OVER 100 students at Mount Selinda Mission School in Chipinge were on Tuesday detained at Chipinge Police Station after they rioted against the United Church of Christ Zimbabwe (UCCZ) leader Reverend Tenson Mucheri.
By Mlondolozi Ndlovu
The demonstrations were reportedly sparked by clashes between the headmaster, Watson Bundwa and the church over the purchase of a D4D Toyota Hillux vehicle. The church allegedly accused Bundwa of buying the vehicle without authority, prompting Mucheri to seize it.
Mount Selinda is run by the UCCZ, while Mucheri is the church’s eastern conference superintendent.
On Tuesday, a group of mostly “O” Level students stormed out of the school premises and walked to Chipinge, where they picketed Mucheri’s offices demanding the release of the vehicle.
Police had to be called to quash the demonstrations, where over 100 students participated.
Mucheri yesterday confirmed the disturbances, but referred questions to the church president, Ephraim Ngadziore, who accused the students of being misinformed about the role of church authorities in the operations of the school.
“It is true it happened [demonstration]. These children are complaining about the car that the church took from the school. We took it because there was a misunderstanding between the headmaster and the church. No one is using the car, it is parked at the church offices,” Ngadziore said. He said the issue was now being dealt with by the Ministry of Education.
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A police officer at Chipinge, who only identified himself as Welluzani Banda, confirmed the students’ arrest.
“We are still looking into the matter. We have the kids here, they came from school to their church,” Banda said.
Efforts to get comment from the ministry’s district offices were fruitless.
