ALGIERS – Zimbabwean students who are studying in Algeria on the government of Zimbabwe scholarships have been detained after staging a demonstration at the Zimbabwean Embassy.
The students were protesting against the non-payment of scholarship stipends in the last 12-18 months. Some of the students had resorted to sleeping outside the embassy to highlight their plight.
However, the Algerian police crushed the demonstration arguing that the Zimbabwean Ambassador to Algeria, Mr E Mandaza was not in the country. Mandaza is reported to have gone back to Zimbabwe for his annual leave, despite knowing of the plight of the students. The Algerian police are reported to have assaulted the protesting students before taking them to a bus depot where they ordered the students to return to their places of residence or face arrest.
According to the students, they last received financial support in September 2016. Some female students are reportedly being sexually exploited in order for them to survive.
Zimbabwean students studying in Russia on government scholarships earlier on this year complained of being neglected and approached then Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Jonathan Moyo who promised to liaise with the Minister of Scholarships, Christopher Mushohwe. – Pindula
