have a state which is scared of the people. People trying to sit together collectively to plan around whatever cause, state is rattled, it is quick to descend heavily upon the citizens of this country. We remind the state of Emmerson Mnangagwa that we have rights as labour we still have rights for freedom of association and assembly. The Government of Zimbabwe ratified the ILO convention of 87, 98 convention which speaks to freedom of association ad assembly,” said Masaraure
He added “We call upon the Emmerson Mnangagwa to respect our rights to engage with our members, with our supporters as is also provided for by law, section 65 of the constitution of Zimbabwe also provides for the same. It is cowardly and an act of cowardice for the Government of Emmerson Mnangagwa to try to abduct citizens who are freely enjoying their rights, who are freely sharing their opinions and ideas.”
The ARTUZ president later on told this publication that they had received a call that Chere was dropped at Guruve police station under the custody of Chindudzi.
“We have just received a call that after the online pressure the Secretary General was dropped at Guruve police into the hands of one officer Chindudzi who later released him. The police officer has urged him to be careful since the CIOs are still trailing him,” said Masaraure.
