The opposition UPND on the Copperbelt province have demanded that government immediately opens the Copperbelt University, failure to which they mobilise protests against the PF regime.
In a statement by provincial Chairman Elisha Matambo, the party has also demanded the firing on Education Minister Michael Kaingu.
“(We demand) the immediate reopening of the Copperbelt University. Failure to do so will compel the Copperbelt leadership to mobilise youths to carry out peaceful protests against the current government,” Matambo warned.
“Immediate resignation of the Minister of Education Dr. Michael Kaingu. Clearly the man has no capacity to deal with the challenges affecting the country’s education sector.”
Below is the full statement:
It is now exactly 25 days since the Patriotic Front (PF) government closed the Copperbelt University indefinately. It is 25 days since the PF government made a sound statement that they cared less about the welfare of the Zambian youth and the issues they face. The United Party for National Development on the Copperbelt is horrified and appalled by the continued negligence from the PF government on the continued closure of the university in Kitwe and many other multi-layered issues besetting the education sector in this country.
While we realise that the leadership of this country cares less about the plight of the poor and oppressed, the least they can do is to allow our youths to go back to school in order to prepare themselves for a better tomorrow.
The Youths on the Copperbelt want jobs and equal opportunities for them to realise their maximum potential as economic players. They desire a functional economy that encourage individual and national growth, not cheap political sloganeering as excuse for economic blueprints. The days of ‘Ifintu ni Lungu’ are long gone and its time to drive the country out of the economic and energy mismanagement.
It is strange that the PF government is punishing the same CBU students who gave them 727 votes against UPND President Hakainde Hichilema‘s 406 votes in 2015 Presidential Elections obtained at the CBU polling station.
To the CBU students we say, do not despair. Let this be a period of reflection about the opportunities that 2016 provides us to correct any mistakes that have been made. Be inspired by the story of David in scriptures as a major lesson to victims of injustice to salvage their stolen legacy and their pick-pocketed treasure. After the enemy had stolen everything from him, as the enemy of progress has done to you, David does not resign to fate, as some people expected u to do. According to the book of Samuel, David asks the Lord whether it would be possible for him to recover his property; his treasure which the enemy had stolen from him. The Lord says to David: “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and recover all.” Let’s use the elections in 2016 to ‘pursue and recover our justice.
Going forward, the UPND on the Copperbelt demands the following;
1. The immediate reopening of the Copperbelt University. Failure to do so will compel the Copperbelt leadership to mobilise youths to carry out peaceful protests against the current government.
2. Immediate resignation of the Minister of Education Dr. Michael Kaingu. Clearly the man has no capacity to deal with the challenges affecting the country’s education sector.
3. Affirmative dialogue between the lecturers and the University management to resolve the impasses and build consensus of the issues being raised by the lecturers.
4. Complete restructuring of the bursaries committee and its processes to allow more poor Zambian youths obtain bursary loans and grants.
5. Government acts towards creating a well managed and administered education system that produces world class citizens.
To our youths countrywide , your time is now.
Elisha Matambo
Provincial Chairman
UPND COPPERBELT