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| ZINASU at its peak |
The confusion within the Union goes back several years and its causes are many and varied including handling by politicians and political parties, avarice, corruption and cowardice. That a card carrying member can made president of the Union by two people on the internet is loud and clear testimony of its weakness. In a way I admire Pride's cunningness and opportunism, after all there is always something to be gained from chaos.
Even more worrying are the reports of thousands of dollars that went missing during a female students summit that was held in Gweru two weeks ago. The female students summit is one which I, and every other true ZINASU member, would want to quickly forget for it was an especially dark hour in this very dark night of student activism. What really took place in Gweru might never be known but from the scores of stories that were floating around I gathered that some individuals wanted to turn the summit into a national congress. They failed and instead appointed and announced a new "national" leadership on Facebook several days later.
In this age where being Arabic is associated with AK 47s and terrorism, ZINASU is now synonymous with violence, looting, thuggery, disorder and graffiti.Whilst my comrades will excuse graffiti as a way of sending revolutionary messages, there is no excuse whatsoever for any form of internal or external violence and looting. As if their shame was not enough some members ( including the newly elected president) of the Union went on to engage in gratuitous violence at Meikles hotel in full view of local journalists. Whatever little credibility we still had was obviously swept away then.
What then has happened to the spirit of yesteryear, the spirit of genuine and true student representation? Are there any true and resolute cadres who can rise above the rest, above the rubble of confusion that the Student Movement has become? Some argue that ever since the government stopped giving out loans and grants Universities have become more elitist, admitting mostly the rich and therefore soft, whose only fights in life are the fights for more expensive Christmas presents. Whilst not entirely true, one cannot help wondering whether tertiary institutions are indeed admitting the rich at the expense of the able. It is also a fact that the current crop students is docile and ostensibly 'cool' with the way things are.
The death of ZINASU is a frightening prospect, even more frightening because it is insidious and being caused by seemingly unconnected and innocuous events. Without a unified and powerful student voice the government and university authorities will trample on our rights without thinking or fear of the consequences. It is especially worrisome considering that they are doing just that today, but then again, ZINASU is at its weakest since its formation. Better to fight with a poor weapon than no weapon at all.
So is there no option, is the situation incorrigible? Actually there are other Unions, the most notable being ZICOSU which is held in contempt by most students who accuse it of being an appendage of ZANU PF and therefore unable to act against the party and government. Surprisingly very few complain when ZINASU is accused of being an affiliate of the MDC. Then there is ASAZ, Amalgamated Students Association of Zimbabwe which is to be launched this weekend. Putting my trust in it is a bit like counting my chicks before they are hatched, the launch might fail after all. Besides we don't know which political party it is affiliated to yet- it might turn out to be NAG or Mavambo or worse still Mthakawazi! That is what Zimbabwean Students have become, mouthpieces of politicians and their parties.
The death knell of ZINASU is sounding and the onus is upon us to prevent its death. Obviously the best time for that is several years ago, before these cantankerous and bellicose activists- but the next best time is now.
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