Copperbelt University (CBU) students yesterday took to the street and blocked flow of traffic on Jambo-Drive where they placed stones and lit other objects like logs and tyres in protest against delayed meal allowances.
The protest which started around 17:30 hours caused commotion along Jambo-Drive where unsuspecting motorists driving to either to town or Riverside residential area had sort alternative routes.
A check along the road found scores of students gathered at the entrance of CBU premises where police in full riot gear and led by Riverside officer-in-charge George Zulul kept them at bay.
Copperbelt University Students Union (COBUSU) vice-president Gideon Mzamba and CBU public relations officer Grace Mikunga both confirmed the students’ protest which they attributed to delayed meal allowances.
The irate students who earlier around 16:00 hours had assembled at the famous mock-square for a general meeting where they resolved to take to the street only dispersed around 18:40 when police fired warning shots in the air.
Mr Mzamba said in an interview that the students at the general meeting unanimously resolved to protest against the delayed meal allowances.
“The students protest is over delayed meal allowance, which they were supposed to get last Friday but has been delayed,” Mr Mzamba said.
He said even pleas by the bursaries committee that meal allowance would be paid by today could not stop the students from protest as they this was one of the usual talks.
“We now fear that if the promise will not be fulfilled by tomorrow (today) the situation may get out of hand,” he said.
And Ms Mikunga who appealed doe calm said it was unfortunate that the students had resorted to taking the route of blocking traffic, which she feared to led to loss of private property.
She said there was no need for students to protest when they had been promised that they would start getting the meal allowances by today.
why protesting when voted for more money in your pockets. just live with like some of us who have accepted that we where cheated to vote for these directionless chaps. anyway i sympathize with you as i also made the same mistake.next time vote wisely for real more money.
what a stupid question!
who did you expect us to vote for?? shut the F*CK UP if you don’t know wht tha fu*ck you talkin about!!!!!!!!
Thats the bed, you made so called intellectuals, lie in it; you have no sympathy for being allowed to use an area of your brain called emotion instead of an area called reasoning
do you think all students voted for PF????!!!… you are the brainless chap…..just because you have no option but to go to those small colleges…if your opinion isn’t constractive then keep it to your self…chimuntu you’ve never even been to University elo ule ponta ponta…I’m coming to be your boss iwe wineh…mxxxxxxxxm….
This has more to do with the funding model than the party in government. I believe we need to find a new formula for funding our students. A public-private initiative would do the trick. I have some ideas…
No money in your pockets. Too bad.
Don’t kubeba! Katele Kalumba warned you that it was a Sata-nic slogan!
Continue ruling as you die with bitterness…Chaps who have never stepped a foot into University..life.
We passed through when you were wearing dippers, when as students we couldnt be brought by cheap empty promises from political scavengers, when monk sq was really monk sq. So sonny accept your mistake like a man and dont go shooting anyhow at people you dont know
In RB’s time,students usd to get their BC a day or two after opening.it was farmers,miners and now students.i wonder who is next.
Let us not edit history collegues. Who said BC allowance has ever been paid on time under MMD?These are the problems PF is working on….wait and see
Donchi Kudabwa wilalilalila ishiiiii….
same old rubbish story. When will the country attain maturity? Something must be done to stop such shameful events. Government must device a permanent solution in addressing this rot.