The University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers’ Union (UNZALARU) says it is appalled by Higher Education Authority Minister Prof. Nkandu Luos latest attacks on Lecturers at UNZA and CBU.
Prof Luo was quoted as having said that all Lecturers at the UNZA and CBU who feel neglected following government’s delay to pay them salaries must resign.
Professor Luo contended that Lecturers have a responsibility to contribute to resource mobilisation and those that feel neglected, must find themselves better jobs as government can easily replace them.
But UNZALARU Secretary General Dr Kelvin Mambwe said Prof. Luo’s statement is misplaced.
“UNZALARU would like to believe that the outrageous and appalling remarks by the Minister represent her chosen way of celebrating April Fools’ Day,” Dr Mambwe said.
“UNZALARU would like to believe that the outrageous and appalling remarks by the Minister represent her chosen way of celebrating April Fools’ Day,” Dr Mambwe said.
“It is not our intention to prescribe to her what pranks she can unleash on our members and the public on this day, dedicated globally to playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. However, we urge the Minister to exercise judgement even in the choice of the pranks she pulls.”
“This is because jokes of disturbingly poor quality, like the one broadcast on Hot FM this morning, have the potential to provide inglorious inspiration to one or more of her colleagues in Cabinet who, in a needless race to the pettiest and most despicable joke for April Fools Day, may appear on another platform to proclaim that “President Edgar Lungu and we in the PF government have no plans to sustain public universities, especially the University of Zambia (UNZA) and Copperbelt University (CBU), because we do not value higher education and the need for it in the country.” We would like to believe that the Minister of Higher Education is yet to take leave of her senses and retains the mind to think of more harmless and funny April Fools’ jokes to dish out for media and public consumption.”
He added, On behalf of our members, we wish the Minister all the best for the remainder of this day, 1st April 2019. We trust that tomorrow, 2nd April, she would revert to being serious and immediately act to avert a looming work stoppage at both UNZA and CBU owing to the delayed payment of salaries for workers for the month of March.”
Dr Mambwe said “Otherwise we may be persuaded to believe that Luo is not only consciously digging the grave for UNZA and CBU; she is also frighteningly arrogant, impervious to advice, incapable of humility, unaccepting of criticism, and enthralled by vanity.”
Hahahaha that is a splendid retort by Dr. Mambwe. LOL…How will Prof Luo comeback from this one; either she agrees it was an April fools joke or she disputes it and therefore acknowledges what a foolish statement she had uttered!
Madam Luo sure…How can you say such a thing as a minister? It’s like a father who is failing to provide for his children telling them they can move out if they are not happy with hunger, and he can have other children.
Really, this is an unwise woman. A failed professional. A compassionless , selfish person. I pray God helps her repent.
If The president doesnt fire her for such folly, it just adds to the evidence of the kind of lazy, immoral man he is.
Nkandu Luo’s thoughts and minds are as beautiful as she looks. She lied on air that she was raising $4 million/year in grants when she was teaching at UNZA. Fat ugly lie!
What a useless school. You mean to tell me that UNZA is paid by the government. The whole of UNZA doesn’t have income generation to be independent of government? What a bunch of educated f00LS.
The Real Olivia Pope ,
Your ignorance of how public universities operate is pathetic. You don’t know that UNZA and CBU are public and granted – aided institutions? As public universities, the government is obliged to meet a significant proportion of the two university’s financial needs. With such gross ignorance, you even have the courage to insult academic staff! With such ignorance and evident hostility towards educated people by ignoramus like you, is it any wonder that our country can only stutter in its development?
Lou is one of the educated foooools in Lazy’s cabinet who needs to got rid of.
@FACTS; the best thing I did for myself was to get a foreign degree from a reputable university on top of my UNZA degree. If you want to talk about being pathetic let’s talk about Engineering graduates from UNZA who can’t even assemble a stroller with written instructions. Let’s talk about Doctors who can’t fix a broken arm. Let’s talk about your minister of health who doesn’t understand the importance of a fire extinguisher in a health institution.
Better yet let’s talk about the president and his cabinet—all UNZA graduates running the country to the ground. I stand by my statement. Academia in Zambia is full of educated F00LS.
Correct me if my wrong but I think it’s only Vincent Mwale and Bowman Lusambo that didn’t go to UNZA and public opinion is that these two work harder and produce results than the UNZA ones.
The Real Olivia Pope ,
I don’t believe in trumpeting my qualifications. Suffice to say that I also have very respectable postgraduate credentials from highly reputable universities in the US. What distinguishes you from me is your tendency of demeaning and vilifying academic staff at UNZA and CBU as “educated fools”. I wouldn’t stoop to your low and abysmal level of sarcasm which, in my view, speaks volumes about your psychological makeup. . Bear in mind that among these academics are highly dedicated individuals some with Oxbridge and Ivy League doctorates who, despite the grave challenges they are facing in the form of delayed salaries and unpaid gratuities, still toil to ensure that they do the best for this country.
Luo is old and should resign, I for one don’t know why Lungu is keeping her together with the likes of Dora, Jean Kapata, Chitotela, Mawere, Sichalwe, Kampyongo, Joyce Nondo Simukoko, Freedom Sikazwe, Musukwa, and Kafwaya. All these ministers must go!! They’re not servicing the interests of Zambians, but they themselves and that of Lungu!!
Bloody hell I just fully realised what a bunch of dull people Lungu appoints. No shock considering he is also below mediocre.
“It is not our intention to prescribe to her what pranks she can unleash on our members and the public on this day, dedicated globally to playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. However, we urge the Minister to exercise judgement even in the choice of the pranks she pulls.” Dr Mambwe, classic! Me dead with laughter
Using ministerial job to fight old personal battles, uko!
They are the best bootlickers hence he appoints them!
LOL….”her chosen way of celebrating April Fools Day” Ba Nkandu, yaba bamishuta…
Hey guys at UNZA , I hear a fight between the president of UNZARU and Minister Luo is scheduled for 19:00 hrs today and that you are charging One Million Dollars per head. I am sure from the gate – takings Luo will raise enough to off set your salaries. Good luck guys.
The minister is fighting battles with former colleagues that she started while she was a Lecturer herself. I saw things like this happen before. That is how life works in Zambia. Shishuwa might also be the sour grape that is making his colleagues to pay this price.
Instead of being a leading example among the PF kaponyas, LUO is behaving like the most uneducated minister! Shame to that woman!
IS SHE A PROFFESSOR????
Seriously what did this handsome woman study?And have you noticed that most intelligent women are beautiful?I challenge people to point out one ugly,intelligent woman…
Yes she is a Professor from the old socialist block. That tells you all you need to know about what is going on.
@ SHIMWANA – Let us leave out her looks in our analysis of her statement because there is no scientific or traditional proof that the outlook of any one has a direct effect on their thinking capacity. The reason why women who dont look flashy seem to be more educated is because they get less disturbances from boy friends who chase after girls.After all beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
Happy Fools Day to the Hon. Minister of higher education
When are the lecturers supposed to get their March salaries. When I started reading the article and ranting around all this I was thinking it was February salaries. Lecturers are supposed to teach students that hand to mouth kind of budgeting is wrong.
You are right. They get alot of money. I think there is a spirit of poverty at UNZA.
Whoever gave this ugly thing that title of Professor should be arrested for Academic Fraud! Luo is so unprofessional and uncultured! Don’t Universities in Zambia have the power to strip some of these misfits of their undeserving titles? She is bringing shame to our universities and contributing to their downgrading! Real Professors are Self-disciplined and carry themselves in a dignified manner. Real Professors exude wisdom and inspiration even in adverse circumstances. They choose their words carefully! There must be a code of ethical conduct the so called professors must be made accountable to otherwise, with such buwelewele standards, our universities risk further downgrades!
Nice point Muwelewele,she talks and thinks like Kambwili
She’s another useless Minister possessed by the evil spirit of Ngoshe Mukote
So she expects lecturers to continue working without salaries and not complain & if they wish to complain they should resign. What about you madam minister are you willing to work without getting your salary? Try to lead by example first.
We have dunderheads as professors, especially this one. What a time waster as Zambia’s Minister of Education.!
Madam ICASA can go to jail if there was a government worthy its name in Zambia to subpoena her and account for ICASA funds.
UNZA and CBU has/had enough valuable land to make them the richest universities in our African region.
There was no need for funds from GRZ….what happened to the valuable land around both these universities ???
I was fortunate enough to attend both of them….
@Spaka I support you for the first time on your valuable contribution. UNZA lecturers are lazy and just interested in the huge salaries they get which ordinarily would not get in other universities around the world given the input they render currently. It’s simple advise given to them by the minister that they can get a job else where if not satisfied at UNZA this is what happens anywhere. The problem is they can’t be employed anywhere because they’re lazy
Fwanya,
What grudge do you have against UNZA lecturers? I can give you names of Oxbridge and Ivy League educated UNZA lecturers who have dedicated their lives unstintingly to teaching and research at UNZA despite lucrative offers from outside the country which they have turned down because of the love they have for Zambia. If you have met one lazy lecturer at your watering-hole, it doesn’t follow that all lecturers are lazy!
This minister may have a PhD in medicine but she is a grade zero in leadership. What a shame!
Comment:She is a microbiologist.
Any strike bane be ready to face the most powerful PF carders to manhandle you well, well ask Kabwe council workers what happened after asking for there 6 months arrears.
Prof Luo is not a medical doctor but a microbiologist. Please take note!
@Fwanya and Spaka you may wish to know that Nkandu left unza as professor but I don’t know which Ph.D and postdoctoral fellows he (sorry) she trained. I’m sick and tired of suckers who comment without facts. Well it’s a tragedy that unza promoted her to that position without looking at true benchmarks of a real professor. I know for a fact a guy trained at Ph.d level in physical chemistry or genetics or solid state physics is hard to replace. Dream on pf cadres. It’s your privilege but don’t let your partisanship cloud your thinking.
Just from your response I can tell that you’re into group think mentality you can’t engage but insult insteady of confronting the challenge posed by the Minister of looking elsewhere if not satisfied with UNZA
Meanwhile the dancing king kasaka will be on Kopala dancing to duduma reverse while things are failing under his feet.
His dancing is becoming so irritating even to Freedom Sikazwe!
Too much of anything is bad!
Very soon, we’ll be singing Bombasa Yapona to someone soon! Ask KK and RB!
I think there is need to discuss alternatives to pay sources. Decentralising paymasters and and being able to run the university as a business self generating its budget is a good idea. You can’t set your watch by govts ability to pay timely. Here are some ideas:
UNZA generating income from its farming/agriculture faculty, selling to supermarkets etc
JNZA running vocational part time degrees for those not lucky enough to afford or two. A place
UNZA running employee training courses for large corporations
More to come. Of course they could already have looked into these, maybe increase the numbers.
@Patriot Abroad; that’s exactly my thoughts. But don’t hold your breath. I had an opportunity to sit down to dinner with the dean of agriculture at UNZA and the man frankly doesn’t know when to $hut up and hold a conversation. Not to mention he was 2 hours late. These are the people running these institutions. I don’t know if it’s because of our young ages that he acted like that but we where seriously appalled by the behavior.
@Olivia Pope, WE ARE RIGHT. Congratulations for going as far as tryiiiiiing to discuss the issue, it’s funny how people can be blind to obvious solutions. Really UNZA has a lot of land and some of it can be turned into producing it’s salaries. My parents farm has a UNZA Veterinary institution, next door; the only one in the farm belt along the Great East road and can supply charged for services to farmers in the area. Another UNZA farm on the other side of us used to grow experimental crops (hope it was not genetically modified stuff)! It also makes sense to have extra curricular and vocational courses by way of bringing in extra cash. A lot of the universities abroad do this. Some running internet courses registering people thus expanding their income. Look at Chipembi Girls…
A lot of the universities abroad do this. Some running internet courses registering people thus expanding their income. Look at Chipembi Girls School, they have been running a farm concurrent with the provision of schooling and are providing food for its pupils at the boarding school along with giving the girls opportunity to have agricultural knowledge as extra curricular learning. There was a UNZA agricultural centre in the same vicinity in Chisamba, but all they seemed to grow were egg plants! Something needs changing to stabilise salaries in Civil Services and all that are reliant on Centra govt funding.
This is a leadership of clowns, kasaka kandalama, umomba mwebala, Gulf Stream how did we get here ai?
She said those who feel neglected……. Must leave instead of making noise. So leave. Unza and Cbu both have a problem, which is they pegged their salaries exorbitantly such that the same institutions or Grz cant manage to sustain. If in doubt ask them to list down here salaries for their workers. you will receive a shock of your life how much each one earns. This is the reason why the problem of salary this or unzalaru that is the order of the day for the past 30 years. its not going to end now by castigating Pro Nkandu or making reference to her facial appearance.
Mr. Luo, please, please, please sir.
The idea of having universities contributing to the national coffers is not a bad one. However, Prof. Luo should not express it unethically. She has caused disgruntled politicians to insult the whole national leadership and to try to make a political mileage out of her conduct. Does she have a hidden agenda? She could have been having quarrels with her colleague political leaders. She is now offloading her bitterness. Pride always preceeds downfall.
Lecturers spend time criticizing government in the media then expect to be prioritized for salaries at crunch time. Lecturers should focus on teaching not playing politics if they want to continue eating from the hand that feeds them.
Luo versus CK = Intellect versus Chiwowo!!!!!! Guess What!!!!!!!!! =
The Real Olivia Pope ,
I don’t believe in trumpeting my qualifications. Suffice to say that I also have very respectable postgraduate credentials from highly reputable universities in the US. What distinguishes you from me is your tendency of demeaning and vilifying academic staff at UNZA and CBU as “educated fools”. I wouldn’t stoop to your low and abysmal level of sarcasm which, in my view, speaks volumes about your psychological makeup. . Bear in mind that among these academics are highly dedicated individuals some with Oxbridge and Ivy League doctorates who, despite the grave challenges they are facing in the form of delayed salaries and unpaid gratuities, still toil to ensure that they do the best for this country.
.
Minister Nkandu Luo may be right or wrong depending on individual’s perception of the matter at hand.Our government has been having challenges to finance these public institutions for some time now. The onus is on the so called intellectuals at those institutions to use their intellect and come up with solutions to be self sustaining as institutions. UNZA used to run evening / parrallel programmes which gave them good income but they stopped in preference to government spoon feeding.
Grant aided status cannot be sustained anymore .
The ambition of most Zambia Professors was to be Professors. Not a consequence of intellectual prowess. Like finishing Grade 12 after 20 years or getting a degree after 30 years. No mind development there. Just paper hanging lopsidedly on a dirty wall. The likes of this empty Professor became so tagging on Research of others. Professors worth their Gold like Ben Mweene, Muna Ndulo, Manenga Ndulo, Kasuka Mwaluka, Robert Serpell, Akuffo, Chidumayo, Francis Yamba are very few.
Oh, they are mostly from those parts of Zambia!!
What a rude shock to hear this from a Professor! The woman we hold in high esteem. As a servant of the people Professor Luo should be apologizing to the lecturers for non-payment of salaries. Instead she’s asking them to resign? Are these the kind of leaders sure who should be leading us? Hopeless!…
I didn’t know that, sometimes, ugliness of the body and that of the mind can come together so perfectly. Why does Professor Nkandu Luo think that his ideas are the best, without even consulting. He needs to change, before he destroys the country’s biggest public universities. Such an ugly soul.
Today she says scrap meal allowances. Students should not depend on government. She comes again and tell Unza and CBU not to depend on government yet herself and her boss 100% suck from the government coffers and some uninformed cadres I know eat crumbs from her table on this blog are busy castigating lecturers. I hereby demand and request both Unza and CBU lecturers not to resign. This is your country and it is just a matter of time some of these lunatics and their cadres will be out.
Judge – the knitting together of physical ugliness and ugly mind produces absurd results like we are witnessing now.
I find it appalling to hear some people say Unza should do this or that to raise funds and not depend on government. Stupid thinking. First the entire government starting from the President 100% depend on government. The president and his Ministers get huge salaries, allowances, accommodation and free this or that from the government. Is this not f 100% government dependence? When the presidents retires he is entitled to a life time salary, a house built for him and so on and so forth. Is this not 100% government dependence? What does the president and his minions do to deserve 100% government dependence than University lecturers. This is what happens when you fail to run the country’s affairs.
@bwaba bwandi,
It’s an obvious solution. Really UNZA has a lot of land and some of it can be turned into producing it’s salaries. It also makes sense for UNZA to have extra curricular and vocational courses by way of bringing in extra cash. A lot of the universities abroad do this. Some running internet courses registering people thus expanding their income. Universities can/should run as self standing businesses to resolve some of its funding problems. Chipembi Girls School, they have been running a farm concurrent with the provision of schooling and are providing food for its pupils at the boarding school along with giving the girls opportunity to have agricultural knowledge as extra curricular learning. Meanwhile students of universities are up in arms about the cut in food…
Today she says scrap meal allowances. Students should not depend on government. She comes again and tell Unza and CBU not to depend on government yet herself and her boss 100% suck from the government coffers and some uninformed cadres I know eat crumbs from her table on this blog are busy castigating lecturers. I hereby demand and request both Unza and CBU lecturers not to resign. This is your country and it is just a matter of time some of these lunatics and their cadres will be out.
Chipembi Girls School, they have been running a farm concurrent with the provision of schooling and are providing food for its pupils at the boarding school along with giving the girls opportunity to have agricultural knowledge as extra curricular learning. Meanwhile students of universities are up in arms about the cut in food allowances when free meals can be provided them by the agricultural faculty. READ MY COMMENT TO YOU ABOVE.