University of Zimbabwe condemned for kissing ban

A student kissing ban imposed by the
University of Zimbabwe is "nonsensical", a
student representative has told the BBC.
A circular from the university authorities said
those "caught in an intimate position" on the
Harare campus would be disciplined.
"In this age to say I'm no longer allowed to kiss
or hug someone... is unreasonable," Tsitsi
Mazikana said.
The university has not commented on the
students' objections to the ruling.
It was issued at the beginning of the new
academic year as part of a list of "misconducts
that attract immediate eviction from halls of
residence".
The University of Zimbabwe circular list 11
"misconducts" that will result in eviction
The list of 11 points also includes bans on
squatters and cooking in bedrooms.
Fourth on the list of behaviour that will result in
eviction says: "Caught in intimate position
(kissing or having sex in public places)".
Ms Mazikana, who is the students' gender
representative, said that the campus already had
strict rules for those fraternising with the
opposite sex.
In single-sex hostels, for example, residents were
only permitted visitors in the foyer and no visits
were permitted after 22:00, she said.
Ms Mazikana said the ban had less to do with
morality and more to do with controlling
students who were "not happy about the way
they are running the university".
"If they were talking about anything moral they
wouldn't be placing condoms in the hostels and
in the clinic, but... kissing and hugging - there's
nothing immoral about that," she told the BBC's
Newsday programme.
The Zimbabwe National Students Union (Zinasu)
said the university administration had a habit of
instituting arbitrary rules without consulting
student bodies.
The union was organising a petition against the
campus kissing ban, Zinasu's Gift Maposa told
the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.
There were already strict regulations infringing
the students' rights to demonstrate - introduced
in 1997 - which instilled a fear of being expelled,
he said.
The BBC's Brian Hungwe in the capital, Harare,
says the students often accuse the university
authorities of being out of touch with the young.
Beer was banned on campus about seven years
ago, which proved very unpopular, he says.