On March 21, 2026, unidentified individuals abducted a student leader at Chinhoyi University of Technology while he was attending a meeting regarding a controversial constitutional amendment.

At the time of his abduction, Dylan (also referred to as Delan) Cole, a leader within the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU), was participating in a discussion about Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, which would extend presidential term limits and replace the direct election of the president with a system in which Parliament elects the head of state. Witnesses noted that the meeting had drawn attention due to growing opposition to the legislation, with Cole among the dissenting voices.

According to witnesses, unidentified individuals entered the venue and forcibly removed Cole. A student leader present at the event later reported that Cole had been released but gave no further details, citing fear for their safety. In a public statement, ZINASU accused the ruling ZANU-PF party of deploying agents to carry out the abduction.

According to rights groups, kidnappings and assaults targeting government critics, including student leaders, political activists, and journalists, are a common tool of state repression in Zimbabwe. The government has denied its involvement in the attacks and has alleged that a third party is attempting to damage the state’s reputation.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the abduction of a higher education student in apparent retaliation for their exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association. State authorities should take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of scholars, students, and staff, including by investigating and holding perpetrators of such acts responsible, in line with international human rights standards. In addition to the harm to the immediate victim, kidnappings that target student expression undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20260330205612676
https://www.zimeye.net/2026/03/21/student-leader-abducted-from-university-over-2030-constitutional-amendment-bill/
https://nehandaradio.com/2026/03/21/chinhoyi-university-student-leader-dylan-cole-abducted-from-lecture-theatre/