‘Restrain UNZA from suspending us’
By NATION REPORTER SEVEN University of Zambia (UNZA) students who were suspended for protesting following a 10 minutes power outage at the institution have pleaded with the Lusaka High Court to restrain the institution from suspending them.
The students claimed they were final year students and that the suspension would prolong their studies.
Misheck Kakonde, Paul Mwauluka, Ben Muwelo, Kerries Habwacha, Lifuke Munyenga, Winner Mwiinde and Malambo Richard had earlier discontinued the case but have again sued seeking an injunction.
In their affidavit in support of summons for an order of interlocutory injunction sworn in by Munyenga, the students indicated that they dragged the institution to court believing that their suspension was null and void. “We have commenced legal action challenging our suspension as we verily believe that the procedure employed in suspending us is improper, null and void,” they claimed.
They claimed that they were senior students doing their fourth year and scheduled to complete school soon and unless the school is restrained from suspending them, they would not sit for examinations thereby, prolonging their studies.
They said they would suffer permanent damages if the suspensions were allowed to subsist pending determination of the matter as they have tests and examination in a few days.
The students complained that their suspension letters do not indicate when the University Student Board of Discipline would sit to hear them.
And in their statement of claim they wanted an order and declaration that the acting Vice-Chancellor’s decision to suspend them was illegal as it violated provisions of section 38 of the University Act Chapter 136 of the laws of Zambia.
They also wanted damages for mental strain and anguish arising from the said suspension and any other reliefs that the court may deem fit.
The students claimed that they were not accorded an opportunity to be heard but were suspended indefinitely despite having test and examinations starting in a few weeks.
The seven said they would call evidence at trial that during the protest, they were not within the institution and that some of them were in their rooms.