PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said Government will not be forced to re-open the University of Zambia (UNZA) and the Copperbelt University (CBU) until students demonstrate maturity.
Mr Lungu said here last evening that the behaviour of students at the two institutions lately had been unacceptable and a source of concern for everyone.
He said this when he addressed Zambians based in Rome at the residence of Zambia’s Ambassador to Italy, Gertrude Mwape.
The President, who was accompanied by First Lady Esther Lungu, Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba, Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Muyeba Chikonde, and other Government officials, was responding to a question on the Public Order Act.
He said the Act was necessary for the maintenance of order in the country, and appealed for views to modify it if there were any concerns in its enforcement.
“This is a good piece of legislation and we should all find better ways of enforcing it. The police should not be afraid of doing the right thing.
“If we didn’t have this law, people would be behaving in ways that are not good for the country. Students would be demonstrating and causing anarchy at will,” Mr Lungu said.
On concerns about the energy crisis which has resulted from the current drought, he said his administration was considering alternative sources of energy.
He said the Government was eager to improve the lives of people, especially women in rural areas who were the most affected by the crises arising from the effects of climate change.
Mr Lungu said he did not want to blame anyone for Zambia’s economic hiccups, but to seek ways to remedy the situation.
He said measures had been put in place to better maintain the Kariba Dam, adding that the Government was also grappling with ways to come up with cost-reflective tariffs.
“But we will not wean our people from the subsidised rates overnight; we will embrace a gradual process,” he said.
In response to Justin Ndhlovu who expressed concern over high unemployment in Zambia, particularly among the youth, President Lungu said the Government was determined to create quality jobs for all the citizens.
He said the key priority for the Government was to attract progressive investors who would help broaden the employment platform.
“Our resolve, however, is to encourage skills training which will result in sustainable jobs. Under my leadership, I will ensure that the diversification programme is carried out successfully,” he said.
Chairperson of the Zambian community in Italy, Kennedy Katongo praised the President for maintaining peace and steering massive development projects in the country.
Father Katongo said Zambians in the diaspora were excited with the newly-signed Constitution which had provided for dual citizenship as it would stimulate investments from citizens living abroad.
He urged Mr Lungu to promote political dialogue and ensure there was no violence before and after the August 2016 general elections.
Fr Katongo called on the Government to help Zambians in Italy in the various challenges they face such as in the renewal of resident permits and the marginalisation that stemmed from the migrant crisis across Europe.
We need a clear agenda on job creation and slow down on infrastructure development which has led to high borrowings.
Only one man remains without a stain of suspicion.
A man who has integrity above all Politician.
Ladies and gentlemen – you want to change and you want someone to champion change- yet you decide to be blind and sidestep a champion who has energy to burn- above all a man who has intensity of obama, longevity of mandela and the finesse of Abraham Lincoln.
Stop looking elsewhere, here is the man who has the X factor, as proven by the banks he led, the commerce industry he took to levels unsurpassed in the History of zambian politics.
Please Vote miles sampa
He will bring change and as a country your reputation will be roughly inline with first world countries.
Thanks
Bb2014
The chap doesn’t even have a party, BUT hats off to him for helping ousting PF!!
@Kalanga; infrastructure development creates jobs. What did you think the USA did during the 2008 financial recession? President Obama embarked on a massive road net-work development to create jobs. The problem with us Zambians is that we think picking up a shovel for pay is degrading. It’s not. A job is not just about wearing a suit and tie.
Governments every where do not create jobs. Jobs stem from people owning small or large businesses who in turn employ the population. Walmart, the largest employ tin the USA is not government owned, nor is GE or
Rather than sitting here and condemning president after president till Kingdom come, our youth at high institutions of learning are busy destroying property. I went to UNZA and I can assure you my meal allowance was spent on a great pair of shoes and some fancy clothes to impress my boyfriend. So let’s not sit here and pretend that those students are starving to death.
“Olivia fimo fimo”, thnx for sharing your intelligence & priorities – so you went hungry just to please your boyfriend – how clever!! No further comments!!
#LunguMustGo
#loadshedlungu
#loadshedchakolwa
#loadshedvisionlesschagwa
What are you talking about? Did the Republican controlled chambers allowed that? Stop telling lies. There were several things the Obama administration did for the economy to recover.
EDGAR LUNGU IS A SERIOUS MISPLACEMENT FOR ZAMBIA AS STATE PRESIDENT. IT IS ONLY A SHALLOW MIND THAT CAN BRAG FOR CLOSURE OF STATE UNIVERSITIES. EVEN THE MOST HOSTILE NATIONS IN THE WORLD DO NOT JUST CLOSE UNIVERSITIES ANYHOW. IT IS ONLY IN ZAMBIA WHERE YOU WITNESS A LOT OF PREMATURE CLOSURES OF STATE UNIVERSITIES. IT IS GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT STATE UNIVERSITIES ARE PROVIDED WITH ALL THE NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS THAT WILL FACILITATE SMOOTH LEARNING WITHOUT ANY UNDUE INTERRUPTIONS. THE PROBLEM IN ZAMBIA IS THAT GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN IT UPON ITSELF TO USE UNZA AS ITS POLITICAL SATELLITE. GOVERNMENT IS THE CAUSE OF ALL THESE CONFUSIONS IN THESE LEARNING INSTITUTIONS. COME AUGUST 11, LUNGU KUYA BEEBELE!
Well this will cost you in the end. Just saying! Hmmm I wonder how those that voted PF feel.
Sad development.
One love.
STUDENTS YOU HAVE HEARD FOR YOURSELVES, This Chakolwa isn going to make sure he messes up with your education – you have heard it from the horses mouth – VOTE WISELY on 11/8/2016!!!
In my Yunza days demos were there though not violent. Protesting is an UNZA thing ….we called it consciousness!!!
Current Education Minister Gwata Phiri was President General of the feared unzasu
@Fota, indeed we will vote wisELy!
I don’t think it’s easy living in Italy as a second class citizen, there’s the language barrier as well, niyolimba nauko ka!
What makes you think they cant speak the language most Zambians I know speak fluent Italian language…just because you are unable to adapt doesn’t make it hard for others!!
JAY just leave some of these ignorant people. bena fyonse has to be US or UK. That is all they know. When the european sent colonists to africa as a way to tap into the resources therein, he did not say we cant speak wolof,mandinkaa, akan,bemba,nyanja,tumbuka,zulu,Chaga,berber,sotho,swahili etc, he just sent his people.
Every zambian in the diaspora should think of themselves as a zambian colonist in that country they may be. Tap the resources there and do business with Zambians and parastatals back home. Get loans, get together and set up businesses back home. Not just building lodges and houses. thats not business!!!!
Mr Lungu is not serious by any stretch of the word. he obviously does not have children at these universities and hence the callousness of his comments. I hope that not only are these students and their parents paying attention but that all well wishers in Zambia are. we do not need men of this caliber to be governing the country. what a bloody shame.
Am sure u did not know the none of Lungu’s children has gone beyond grade 12. The wife’s best job was selling at the market never gone beyond grade 7.
Useless Lungu says that the Universities will stay closed and then immediately after says he will encourage skills training!
This clown is so dull he does not even know when he is contradicting himself!
How did Zambia end up with such rubbish in State House?
Useless Diasporan, it not only the two Universities that provide skill’s training. Tailoring, for example, is a skill you will not find taught at UNZA and CBU, silly twerp!
This man is talking as if he has already won the election and therefore does not care what people think. My obvious suspicion is that he is very sure of rigging the election. Just analyze his behavior of late.
Ala niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimbwa we will see on d day. August is just now now.
The problem we have with Zambian leaders is that the we treat these students like small children…whereby your dad can give you lunch money whenever he wants and when he’s got it. You are happy to waste taxpayers money on building useless houses of prayers and useless MPs and Deputy Ministers who have never seen the side of a G12 class. Look at what you are doing to our student doctors where you have cut their allowances yet you want them to work more hours than the full-time doctors.
Look at this selfsame lazy bum Edgar and his wife with a hideous wig…what are the doing in Europe instead of saving money.
As they are on a spending spree, they might as well use the occasion to have his teeth brought to a great smile and her nostrils narrowed. They will look great after August.
Comment:All *****s condeming lungu.leave him alone with God given Leadership..Alaaaa…shutup…shameee….
An insult and god in the same sentence kikikiki PF way of doing things I guess.
It’s foolish to boast of your education and it’s only those to whom it come so late in their families who boasts of being educated a lot of people now have degrees we 9 are in the family now 5 have degrees but does that make us better no we are just working education is something all must have that’s why u never see people in developed world boasting of education by the way they are zambian born people working as lectures in developed countries so this education boasting by some people sucks a lot it’s like boasting that you have a car it’s is foolish
I cannot see any Zambians in the photos, they all look like Congolese illegal immigrants living in Italy.
if you differentiate, Congolese and Zambians means that you are a half Zambian and also a half Congolese right?. maybe something else sir.
11 August 2016.
He says the Public Order Act is necessary. Exactly what the colonialists said when they used this same instrument to abuse our people. In the states they call this kind of abuse black on black violence. Shame!!! something the PF condemned while in opposition becomes so nice when they are in power. Power is indeed sweet and tends to corrupt the mind. That’s what has happened to the PF, the bad has become good.
And this is the lawyer who used to bail Fred Meembe out because of these retrogressive laws…these laws were there to put the African down; how do other countries manage without them in the “Global”?
Lungu is “skin cringely” a dull individual who should never have been in State House…he is simply too thick…too lazy to think; too him leadership is where a smart suit so the people in Chamwama can admire.
How many are the students , we Zambians are going to vote for Lungu. Foolish students you break my car.
@”TheEngineer”, so what is eating you? Are you telling me that it is wrong for a man to marry a woman of his choice.
But for your information, Mrs Lungu’s once worked at the Christian Council of Zambia, you can verify what work she did there with those who worked with her including the current General Secretary Suzanne Mataoe. This “engineer” sounds like a UPND assistant labour masquerading as engineer, but there are many more such pretenders blogging under Bemba names or other impersonation. You can tell from their unresearched ignorant contributions.
Terrible or what ever you call your self.Lungu is a lawyer out of all places he goes to leave in Chawama and all his children at his age have not attained university education that speaks a lot of the kind of person Zambians have put as president.He is a failure that’s why Zambia has failed economicaly.
…meant Suzanne Matale….and meant Mrs Lungu…..
Public order act is good according to Kandansa, indeed all animals are equal but Kamina Misa and his friends are more equal than others. It will become bad after August.
Yeah yeah yeah!!!! these primitive students must sober up, grow up and begin to positively contribute to the well being of the nation than adopting a riduculous backward way of resolving issues. The closure should give them time to seriously reflect on their unbecoming behavior.
You truly a thorn in the flesh- irritating! Admission to University (especially public university) is on merit; only the best brains are picked – the struglers seek refuge in the mushrooming private universities some of them of to tuntemba status; so to call UNZA and CBU students primitive is not being truthful and honest, it is just pandering to the authorities for favors perhaps? As the cream of the nation in their particular time, students have the capacity reflect on and analyze governance issues on economic, social and political aspects and are able to discern what is working and what is not. Demos have been there since the late 60’s, some peaceful some violent depending on how the authorities responded to the issues/demands raised by the students. The issues varied from political e…
The issues varied from geo-politics, economics and student welfare. For instance the 1st was a demonstration at the French embassy for France’s support of UDI in Zimbabwe (1965/66), the second was demand for KK to support MPLA not UNINTA (socialist/capitalism) in 1976 which led to the first closure, then demand for Zambia to physically join the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe when students demanded to use the military training the got during the 20 months compulsory military training for G12 school leavers in 1979/80 which led to closure and several others on conscious issues such as the riot that erupted and resulted into the first stoning of cars along the great east road a female student was ran over by a speeding motorist at the UNZA bus stop before the fly over bridge was…
The fly over bridge was built (despite several requests to the LCC for the bridge) – not on trivial issues like meal allowances because the GVT then responded positively and in time to bursary issues. Students had enough food, could do their project work as required etc. Ask if ECL or the few of his Cabinet who went to University (not the night school or street vendor type) ever had spend a day or two at the beginning of the term before getting their allowance. street vendor type) ever had spend a day or two on the line for their allowance at the beginning of the term before getting their allowance. Address the ROOT CAUSE – wrong priorities and too much JIVING by the leadership!
okey mr president dont open the institutions now because even if you open them today the problems will still be their since you dont know what is affecting the students. in fact we want this to be hh’s first task to sort out.
His Excellence, it is the way to go.The student who were demonstrating were stupid *****s.Unless they change their stupidity let our universities remain closed.
So “greatest,” do you know how many times these universities have been closed before? And did the students learn anything? If not, then what makes you and your president think things will be different this time? If a strategy is not working, it means it’s ineffective and you have to change it. Using a strategy that never works and expecting different results is lunacy. Evidently, closing schools INDEFINITELY has proven ineffective, and the government needs to come up with another solution. How will Lungu know the students have changed their attitude? Write him letters promising him that they’ve learnt their lesson and won’t do it again? Closing the universities INDEFINITELY does more harm than good, to the innocent students (not the troublemakers) who genuinely want to learn,…
vote fo edith nawakwi 2016
Uncultured students must start farming. How do you break the neighbours house because food has been delayed ofcourse not denied. Don’t open! Infact just do fresh enrolments. Make sure those mposa mabwe don’t return to UNZA or CBU. Discipline them!
I agree with the government over the issue of universities democracy is not anarchy, then barbaric way of protest is not the solution to the allowances problem. They were supposed to protest in peaceful and respectful manner as the students from highest institution in our country. Concerning the issue of high unemployment among youths, government under Lungu has done nothing. i know that government should create the opportunities for it citizens for job. but our government is sitting down and blaming the economy.
Students at UNZA or CBU or any other Zambian apart of PF cadres are not allowed to demonstrate freely.Thats the reason they resort to riots.The closure will not help PF but work against them.Imagine no assignments with all the time to campaign for HH wonders will be made.more than 20,000 intelligent people with energy to campaign for HH is not a boost.We shall meet and see who is a loser after 11 Augast.2016.aluta continua.
Lungu should ask KK what forced out of state house even with turnels.KK was more powerfull than Lungu.UNZA and CBU will show him the way.Infact all students will unite against the Kaponyas we see who wins.
It is a fact that some opposition parties were banking on using the uninformed students at CBU and Unza to campaign for them in urban areas of Lusaka and the Copperbelt. A known clique of academic Union leaders at the two Institutions were wrapping up anti-Govert messages on behalf of UPND, Rainbow and FDD in the delivery of lectures.
UPND, Rainbow and FDD now fear they cannont access the services of these students as we approach August 2016. As for HH, that glimmer of hope which was created by Guy Scott, GBM, Kaseba, Sampa in the last election has evaporated. Reason and wisdom shall prevail
Mwansa, Political consciousness is part of any University campus life. As a university student you are supposed and expected to be a free thinker, explore beyond the current horizon, ask phenom, dogma, political beliefs, religion etc. You are free to disagree with your professor on a particular subject without unduly being sanctioned, contest a low mark if you are not satisfied, debate freely with your peers, put forward your point of view etc. You do not tell me that there are no students who support PF on campus, they could have as easily have given pro-gvt messages as well, no body stopped them, the bus station call boys do it. The reason they did not is because there was ZERO to support on the GVT position and the PF students conscious could not allow them to defend a wrong, but…
defend a wrong but could not openly condemn the party big wigs for fear of sanctions. In private they are as pissed off as any of the FDD, Rainbow, UPND supporters because as of now they are also on the streets, their academic life is equally disrupted (unless there that few that the PF can sponsor them outside the country), the teargas was not selective, misozi in ba nyokola na vena!! So do not defend a WRONG for political expediency. The PF students on both campuses did not see a reason to counter the alleged anti-government propaganda you claim.
Don’t reopen these institutions but instead use the closure period to rehabilitate and make our once glorious places learning great again. Your excellency, we know the opposition are behind all this no sense and please institute independent bodies that must review the terms and conditions of admitting students in public universities.
We all have been there before and in fact Zambia will lose nothing by not having these quarter backed chaps who add no value to the real world challenges upon graduating. Just open the damn universities after two years of which time the bad eggs would have rotten to death and rehabilitations taken place.
It has been proven globally never to challenge higher learning institutions as a president. Ask Mubarak. Any responsible parents with kids going to school in Zambia would want these institutions looked after well. Only a fool will look the other way and say punish the kids
Closing the two big Universities is not a solution at all Mr. Lungu. people are suffering very much in our country Zambia. they say that there is no smock without fire. Giving what they need is only the solution. exams are near and instead having good and prosperous future ones but the worse of all. they will be the addition to our poverty. no one is happy about this action. ask your conscious and let it judge you.
Cornelius Sondashi.
Jay Jay-the problem of us have is the Govt you seem to be supporting has money to give marketeers and charter planes to New York
Comment: Shamaine, terrible English you post here. Are you not ashamed.
Comment:govt shud b serious
#that’s is in line of elegant conduct and of course no other way but to the restructuring of deportment among students….hope things run smooth soon….one Zambia one Nation…#TC
#conversely the students need to be backed off to campus soon for as much that everyone got an aspiration in life which governs them … please chew over this because it as been done already then again no way but the continuity of studies