Let's shut down Zimbabwe!

THE recent university fee hikes would not have been exorbitant if we had a working currency, a listening government and overally a working economy.

When the Zimbabwe National Students Union called for a shutdown, I shared this with my friends who asked me to divide the student fees by the black market rate. We realised that varsity students are paying an equivalent to US$200. But there is catch.

How much is being given to our fathers by the same government that is hiking fees in the State institutions? They are earning less than US$100 at the prevailing black market rate.

Now, this protest is essentially not premised on cheap education. It is premised on affordable education.

By affordable, I mean something that is within the reach of someone coming from an average family, someone whose father or mother is a civil servant. You cannot pay a teacher an equivalent of $80 and charge her two children who are at university US$200 each. It makes no sense.

Today's shutdown is a signal to the government that the citizens can no longer breathe. It is a signal that there is decay in the nation. The currency is losing value at a frightening pace, the economy is in shambles and the salaries the civil servants are getting are not enough to earn a decent living.

When the University of Zimbabwe students protested, 10 arrests were made. This is something that was not even supposed to happen, but because of the draconian laws and the heavy handedness of the law enforcement agents, they were arrested and in so doing, the government showed that it does not care. Our parents are forced to hustle to make ends meet. Pay our parents a decent wage and see if we complain.

The students, with the backing of Zimbabweans, have shifted gears; they are demanding answers to critical questions.

Our education system is in shambles. There is nothing to show for the natural resources that Zimbabwe is endowed with.

The money raised from the sale of our resources, which is supposed to be used for developing our higher learning institutions, is being looted.

While this happens, we are here as vene venyika (owners of the country), cheering on politicians who are hiking our fees to exorbitant levels, looting our resources, heavily taxing us and coming back to us to ask for votes! Fellow Zimbabweans, today is the day, let us build the country!

Desire Kateyera