The Sunday News
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
IT has emerged that a Njube High School teacher Mr Brian Mutsiba, who led more than 150 pupils including Form Ones from the school onto the streets on Monday last week, gathered them without notice before instructing them to stage a march.
Mr Mutsiba, who is wanted by the police, disappeared after the demonstration. He is accused of participating in a public gathering with the intent to promote public violence, breach of peace or bigotry and insulting the flag.
The demonstration was purportedly organised as a protest by the pupils against recently increased tuition fees. Fees at Njube High School were raised from $92 to $440 per term.
Investigations by Sunday News revealed that what appeared to be a spontaneous demonstration, in which Form One, Form Three and Form Six pupils reportedly participated, was actually choreographed by Mr Mutsiba with the assistance of some elements who are hostile to the Government.
“It was pre-planned. He first gathered the pupils in a laboratory at the school and addressed them. He then told them to follow him as they would be back in class within a short space of time.
“They then went down a path that goes around the school fence before they arrived to a destination where the demonstration was supposed to kick off,” said a source that spoke to Sunday News on condition of anonymity.
According to the source, when the pupils got to a Zesa station along Luveve Road near Emakhandeni, popularly known as Emagetsini, they found a journalist from the private media already waiting for them.
“Before the demonstration started at Emagetsini, Mutsiba went to meet and talk with a journalist. So some of us were wondering how journalists seemed to know about the demonstration before it even started. It gave the impression that this had been planned beforehand,” said the source.
Meanwhile, some shadowy organisations seem intent on using Monday’s demonstration as an opportunity to spark further chaos reminiscent of the violence and destruction witnessed in January last year.
One message on social media, purportedly authored by Njube pupils in Bulawayo, called for a city wide demonstration against teachers’ low wages.
“On Monday 3 February all secondary schools in Bulawayo are marching on major roads that is Masiyephambili, Luveve Road, Khami Road, Plumtree Road, Nketa Drive and Selborne Street. All these streets will be closed by us. No student must enter into classrooms. We gather at the gates at 7am and at 7.30am all schools will be on the march. Do not be afraid because all schools have students who know this, we are all one and united,” read part of the message that has been circulating on social media.
