ZANU PF Forces Chinhoyi University Students Eviction for Conference

• Hundreds of Chinhoyi University of Technology students are being evicted from their Varsity Heights accommodation.
• The eviction is to make way for delegates attending the ZANU PF National People's Conference.
• Students must vacate by October 12, 2026, with the facility to be used for the conference from October 8 to 18, 2026.
• The modern Varsity Heights complex, commissioned by President Mnangagwa in 2024, is owned by First Mutual Wealth Property Fund and managed by Rehoboth Realtors.
• The decision has caused significant discontent and logistical challenges for students, especially those from distant areas.

The decision has sparked considerable unease among the affected students, who are questioning the rationale behind displacing them from their accommodation for a political assembly.

Hundreds of students residing at Varsity Heights in Chinhoyi are facing an imminent eviction to accommodate delegates attending the upcoming ZANU PF National People's Conference. This directive mandates that students vacate their living quarters by October 12, 2026, ahead of the political gathering which is scheduled to commence the following week. The off-campus facility, primarily serving Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) students, will be repurposed for the duration of the ruling party's event.

The decision has sparked considerable unease among the affected students, who are questioning the rationale behind displacing them from their accommodation for a political assembly. This mass eviction at Varsity Heights student accommodation in Zimbabwe underscores a significant disruption to their academic and personal lives, forcing many to seek alternative arrangements on short notice. The facility is slated to house conference attendees from October 8 to October 18, 2026, coinciding with a planned university break.

Varsity Heights, a modern student housing complex, is owned by the First Mutual Wealth Property Fund and managed by Rehoboth Realtors. The property manager issued a formal notice outlining the temporary closure and the requirement for students to vacate. This communication specified that Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) has scheduled a semester break from October 8 to October 19, 2026, during which period the facility would be utilized for the ZANU PF conference.

The notice from Rehoboth Realtors further instructed all residents to ensure their rooms are thoroughly cleaned before departure and to remove all personal belongings. For students who might encounter difficulties transporting their luggage home, the management indicated that secure, temporary storage would be made available within the complex, with specific details regarding this provision to be announced at a later date. This arrangement aims to mitigate some of the logistical challenges posed by the sudden demand for vacating the premises.

The abrupt requirement to vacate has caused significant discontent among the student population, particularly impacting those who originate from distant regions and face financial constraints preventing them from easily returning home. These learners are now confronted with the dilemma of finding temporary lodging or "squatting" elsewhere in Chinhoyi, highlighting the immediate and practical challenges of the Varsity Heights student eviction. The situation raises questions about student housing rights and the contractual obligations of their accommodation.

Adding to the complexity, Varsity Heights is a relatively new, state-of-the-art student accommodation unit. It was officially commissioned by President Emmerson Mnangagwa himself in October 2024, less than two years prior to this eviction order. The irony of a recently inaugurated facility, intended for student welfare, being commandeered for a political event, has not gone unnoticed by the affected Chinhoyi University students. This development surrounding ZANU PF conference student housing arrangements has drawn attention to the broader implications for student welfare and property use in the country.

This development raises critical questions about property rights, contractual obligations for student accommodation, and potential human rights violations in Zimbabwe. Lawyers should advise clients on the legality of such evictions, particularly concerning lease agreements and the rights of tenants, and monitor for any legal challenges that may arise from this precedent.

Source: Original reporting via New Zimbabwe.