By Victor Fanuel
HARARE — A Wednesday morning raid on the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) offices in Harare and the reported targeting of its president, Liberty Hamauswa, has triggered renewed debate over due process, police conduct, and the broader political climate surrounding civic activism in Zimbabwe.
ZINASU on Wednesday morning, on social media, sounded the alarm that “unidentified men, driving a red Toyota Auris, with registration numbers covered by black tape,” were trying to break into their offices in Milton Park.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) leader Obert Masaraure said the incident raises “significant legal concerns regarding due process,” arguing that Zimbabwe is not under a state of emergency and therefore constitutional safeguards must be strictly observed.
In his statement, Masaraure said, “We are not in a state of emergency, so the clear statutory and constitutional guidelines governing police conduct must be adhered to.”
He further questioned the legality of the operation, stating that those who entered the premises allegedly did not produce a search warrant.
“Under the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act [Chapter 9:07], the standard procedure is that a search must be conducted under a warrant issued by a judge or magistrate.
These unidentified people didn’t produce any warrant,” Masaraure said.
Masaraure also raised concern over what he described as an informal instruction left at the scene.
“They dropped a note… urging Liberty Hamauswa… to hand himself over to Law and Order.
A citizen is generally not legally compelled to comply with an informal note from an unidentified person,” he said, adding that lawful summons must be issued formally by the Zimbabwe Republic Police on official letterhead.
The teachers’ union leader further noted that the alleged use of unmarked vehicles during the raid was particularly troubling.
“The people who conducted the raid concealed their number plates,” he said, pointing out that the police had previously launched a nationwide operation targeting “plateless vehicles,” warning that such practices could undermine public trust and raise fears of impersonation.
Masaraure concluded by expressing concern for the safety of the ZINASU leadership, stating: “It is against this background that we fear for the safety of the ZINASU President.
“Let’s stand in solidarity with the young man,” he said.
The incident comes amid what rights groups and legal observers have described as an increasingly tense environment for student leaders, activists, and opposition-aligned figures.
Human rights lawyer Doug Coltart, during recent Constitutional Amendment (No. 3) Bill public hearings in Harare, was assaulted in a violent confrontation by suspected Zanu PF members that broke out amid heightened political tensions at the venue.
Coltart was manhandled, shoved, and had his phone snatched and glasses damaged as he attempted to leave the chaotic scene.
Media reports named one individual, Luckmore Tinashe Gapa, a Zanu PF Central Committee member, as having allegedly snatched Coltart’s phone during the incident.
The rest of the group remains publicly unidentified.
Opposition parties and human rights defenders have also previously criticised what they describe as a pattern of intimidation against dissenting voices, particularly during politically charged legislative processes.
The ongoing discourse around Constitutional Amendment (No. 3) public hearings has further intensified these concerns, with civil society organisations alleging uneven access, intimidation, and procedural irregularities in some instances—claims authorities have often rejected.
Separately, governance and constitutional law experts have also weighed in on a recent decision involving Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) chairperson Fungayi Jessie Majome, who was reportedly reassigned to the Public Service Commission shortly after the commission issued a critical report on the conduct of parliamentary public hearings on the Constitutional Amendment Bill.
Critics have described the move as a “promotion by demotion” and raised questions about its constitutional validity, although the government has not publicly accepted those characterisations.
Authorities have not yet issued a detailed public response regarding the ZINASU raid allegations or the specific claims raised by Masaraure.
