The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU) has reportedly barred five aspiring Student Executive Council (SEC) candidates from contesting after arguing that they cannot speak in tongues.
It is alleged that the institution says the contestants in question are not “spirit-filled” to lead other students.
ZEGU, its registrar Innocent Chinyemba and dean of students Zacharia Zunguze are cited as first, second and third respondents respectively.
According to court papers that were filed at the High Court, the five went through all processes that included nomination and interviews handled by Zunguze, who later communicated that they had all been disqualified based on a section in the institution’s student handbook, amended this year.
New Zimbabwe reported that the five are being represented by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum.
“I successfully filed an application for nomination on the 1st of November 2021, expressing my interest to run in the upcoming elections for the Students Executive Council which is University’s student representative body,” the court papers read.
It is alleged that Zunguze received the applications and facilitated interviews on 3 November 2021.
“On the 5th of November 2021 around 1500hours Zunguze issued communication disqualifying my candidature together with a few other candidates.
“Zunguze insists that the decision to disqualify me is based on Section 9 of the students’ handbook which states that I am not a member of ZAOGA, that I failed to show evidence of speaking in tongues and that I am not born again and spirit-filled,” the papers further read.
