Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) General Secretary, Emmanuel Chikoya has attributed to the death of Vespers Shimuzhila a 4th year student at the University of Zambia, Great East Campus as the institution not having a union to represent the students.
Father Chikoya said the students could have not staged a peaceful demonstration to air their grievances if they had a union.
In May last year, Higher Education Minister Nkandu Luo banned activities of unions at UNZA stating that they are recipe for anarchy and chaos at institutions of learning.
In a statement to the media in Lusaka today by CCZ Communications Officer, Michael Mazakaza, Fr. Chikoya noted that what transpired resulting into the death of Ms. Shimuzhila is heart-breaking and must be strongly condemned without reservations.
He said what the Church does not support is destructive demonstrations such as damaging property and closing roads hence, affecting other citizens in the process.
Meanwhile, Fr Chikoya said it is the duty of the Police to ensure that there is law and order at the university adding that, lives are also supposed to be protected not lost.
The clergyman called on Zambia Police Officers to be professional at all times in the execution of their duties.
The CCZ GS and Human Rights Commission Spokesperson Mweelwa Muleya have vowed to follow up with the matter until justice is done.
President Edgar Lungu has since called for thorough investigations into the disturbances that occurred at the University of Zambia where a student suffocated following a riot over bursary.
And the Chief Government Spokesperson, Dora Siliya said that it is regrettable that the riots started after some students attended a UPND press briefing in Lusaka were inflammatory statements were allegedly issued.
It takes a loss of life for this to sink in and noone will be sacked for this!!
When is Babylon coming back from buganda?
PF represents evil in its purest form. PF is murder incorporated. They see no wrong in the death of the young student (MHSRIP), or how the murderous Police force handle student demonstrations. It’s business as usual for them. Hell knows how we have this bunch of devils in leadership. They’re a cruel and merciless bunch.
Nkandu Luo must not involve herself in day to day operations of UNZA. She is responsible for policy not administration. There’s a difference there.
But as usual these guys are appointed to positions on grounds of patronage, not qualification and or experience.
What do you expect? Luo is a political disaster. She has never done anything noteworthy to enhance the wellness of the Zambian people.
UNZASU?
I thought students already had a union.
Yes – UNZASU
Where are the PF rats ? Let’s see you come out and blame HH for not haveing a union ??
Come’on Dora siliya shuwa , you can’t just take a blame as government without sliding in ka enuendo that , demonstration occurred after UPND press briefing. Eish lowest one can sink.
Come’on Dora siliya shuwa , you can’t just take a blame as government without sliding in ka enuendo that , demonstration occurred after UPND press briefing. Eish lowest one can sink.
Unions are part of the problem of resorting to violent to air grievances and to seek redress by university students in the country. Banning unions was not an easy solution, neither was it a permanent one. Unions have a standing tradition of arm-twisting Government when they disagree over issues, such as allowances, bursaries, retired packages for the lecturers. What is needed is to hold regular consultations along Indaba lines. To maintain lines of communication without necessarily permitting hooligans and demagogue to run the show. It calls for capacity building. Knowledge and best practices need to be acquired. Exchanges with other universities around the world would go along way in bringing sanity back to campus.
Crowd control does not mean killing. Police are just supposed to ensure students do not block the roads period. Entering hostels and throwing teargas in rooms is not part of policing at all. If you flush them out of their rooms where do you want hem to go? When they are on campus they should be free to do or say whatever. Police must never be allowed to enter UNZA and cause destruction to both property and life. This never used to happen in the so called dictators time – KK. Why now in a so called democracy?