UNZA students riot, hostel gutted

Soweto hostel block 2 on fire

A female students’ hostel at the University of Zambia was this evening gutted by fire as students fought running battles with the police. Female students were reportedly forced to jump through windows as their rooms caught fire.

According to a source at the institution, the police had resorted to forcing their way into the hotels and beating up students from their rooms. The source added that the police broke the doors to Vet hostels, picked up some students and bundled them into the police vehicle.

The police also threw teargas canisters in rooms where student had locked themselves for safety.

The situation at the country’s highest learning institution has been tense the past few days due to the continued delay in the payment of meal allowances.