Daily Nation
5 May 2009
A Zimbabwe court today ordered 18 opposition activists facing charges of terrorism back to prison after they were indicted for trial next month in a move that will spark fresh tensions in a new unity government.
The activists, including leading human rights activist Jestina Mukoko, say they were abducted by state security agents from their homes last year and tortured to force them to confess to planning to remove President Robert Mugabe from power.
The activists, who also include several Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) members, were granted bail in March with the consent of state prosecutors.
“We were surprised by the magistrate’s decision as we were making prior arrangements with the state. She just said the matter was now outside her jurisdiction and remanded them in custody,†Alec Muchadehama, one of the defence lawyers, said.
Mr Muchadehama said the 18 had been indicted for a trial which starts next month. Lawyers were preparing to apply for bail at Zimbabwe’s High Court later today.
Long-time rivals Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC formed a unity government in February after months of wrangling, but sharp differences remain over issues such as the review of the posts of central bank governor and attorney-general.
“Today’s ruling seriously threatens not only the life and health of the inclusive government, but its longevity and durability,†the MDC said in a statement.
President Mugabe has yet to swear in Mr Roy Bennett, a senior white MDC member, as deputy Agriculture minister.
Mr Bennett was locked up in prison for a month in February on charges of plotting terrorism.
Western donors, who have demanded that the unity government carry out wider political and media reforms, and called for the release of all political prisoners before committing funding, are likely to raise concerns.
“As the MDC, we are very concerned with this matter as it adds to a long litany of breaches to the Global Political Agreement (signed by President Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai on September 15),†an MDC official told Reuters.
Some of the suspects had fallen ill and were put under police guard in hospital.
Ms Mukoko, the director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, was granted medical treatment at a previous court hearing after she said she had been tortured.
In another development, teachers in Zimbabwe have called off a strike despite their wage demands not being met, while the government has slashed school fees for the new term.
Education Minister Senator David Coltart said the government had no money to raise their salaries, but he had agreed to help teachers by giving their children free schooling.
Teachers’ groups said they accepted the government was struggling for funds and needed time to raise revenue.
Teachers are paid $100 (£66) a month but unions wanted four times as much.
Senator Coltart has been in protracted talks with unions and foreign aid donors to make sure the schools reopened in time for the new term today.
The Zimbabwean Government has also met unions’ demand for a huge cut in school fees to get children back into the classroom.
Zimbabwe’s state education system had virtually collapsed until the new power-sharing government agreed to pay teachers in foreign currency in February.
Coltart said that although the new term would begin, the education system was a “shadow†of what it had been.
“The doors may open, there may be children in the classrooms and teachers teaching, but there are very few textbooks in the rural areas and many schools do not have roofs or doors or windows,†he told the BBC. Mr Coltart, a former opposition activist, said the state of the service was down to two decades of neglect by President Mugabe’s government.
Raymond Majongwe, head of the Progressive Teachers’ Union, said going back to work was the “responsible†thing to do, even though all their demands had not been met.
He told the BBC’s Network Africa programme: “We have no reason to proceed with the strike action that will do nothing but confuse the situation that we are trying to ultimately address.
“As the government does not have the capacity to address the problems that it faces, so the donors need to chip in.â€
He said they were pleased Zimbabwe’s Government had agreed to cut school fees from between $50 (£33) and $150 (£100) a term to a maximum of $20 (£13) and that teachers’ children would be exempt from fees.
Reports by Reuters and BBC online