By Own Correspondent| Protesting Amalgamated Rural Teachers’  Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) members today (Wednesday) appeared in court facing charges of disorderly conduct in contravention of Section 41(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification&Reform) Act for allegedly blocking a road in Ruwa, Harare.

The ARTUZ members who embarked on a peaceful march from Mutare to Harare were on Tuesday afternoon arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) led by one Superintendent Makunike.

Police detaila arrested the 14 ARTUZ leaders and their members in Ruwa, just outside Harare as they were about to complete the last leg of their 266 kilometers journey from Mutare to Harare, intending to camp and picket at Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube’s office.

The teachers are demanding payment of their salaries in foreign currency and the full payment of their 2018 annual bonuses.

However, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said that the Union president Obert Masaraure and others have been released and the State will proceed by way of summons.

Said the ZLHR:

“The State will proceed by way of summons if they intend to prosecute ARTUZ President Obert Masaraure for convening an unsanctioned gathering after conceding that ARTUZ is included in the class of groups that can gather without giving notice to the regulating authority (ZRP).”