Own Correspondent|NINE leaders of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) were on Monday set free after they were arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers as they embarked on a demonstration protesting against poor remuneration and working conditions.

The nine ARTUZ leaders namely Obert Masaraure, Christine Jubane, Robson Chere, Regai Chinhuto, Fortune Jamela, Lawrence Mapengo, Andrew Munguri, Munyaradzi Ndawana and Gerald Tawengwa, who were represented by Doug Coltart of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, were released without any charges preferred against them.

The trade unionists had been arrested at Africa Unity Square in central Harare as they were about to march to Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube’s offices, where they intended to camp demanding payment of their salaries in foreign currency and full payment of their annual bonus.

Immediately after their release, the ARTUZ leaders and members besieged Ncube’s offices demanding the provision of adequate learning material at schools, the scrapping of the punitive tax on electronic transactions and a review of their salaries among other demands.