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Listen to people's demands on CBU, HH urges Mwanawasa

Listen to people's demands on CBU, HH urges Mwanawasa
By Patson Chilemba
Thursday October 04, 2007 [04:00]

OPPOSITION UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has urged President Levy Mwanawasa and his government to listen to the demands of the people by re-opening the Copperbelt University (CBU). And Hichilema has charged that the MMD government is inherently corrupt. Commenting on the continued closure of CBU, Hichilema said President Mwanawasa, being a servant of the people, should listen to their calls to re-open CBU.

“The President should ensure that CBU is re-opened. Those children are the children of Zambia, he must oblige; he is a servant. He’s in public office. When we come into public office, we shall do what the people want,” he said.

Hichilema said the problems facing universities were deep-rooted because those in government were not interested in addressing them.

He said there was no need for him and other people to continue pushing the government on the need to re-open CBU if education was prioritised.

“Why should I write to those fellows? Those fellows are aware? What am I going to write to Mwanawasa about? The closure of CBU emanates from poor policy of the MMD with regard to poor remuneration of workers and support to students in material and allowances so that there could be a good learning environment,” said Hichilema.
“This is why this country keeps finding itself in the same place.”

Recently, education minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa said the CBU would remain closed until further notice.

Prof Lungwangwa said the university was closed as a result of culminated disturbances that occurred between March and July 2007.

Prof Lungwangwa said the Ministry of Education would not allow student disturbances, which result in violent behaviour and a threat to public order and destruction of public property.

He said the frequency of the disturbances at the institution pointed to lack of appreciation by students for university education and a failure to recognise the amount of resources that the government had provided to a few privileged students to attain high education at the expense of a large number of Zambians who were unable to attain tertiary education.

Prof Lungwangwa also said the attack on the innocent members of the public indicated that students had no respect for taxpayers whose resources kept them in university.
However, the Copperbelt University Students Union (COBUSU) has denied the allegations, saying the closure of CBU was largely due to the unresolved issues involving management and the lecturers regarding the conditions of service.

COBUSU president Lee Mudenda said at no time did the students involve themselves in violent behaviour.

He said CBU has been one of the most peaceful institutions in the country.
CBU was closed two months ago.

And commenting on the 2007 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (CPI) which ranked Zambia 13th of 64 from last year's 9th out of 58 ranks, Hichilema said the country was experiencing high corruption levels because the Zambian people elected a corrupt government.

Hichilema charged that MMD was the only party with the highest number of party officials facing corrupt charges in the courts of law.
He said the MMD was naturally corrupt.

“They (people) know the MMD is inherently corrupt. From way back to the 2001 elections, the motor vehicles which they are still holding on to, the lack of desire to give Zambians a people driven constitution and the continued closure of universities shows that this party is inherently corrupt,” Hichilema said.

“Look at the corruption index right now. What is the result of all this? The MMD has produced more leaders that are in the courts.”

In this year's CPI, Zambia has remained the same without any improvements. A total of 180 countries were surveyed and Zambia had a score of 2.6 out of 10.

Labels: CBU, CORRUPTION, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, UPND

posted by MrK @ 4:24 AM