Friday, March 29, 2024

Thousands of UNZA students protest in memory of Vespers Shimuzhila

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Justice for Vespers protest by UNZA students

Thousands of University of Zambia Students on Monday morning held a peaceful demonstration from Great East Road campus to the Manda Hill Bridge to mourn their late colleague Vespers Shimuzhila who died last Friday.

The students all dressed in black sang solemn songs and held placards denouncing police brutality against students.

A church service was held at UNZA Seventh Day Church which was filled to capacity.

Information Minister Dora Siliya and UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema attended the service.

The students interviewed said they hope the demonstration will send a strong message to the police and the government.

They have also demanded for an explanation from police over the cause of the fire that claimed the life of Ms. Shimuzhila.

Justice for Vespers protest by UNZA students
Justice for Vespers protest by UNZA students
Justice for Vespers protest by UNZA students
Justice for Vespers protest by UNZA students
Justice for Vespers protest by UNZA students
Justice for Vespers protest by UNZA students

80 COMMENTS

  1. Sincere condolences to the family and friend of Verspers. Lungu and governs should take full responsibility for this loss.

    • Dora’s head needs to be checked urgently, have you seen her Twitt/ comment about the funeral today? I can’t believe this is coming from the government spokesperson. Where are your morals Dora? A life has been lost and just like your boss you can’t even offer condolences to the bereaved family? Anyway your days PF and government are numbered, mark my words. A life cannot just go in vein. MHSRIP

    • This is why I told Ba Edgar NOT to leave Lusaka to Kampala. I was not joking. I am wiser than most any PF cabinet ministers. Why not think for Ba Lungu naimwe?
      How can a meeting with Museveni be more important than a Zambian tragedy.

    • NOW THAT LOOKS LIKE A PROTEST BY SOBER BUT GRIEVING CHILDREN. DRAW A LINE BETWEEN PROTESTS AND RIOTS.
      =============================
      CONDOLENCES.
      These are now UNZA students.
      Going forward, let us draw lessons from that sort of protest that went bad. Never again should a life be lost out’a normal protest.
      Like this, you dont expect Riot Police in full riot gear chasing you. One weird protest gone bad; listen to voices of wisdom. Archaic methods of protesting can never build our country. One sort of protest gone bad; its not business as usual, avoid attending dark corner meetings with sadists. One protest gone bad. God bless you.

    • “In Bemba there is a saying that ubushiku umukote aluba ciimbwi anye imfwi, what does that tell you, an old man disappears then the next day the Hyena defecates white hair. We are waiting as government, we do not want you to speculate.” – His Excellence President Edgar Chagwa Lungu at KKIA when asked about what happened at UNZA

      This says a lot about the kind of man we have in state house. No expression of condolences…

    • Zambia is looking beautiful. This government is doing a good job. Kalingalinga must be removed and every brain that thinks in reverse or CHILDISH.

  2. This is the beginning of seeking Justice in everything, elections, police brutality, political machinations and injustices.
    Thanks students wakening up to this noble cause.
    Verspers death is not in vain

  3. And how come there was no police “to control” the crowd? It means instructions are coming from the top. Shame on those cadres calling themselves police. Lungu and PF your days are numbered, mark my words.

    • Your HH even attends the funeral to confirm that his Armageddon has resulted in the death of an innocent woman

  4. 1. But that is what you should have done, engage in peaceful protests or dialogue, instead of always being violent now we have lost a life. That life of your fellow student is as precious as those others whom you stone or torch on great east road.
    2. Church service at Seventh Day? Uuuhhhmm, interesting but wont say much.
    3. Fire in the room killed the student? Interesting, that is a weapon used by one of the tri.bal parties.
    4. Votes for T Hacks? Hallucinations indeed! He is finished himself by exposing his violent and trib.al nature and character in the aftermath of the 2016 elections. Had he accepted the results peacefully with that narrow margin of loss, today he would be building up needing just a few votes for 2021 on top of the result in 2016.
    5. As it is, upnd will never be in…

    • The late student was a member of the SDA church.That is why the funeral service was held at her church.
      Dont expose your foolishness here.

    • Funeral services for the departed are at most times held where the individual or the family congregate. I don’t get what you want to insinuate with number 2.

    • Upnd cadre your reasoning is impaired and you a blind ,i pity your moms.But remember that the blind must not only be fed and housed and cared for; they must learn to make thier lives useful to the community. Anyway You can’t force someone to see the truth, just like you can’t force a blind man to see.
      The girl was a seventh day, you are so obsessed with HH, who is he anyway?

  5. This is the UNZASU i know. ViVA SOLIDALITY! ABASH POLICE BRUTALITY! VIVA FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION! A LUTA CONTINUA. Organize yourselves and usher in a Vibrant Student Union. Otherwise, you will always be at a losing end.

  6. My eyes always sheds tears whenever I read or hear about the demise of Vespers Shimuzhila, she indeed died at such a tender age. The law enforcers who were supposed to protect or control the situation at UNZA turned to be the law breakers, we all know that cops are only supposed to chase students who go outside the campus premises to protest and thereafter cordon the premises so that no one comes out. But this time around they always resort to breaking that rule whenever students are protesting be it at UNZA or CBU. The tendency of following students in the campus premises will always cost not only innocent lives but also damage to the campus “already” old infrastructure which the government has failed to rehabilitate.
    it boggles ones mind to see the Professor turning a blind eye on…

  7. ATASE WE NEED 2 BILLION TEARGAS CANISTERS ON THESE EMBECILES WAIT AND SEE kikikiki muzamuziba yesu muzadya beans kusogolo

  8. Seems to me the Minister of Home Affairs has been very quiet. The death of a student at the hands of the police isn’t so much a matter for the Information Ministry but Home Affairs. Or perhaps this government cares more about the public’s perception of Ms. Shimuzhila’s death and not how it actually happened. ZP has been running amok with unruly, corrupt, and poorly trained police for years. What has “Hon” Kampyongo got to say about this?

    • Chimpyiongo showed us how brutal he could be @ Shiwan’gandu, when he sent his Brutes to hurl missiles & catapults & Helicopters ferrying opposition politicians.
      Then a Visionless Gonga Drunken Quack masquerading as our Republican President, sees these “Terr.0r12t Traits” in Chimpyiongo, misconstrues them as vital strengths for maintaining our nation’s security, appoints the Violent Cadre Chimpyiongo as Home Affairs Minister, & the rest is history.
      Jona is only fit to manage a CHIBUKU TAVERN as he Never thrived as a competent lawyer, & Chimpyiongo’s only fit as a GOOD TAVERN /BOUNCER @ Jona’s Chibuku Tav, & putting such useless individuals in charge of the Presidency, & Home affairs was always gonna be “A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN”.
      Mark my words, 5 years from today Zambians…

    • cont;
      MARK MY WORDS, in 5 years from today Zambians will be wondering, & asking how did we get, here, & why on earth did we allow this to happen”???

  9. Zambians you dont know how powerful you are…we are the only ones who can stop the rot not that lazy thing in Kampala. He is your servant.

  10. Dollar sunk mmd and after losing she even afford to pay a garden boy.

    This time she Will sink PF.

    HH has no hand in the current political situation.

    Personally I mark off hh not because of tribe but because of PRIVATIZATION.

    HE STOLE and he has no APOLOGIES

    LUNGU-MUST-GO

  11. There was that defenceless and harmless young girl Mapalo who was killed by Police in cold blood for being part of the UPND demo, was there any inquest?

  12. You only realise when one bad thing happens. If you conducted yourselves matury like you have done now, the life of that young lady would have not been lost. my condolences to her family and MHSRIP. You are there to lean and to be come better people in society., mind you, you don’t work and you are busy destroying property of the people who pay TAX so that you can have those allowances? Next time behave matuary as intellectuals not like kaponyas.

  13. Prevention is better than cure, these students should behave themselves and ni unnecessary deaths will occur. Now you go cheer T.H. and he sends you to your deaths whike his children are safely tacked away. The trib.al man even called us all cowards for not rising up to support him in his stupiod personal political ambitions when he landed himself in muko hotel in kabwe.

    • Ndimwe ba pa njinga imwe you cant understand vamundeke.. You were not at UNZA or any credible UNI so this is way above your weight class.

  14. These UPND students should be ashamed.
    Payment was due on the 6th of October.So why did they riot?

    As far as am concerned, police should use maximum force on pipo bent on disturbing peace and good order.
    We have our fair share of challenges in Zambia. However,PEACE MUST BE MAINTAINED AT ALL COSTS even if it means one student life.

    Zambia must GUARD jealously against tribal advocates of anarchy like HH.
    Only fake leadership asks people to riot.

  15. You call for violent riots.

    A student dies.

    You visit funeral home to sympathize.

    No.That’s hypocrisy.

    Now,look at how retarded HH looks.

  16. Dollar and Chanda boys are digin grave for PF

    When mmd lost the girl couldn’t even afford to a garden boy

    This PF is chasing street vendors like rats and yet street vending was created by U5 and escalated by PF

  17. Now Trib.al Hacks was even inciting other peoples sons and daughters to riot for him ati like 1990. This guy has no respect for other peoples children. When Zambians want to rise they will, not when T Hacks says he wants to be in state house in order to promote his tri.be.smates. Where is GBM? Was he insulted in some language? Or shown the trib.al version of the upnd manifesto? Too much coincidence with GBM absence, chief whip resigning, and T Hacks doing the strange and usual thing of calling for trib.al tolerance. Can you imagine an avowed triba.list calling for trib.al tolerance,?

  18. please bosses give us an order tapapata please bapusa maningi we are feeling sexy of throwing teargas this time in the principal’s toilet kikikikiki

  19. Austin Mbozi has written a stinker insulting the Bembas and Easterners and went further to insult our Republican president and late president Mr. Michael Sata for the reason best known to him! Is this politics or being brave to do and say anything in Zambia and left scot free! Is this freedom of expression? If this is democracy that all people talk about? If so then we are not yet matured to practice democracy! What else do the police need to arrest this animal who has no manners?

  20. I GUARANTEE YOU THAT NO LIFE WILL BE LOST WITH A PROTEST LIKE THIS. PEOPLE’S PROPERTIES OUGHT TO BE SAFEGAURDED AND STUDENTS’ LIVES MATTER. DRAW A LINE BETWEEN PROTESTS AND RIOTS. IT IS THAT SIMPLE. GOD BLESS YOU!!!
    Caution.
    I know one sadist may be looking for an opportunity to sneak in and address the grieving students. GUESS WHO?

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      Mate stop blaming the victim and own up for once. Whatever happened, there was no need for the cops to throw teargas in students’ rooms. Be honest with yourself for once and condemn what is clearly a wrong act by the police. I have attended many of these protests and 90% of the time, the police are the ones who turn them into brutal riots by the way they react at the instigations of the politicians. 10% would be few disgruntled students who would instigate violence. If the politicians and cops ‘allowed’ students and let air their grievances by matching to whatever place (parliament, state house, etc.), as is the case with this particular one, most demos would be peaceful.

      PF cadres quick to blame HH for their woes as a convenient excuse is now tired and has become unbelievable to…

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      …PF cadres quick to blame HH for their woes as a convenient excuse is now tired and has become unbelievable to most neutrals like us. Own up and say sorry, you actually win respect!

      And for those who like to criticize HH using tribal language and hatred, you actually look and sound worse than the man you are trying to condemn for the same vice. It’s like majority white people trying to accuse minority blacks of racism for hanging out with their black friends.

  21. Sad that a someone had to lose life in this manner but students must also realise and know that violent protests dont pay! Parents work so hard to send children to learn so that they can be self sufficient and help their families come out poverty but because someone selfishness, they forget where they come from and fall prey to some useless politician who doesnt care about the consequences of riots.
    Lesson: Students should just ask themselves, have they seen any of the so called “caring opposition leaders” take their children to local universities where they go and instigate violence to spark riots? Their children are either sleeping at home or busy studying at expensive universities abroad whilst they are are used as ponies and the result is as sad is this one. So, students, be…

    • Malinso: Expressing dissent politely is not being taught and practised so do not expect to see it in students. I listen to a number of phone-in radio programmes in Zambia now and then. There is a serious problem and yet it goes unrecognized. Polite self-expression whether in English or any of the local languages has disappeared completely in Zambia.

  22. contd
    Lesson: Students should just ask themselves, have they seen any of the so called “caring opposition leaders” take their children to local universities where they go and instigate violence to spark riots? Their children are either sleeping at home or busy studying at expensive universities abroad whilst they are are used as ponies and the result is as sad is this one. So, students, be careful of who you listen to!!!!
    Students are supposed to think differently and with intelligentsia, instead of throwing stones and destroying property. Is it a wonder that students graduating from the public universities nowadays are extremely blank in their own area of studies, so how do they expect to be hired after graduating, if at they graduate genuinely? The world is so competitive and those…

  23. GBM must be come out and call HH to order. Atleat he is sober when dealing with national issues.I advise HH to let his Vice president to deal with sensitive matters like the unza riot. When issue a comment after attending the funeral on social media without considering gvhow her family why feel especially that they have just hurried their beloved and the some day you turn it into a campaign message.

  24. contd
    Students are supposed to think differently and with intelligentsia, instead of throwing stones and destroying property. Is it a wonder that students graduating from the public universities nowadays are extremely blank in their own area of studies, so how do they expect to be hired after graduating, if at they graduate genuinely? The world is so competitive and those that cant demonstrate and prove their knowledge are in for a big shock. Its a competitive world and when given a chance to study at a University, please take it like it means everything to you except God. This is the reality world over.

  25. wow I’ve really succeeded in gaining popularity I can see state house coming my face is already on one hundred kwacha note Kikiki muzapya be pf kikiki

  26. Hmmmm! The demo was extremely peaceful. Condolences to Vespers family and may the Lord comfort the family. Life is irreplaceable.
    Manje ndina funso. Who bought the attire for these students? Buying for themselves! Aikona.

  27. I have been WRITING ON THIS forum that HH is too intelligent for this COUNTRY.

    GOD almighty is watching him.This demo will telecasted on BBC . He is very HAPPY for that sacrifice. It’s good that,Tonga kill Tonga . This is the worst kind of politics HH is playing in this country. Zambia is not SA where political massacre is normal.HH is using all evil tactics to blame the ECL and PF government.

  28. A student lost her life and the only thing some of you can think of is HH or ECL blame forgetting to ask why did the police throw teargas in the rooms. If other countries can hold their defense wings liable for such deaths why not do the same. Anyone of us could have been in the families shoe and how would you feel if rather than everyone trying to seek just they opted to play the blame game. This is the reason why just never prevails in this country because we end up fighting the wrong fight

    THIS TIME ITS UP VESPERS AND NOT HH OR ECL

  29. Look at how peaceful those UNZA students are. I wish I could join them. Let this be a lesson. Demonstrations are part of democracy but destroying public property is not. But also to our leaders sometimes the only way you will listen is when there’s such calamity. Peaceful demo u don’t listen. My appeal to my colleagues at UNZA is that let’s be peaceful. Politicians are the best witches.

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    Solidarity to the students and may the dead young lady’s soul rest in peace.

    For those that don’t know, majority of these UNZA protests start very peacefully but the presence and poor reactions of the police provoke and inflame the situation to the point they end up in riots. This very peaceful demonstration that you are all lauding would have quickly turned violent if the cops were sent to disrupt it. I recall cops used to tell us they were acting on ‘orders from above or state house’. I was once involved in a protest that turned fatal or near fatal (can’t remember 100%) in 1999/2000 during my short time there as a freshman. I actually recall almost suffocating from teargas trying to move downstairs from the top floor of ‘Africa’ hostel. 2018 these numskulls cops haven’t…

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      …2018 these numskulls cops haven’t learned a lesson and are still throwing them teargas in students’ rooms.

      Finally I have to say it’s cheap politicking for both HH to attend the funeral church service when emotions are still high. They both should have stayed away and let the service remain apolitical. These politicians need to know when to campaign and seek cheap political mileage.

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      What a silly comment… unbelievable!

    • F$$Lish, you don’t know people wear black for a funeral and you think our people are that poor to afford a T-shirt or pant with so much salaula and stores that sell clothing. You need to burn in hell for thinking someone planned for a poor girl to be killed by police

  31. its really sad to note the arrogance and stupidity in pf, everyone must be retired no one is fit to run the affairs of this country. enough is enough.

  32. Thumbs-up to these students. Condolences to the family.
    This is an example of what’s wrong in Zambia today. How can a serious Police Service use reserve police who happen to be cadres for crowd control? It’s very easy to know who through the teargas canister in that particular room. Cadres think they are above the law, police would act within the law.
    I wonder were the chief Justice and legislature are in Zambia.
    Lady Justice will be raped again by those who should protect her

  33. @ Nubian Princess is a complete dull whore. Please keep your inhumane comments to yourself and concentrate on your debased life.

  34. Even where a life has been lost due to police brutality some people are still blinded by stupidity of the highest order and stand by a clueless regime. If you have no acumen to be objective for once, crawl back under the rocks you emerged from. How can some people be so inhuman? Is it a wonder that the country is where it is? We need to find a way of getting rid of the human pretenders who are dragging civilisation back.

    • Spot On @ 43.
      We are supposed to be in the age of civilization, but unfortunately the number of Uncivilised persons in Zed is to say the least Mind boggling!

  35. @1.4 DONT BRING UR TUMA BEMBA PROVERBS HERE THAT HAVE NO MEANING , LUNGU IS NOT BEMBA HE IS NSENGA, WELLDONE UNZA STUDENTS THOUGH NOWADAYS UNZA YASILA TOO MUCH MANTHA MHSRIP ANY DONATIONS FROM UNZA STUDENTS TO THE FUNERAL HOUSE

  36. taking to the streets was a good gesture that should have been reserved for a much more concerning situation. it is a suddening enough situation that somebody died in a worthless scandal that should have never been held in the first place. UNZA is Zambia’s highest educational institution that should not take to task petty misunderstandings and wasting time rioting or whatever it is that is done. i would rather see students protesting over limited funds for innovative ventures that will bring Zambia to the level that their children will not have to protest for allowances and other inferior requirments. It is even high time that the estimeed students of the ‘great unza institution’ started bringing home valuable grants that they can invest in research and help support the universty,…

  37. Ghandhi and Mandela showed the irresistable power of peaceful but massive protests involving masses of people. Zambians can do it too. Pick your weapons wisely; you know that you have less military power than your opponents but you definitely have more people on your side!!! Wake up and use peaceful protests which everyone will be willing to join because there will be no police crackdowns which most people fear. Let the wise understand and let he who has an ear listen. LONG LIVE ZAMBIA

  38. Too bad that a life was lost due to police nt been professional,however,that’s y dialogue is the best weapon 2 resolve issues.it’s vry disgraceful that a life was lost over nshima,students protested cos of the delay in payments,guyz let’s nt b used by T Hacks plz.these cars u stone and lives that are threatened when you guys protest are equally important, we have now lost our young gal,,,,,,,too bad MHSRIP

  39. When read some contributions on this blog , if you not a Zambian you may wonder what kind of heartless the likes of people are we. The young lady who died regards of what political party or social class or tribe is a big loss to Zambia as a whole
    I’m not to criticise the government especially Nkandu Luo or Kampyongo. This is self inflicted approach by the two ministers and lack of understanding that universities all over the world have unions and this is route through to channel their con concerns to management or government. When you see the single handed approach by Nkandu Luo to silence the voice of reasoning and good wil these are the results. If Nkandu Luo and the rest of ministers who passed through the university of Zambia were denied to have a union they would have find…

  40. When you read some contributions on this blog , if you are not a Zambian you may wonder what kind of heartless these.people are . The young lady who died regards of what political party or social class or tribe is a big loss to Zambia as a whole
    I’m not here to criticise the government especially Nkandu Luo or Kampyongo. This is self inflicted approach by the two ministers and lack of understanding that universities all over the world have unions and this is route through to channel their concerns ,and dialogue to management or government. When you see the single handed approach by Nkandu Luo to silence the voice of reasoning and good wil these are the results. If Nkandu Luo and the rest of ministers who passed through the university of Zambia were denied to have a union they…

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