Police arrest UNZA students!
Police in Lusaka yesterday between 20hrs and today September 19,2023 at 00:10 hours apprehended five University Of Zambia students and five persons following the riots that occurred yesterday leading into the early hours of today.
The ten have been identified as:
1. M/Chawezi Muwowo aged 21, a first year student studying Project Management.
2. M/ John Chisels aged 22, a second year student studing Human Nutrition.
3. M/Gift Mukadi, a third year student studying bachelor of science in the school of education.
3. M/Kachisa Kambangu aged 29 a first year student studying Masters in Geology.
4. M/Masho Kapembwa Mulenga, a third year law student.
6. M/Clinton Njovu aged 25 of house number 22/25 Ngombe compound,
7. M/Mwansa Mwila, aged 20 of unmarked house number Mtendere East, who is unemployed,
8. M/Moses Mutale aged 44 of unmarked house number of Kamango area in Kalundu.
9. M/Michael Phiri aged 27 of unmarked house number in Kalingalinga compound who is unemployed,
10. M/Derrick Mukelebai, aged 27 of unmarked house number in Garden Chilulu compound a garden boy.
Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga says more than 500 students rioted over the cancellation of the 2023 University of Zambia Students Union elections due to financial challenges.
He says the students blocked Great East road with drums, stones, burnt tyres and started stoning motor vehicles.
It has also been reported that during the riot, five shops were broken into and assorted groceries whose value is yet to be established were looted within the University.
“One female student identified as F/ Twambo Chinyama aged 22, who is a first year student studying psychology sustained bruises on her right hand and general body pains”, Hamoonga said.
Hamoonga also said quick action by Police prevented the situation from escalating.The students then retreated back into Campus.
“Police officers have therefore been deployed around the campus and are monitoring the situation and Investigations into the matter are still ongoing,” Hamoonga adds
©️NKANI
Lock them up, have them expelled without pardon. This is rubbish. This hooliganism must no longer be tolerated in our institutions of higher learning.
They don’t know what people go through to buy a vehicle and starting a shop yet this nincompoops just go about destroying them as if they had anything to do with their internal elections. Let all their meal allowances be cut for a month and the money used to compensate the people who lost property. In addition the ring leaders must be expelled as an example to other students.
Remove bursaries and meal allowances. They have become too used to free things that they now think people with cars and shops also get them for free
University students are rational beings, intelligent and are able to see through schemes meant to paralyse the student movement. The reasons being given to postpone the Unzasu Elections appear far fetched. How much does it cost to carry out an Election with an Electoral College of just 10,000 people? Are the ballot papers being printed in Dubai? There has never been, NEVER, a time when Unzasu Elections have been postponed for a year.
We are however in strange times where no decent Election is taking place anywhere – The Kabushi, Kwacha and Kabwata template is permeating all Institutions in Zambia.
Where critical voices are being stifled..where there are attempts to turn the country into a huge choir of praise Thugs.
CSOs have been made dead. Dissent is daily finding itself in Police Cells. Opposition party Mobilisation is being curtailed. The state media is being turned into Koswe vuvuzelas…a general descent into a fully fledged dictatorship.
One wouldn’t be surprised to discover that the dictatorial hand has strayed into student politics…to turn them into praise thugs.. vuvuzelas for the Great Leader. Let us wait and see, and soon the truth about what is happening at Unza will filter out.