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Rupiah’s K10m donation won’t compromise us – UNZASU

Rupiah’s K10m donation won’t compromise us – UNZASU
Written by Patson Chilemba
Thursday, July 09, 2009 5:17:49 PM

UNIVERSITY of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU) president Duncan Nyirongo yesterday said the students will not be bribed or compromised through donations over their rejection of Dora Siliya's appointment as education minister.

In an interview, Nyirongo said President Banda recently donated K10 million to the union during a meeting at State House soon after the students rejected Siliya's appointment.

However, Nyirongo said if the donation was meant to bribe students over their stance on Siliya, then the giver of the gift was mistaken.

He said UNZASU would never be compromised on any issue under his leadership.

"To be sincere with you and those insinuating that we are compromised, UNZASU will not be compromised under my leadership by any sort of bribe. I don't mean that the K10 million was a bribe. If it was given to us to compromise us, then somebody should be mistaken," Nyirongo said.

He maintained that the students had rejected Siliya because they did not want the education sector to be compromised.

Nyirongo said Siliya's appointment might dent the image of the education sector because the minister was coming from a background of flouting tender procedures.

"Even the donors might withhold aid. K10 million contribution will not compromise our stance over Dora Siliya. The students are doing registration and we are going to table it before the students to come up with a comprehensive position, and we are going to go full throttle," Nyirongo said. "This is not meant to victimise individuals. It is high time we made leadership responsible."

Nyirongo said President Banda should understand that those he appointed were not given jobs to serve him but the people and that people should therefore have a huge say over presidential appointments.

He said right now there was a go-slow by the lecturers at the institution and the students expected Siliya to show leadership and offer alternatives.

"She has equally failed because she should have done something. In the beginning we said we don't have confidence in her, and right now I have no confidence to call on her to get involved in the matters of UNZA," Nyirongo said. "Otherwise, UNZASU still stands that Dora is not a good alternative for that position."

Nyirongo said the students raised a lot of problems the institution faced when they met President Banda and they were still waiting for the President to make the first step.

He also said recently, he listened to a news item on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) where information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha warned that the government would deal with the lecturers if they did not resume operations.

Nyirongo said Lt Gen Shikapwasha should realise that he was dealing with well-qualified professionals.

"The way he deals with his guards at his residence is different from the way you deal with professionals. We are taking it that even Rupiah Banda is in support of that, so he should clarify," Nyirongo said. "He [Lt Gen Shikapwasha] said they have not followed the right procedure to go on a go-slow and risk facing serious consequences because of the step they have taken."

Nyirongo also said it was sad for the President to say that he would consult before coming up with a position on the mid-term gratuity for members of parliament.

He said President Banda and those in leadership should be the first ones to sacrifice before they asked others to do so.

Meanwhile, Nyirongo said it was wrong for UPND president Hakainde Hichilema to insinuate that corruption was being peddled in State House when the students met President Banda.

He said the statement implied that the students were engaging in corrupt activities.

"If he has students who have received handouts from his officials, he must know that Duncan Nyirongo believes in integrity," said Nyirongo.

Labels: DUNCAN NYIRONGO, RUPIAH BANDA, UNZASU

posted by MrK @ 4:19 PM