To our knowledge, Zambia is still a country ruled by laws and not decrees. The law that governs the form of student leadership in higher learning institutions is the Higher Education Act No. 4 of 2013. This law, until it is amended, only recognises students’ unions as established under paragraph 27, Subparagraph (1) of the Third Schedule which, in mandatory terms, reads:
“27. (1) There shall be a students’ union in a higher education institution.”
Our position as ZANASU over student leadership at any institution of higher learning is guided by the ZANASU Constitution whose Preamble categorically states:
“We, Students of higher learning in Zambia,… DETERMINED to uphold and exercise our inherent and inviolable right as students to freely associate, decide, appoint and proclaim the means and style to govern ourselves.”
ZANASU is therefore determined to uphold the inherent and inviolable right of UNZA students to freely decide, appoint and proclaim the means and style to govern themselves, provided such style is not in conflict with any existing law. The choice of students’ governance which UNZA must have cannot be dictated by ZANASU leadership which respects its own constitution to uphold the inviolable right of its members.
The Luo Guild Leadership, has been accepted by institutions such as UNZA and has received opposition from many of our member institutions who have opted to remain with the student leadership as provided by the law. The Luo Guild Leadership currently has no backing of the law until it is amended by Parliament and, in our lifetime under a constitutional democracy, we have never heard of any time when a ministerial decree or statutory instrument has amended the Principal Act of Parliament.
As the National Assembly of Zambia has now formally written to ZANASU to assign it audience to make submissions on various matters affecting the welfare of Zambian students studying within and outside Zambia, we shall soon be calling for a meeting with student leaders in order to come up with a position on the Guild leadership, doing so with recognition that ZANASU respects our member’s rights to decide, appoint and proclaim the means and style to govern themselves.
Finally, irrespective of which model students from UNZA decides for themselves, whether the Guild leadership one issued by ministerial decree or the Students Union as provided by law, our interest as ZANASU is to see UNZA have student leadership elected based on transparent, free and fair elections.
We can only implore and advise UNZA students to behave intellectually and vote wisely for non-divisive student leaders who will not be sell-outs and ready to sacrifice their fellow students for political expediency. UNZA students and other public universities deserve a better student leadership that is ready to work and lead fellow students around the country in providing solutions to problems affecting all students.
Assa Williey, Ms
ZANASU Information and Publicity Secretary
But why has our beloved President Lungu allowed Ministers to rule by decrees instead of following the laid down laws. Sometimes defending people for doing wrong things doesn’t help at all. When you think Govt will do something right, they get to do more wrong things. Luo should reconcile himself to students and this ZANASU. She is becoming so unpopular each passing day and making President look so bad to these young lads
Cry my beloved country for our leadership now rule as if they are controlling the kitchen.
#LuoMustGo!
Nkhandu Luo’s position as and MP and indeed as a Minister has no backing by the law so how can anything she says even be backed by any law. Sorry not even the law of the jungle! Nkhandu Luo should just go away!
First this is Minister who is illegally occupying office and whose election was challenged, nullifies yet she accuses these students of being in office illegally. What goes round comes round. Luo survives coz she has ConCourt delay her ruling for reasons known to themselves.
Problem we have isn’t Luo but opposition MPs failing to provide checks and balances in Parliament. How can Luo decree a system of leadership which is contrary to provisions of an Act of Parliament. Wanton breach and disregard for the law. Shows how unsupervised thesw Ministers are. UNZA students were almost losing it also with trying to denounce their national friends. Am sure Luo paid them nicely. We know the game.
This is the problem of not copyrighting my name. But you sound a bit…
but mubi uyu luo. if my son brought back a woman like her to marry, i will forsake him and he wouldnt be my son any more.
Luo is becoming liability to President Lungu except he has no other good people to run higher education. Country is stuck with Luo. Illegality now extended to higher education. What is Lungu doing to reverse this mess?
Lungu is actually a liability to the country. The tragedy is there is no option to this mediocrity! Lungu can just carry on buying private jets until the country is on its knees.
Question is whether this illegality is done with full knowledge of cabinet… Just fearing for ZANASU coz they first came for the Post and u did nothing, now they are coming for students…
Our country is going through hard time when u see Ministers begin deciding form of leadership in universities hiding under consultation. we ve allowed this breakdown and clamping down of our freedoms to decide because we have all been quiet. Now buck stops at Head of State. He needs to sit down his Minister and students. he is digging own grave.
The President has to stop this nonsense and ask Luo to stop meddling in students affairs. Luo is scared of students and lecturers. He now wants to bring disunity among students but we have put TAMANGA on notice that he is kissing goodbye to being UNZASU leader. He is sponsored by Luo
those sponsored by luo will know their fate during unza election time. let luo just give them jobs than waste time standing. won’t allow Luo to divide students. we one with our friends across Zambia. Lungu should stop this guild process, retire Luo.
When you see Ministers decide to do things against laid down laws, then know you live in a country called Zambia. Ba ZANUSU dont say we at UNZA accepted the guild leadership, it was imposed and we have no option. Even engaging ECL won’t produce anything. Just don’t believe those Luo boys who say we accepted guild leadership, lies, lies and lies.
let’s auction sale this country and each one goes with his or her share. its disheartening every time to see ministers get on the loose and no one is there to give us citizens hope they can be checked. opposition is bitter, and can’t provide good check and balance, govt leaders doing illegal things. just how has Lungu allowed Minister to get involved in student businss?
Let’s say Nkandu Luo is missing being a student, doubt she was ever in any Union during her time.
The knowz it all Minister …
What sin did we do as students to deserve Luo?
Students4Lungu you ve forgotten so soon? it is not God or Satan who gave you Luo but the Great and humble leader himself. You get what you for!
Let luo be the unzasu president and resign as minister, her no sense is getting out of hand now, who even coferred a professorial title on this virtually illiterate old woman? We are tired of hearing clichés from her we need progress please!!!
U students behave as if Lungu even cares what Luo does. Hell no, he doesn’t. Sata used to say. Cry for yourself and dont cry for me
In trying to bring sanity this Prof. will ruin our Higher learning institutions.
Ati Dununa Dununa? aye, Dununa. Dununa Reverse!!!!
dunune kaili……
I am very disappointed with this organisation for students. If indeed Luo’s decree has no backing of law, why can’t they take the matter to court? Our Parliament has reached a level of people that meet and can’t make serious laws, hence the Ministers coming up with Statutory Instructions, which to my point of view is not law. In recent times, I have not heard of any impacting law coming out of our Parliament