CBU students continue class boycott

By KELVIN SIABANA STUDENTS at the Copperbelt University (CBU) in Kitwe says despite intimidation and being brutally beaten by some overzealous Zambia Police officers, they will not resume classes until they are paid their pending meal allowances in full.

The students said the police had used unorthodox ways of controlling the angry students last week on Friday who were claiming for their meal allowances that rightfully belonged to them

They complained that the police thwarted the action by beating them like common criminals.

They said they will continue with the class boycott until the government releases their money for the meal allowances because most depend on the same money for survival at the Riverside campus.

The students said it was surprising that the government had turned a blind eye to the impasse at CBU which is the second largest public University in Zambia.

The students who spoke on conditions of anonymity for fear of being victimised by the University authority wondered why it was so difficult for their meal allowances to be paid on time.

"Some government officials responsible for the welfare of tertiary Education do not know their roles because the matter at CBU would have been resolved now, but they only concentrate in politicking unnecessarily," said the students.

A check at the University found students loitering at the campus premises and others who live within Kitwe and other surrounding towns were seeing with luggage's boarding minibuses to various destinations.

Meanwhile the suspended Copperbelt Students Union (COBUSU) leader, Njiko Musuku, said he was still the legal president of the Union despite the CBU management announcing to the world that the union has been banned at the University. Mr Musuku said he is in support with other students who have maintained a class boycott until the meal allowances were paid.