The Zimbabwe National Students’ Union (ZINASU) is demanding the reinstatement of Forward Tuvarave, a student who was suspended by the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) for allegedly creating a WhatsApp group. ZINASU claims that the suspension was made “without due process and under false accusations.”
ZINASU argues that the suspension violates the student’s rights and undermines the educational system.
They have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the UZ administration, demanding a written explanation for the suspension and a hearing date. If their demands are not met, they threaten to take further action.
Tuvarave was suspended on the allegations that he created a WhatsApp group called UZ Official August 2024 intake.
On his X account, he wrote: “The UZ administration had suspended me on the allegations that I created a WhatsApp group called UZ Official August 2024 intake, I had never created such a grp, they have failed to produce the group either because the only group that exist with such a name was created by…”
Writing on the same platform, the students’ union stated: “We understand that the University of Zimbabwe has suspended Forward Tuvarave without due process and under false accusations. Speaking truth to power does not warrant oppression in a truly democratic society. We demand that UZ reverse its despotic and unjust decision!”
In a statement, ZINASU condemned the university’s “blatant disregard for the correct legal procedures and the gross violation of students’ rights.”
They argued that Tuvarave’s suspension, along with the reported suspensions of other students, violates the “principles of justice and fairness” and undermines the “educational system.”
ZINASU issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the UZ administration, demanding written allegations against the suspended students and the immediate release of a hearing date. They threatened to “pursue alternative avenues to seek justice” if their demands are not met.
The statement also criticized the university’s alleged “torture of students’ rights,” emphasizing the importance of the university upholding the “rights and dignity” of its students.
