Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
MMD President Nevers Mumba has condemned in the strongest possible terms the manner in which the Patriotic Front (PF) government is handling the unfortunate situation at the Copperbelt University (CBU) which culminated in the ruthless beatings of students on Independence Day.
Dr. Mumba says instead of having honest open dialogue, the PF decided to send the Police to terrorise and beat up students who were protesting peacefully, leading to the resignation of the PF CBU Chairperson Kingsley Chinyama.
He says the MMD roundly condemns the totally unacceptable Police brutality which resulted in horrific injuries
to the students.
He says while university students cannot be given license to misbehave, riot and damage private property such as vehicles, it is certainly not right for the government to be heavy-handed and beat up students who are protesting peacefully.
Dr Mumba states that such acts lead to animosity and can cause instability in a nation and unnecessary disruptions of the academic calendar.
He notes that the PF government has been too slow to deal with this brewing crisis which had its origins in the CBU lecturers demanding for the removal of Vice-Chancellor Professor Naison Ngoma and his management team.
The MMD leader adds that the lack of decisive action by the PF Government caused a strike and led to the closure of CBU in the midst of an ongoing standoff between the government, lecturers and the Professor Ngoma administration.
He says this inaction by the PF government is also adding fuel to the fire of the unresolved problems at University of Zambia and Mulungushi University.
Dr. Mumba states that threats, intimidation, beatings, suspensions, removal of bursaries for students or dismissals of lecturers by government is a sign of poor weak leadership and lack of wisdom.
He says the PF Government must understand that peaceful demonstrations are part and parcel of a democratic dispensation which cannot be wished away.
Dr Mumba says the MMD is particularly concerned that this violence is happening a week after national prayers and fasting for peace and reconciliation from which it was hoped Zambia would turn a new leaf in governance and other areas.
He notes that it seems the PF government under President Edgar Lungu is sliding towards more incompetence, adding that their confused style of leadership is what has led to the challenges now being faced in the mining sector resulting in unprecedented job losses.
Dr Mumba says President Lungu does not need to relocate to the Copperbelt to understand what is going on there in order to find solutions, stating that this is totally unnecessary and just another excuse for wasting tax payers’ money.