UNZA students arrested over riots

FIVE University of Zambia (UNZA) students in Lusaka have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a riot in which four police officers were injured.
The officers were injured by the students who also damaged two police vehicles.
Lusaka Province commissioner of police Lemmy Kajoba said in an interview yesterday that the five students were arrested on Tuesday night for allegedly taking part in the riot.
“They started the riot after 18:30 hours and blocked roads where they also lit fire.  When police officers moved in to contain the situation, they started fighting them,” Mr Kajoba said.
The students are said to have rioted over Minister of Youth and Sport Chishimba Kambwili’s statement that he would deal with them if they dared him over the takeover of the Commonwealth Youth Centre.
The arrested students are detained at Chelston Police Station and will appear in court soon.
Mr Kajoba said police are keeping vigil at UNZA although the situation had eased off yesterday.
Recently, UNZA students attempted to take over the Commonwealth Youth Centre building and the houses that were occupied by its employees.
The students locked the building and drove the Sports Council of Zambia bus around the campus.
The Commonwealth Youth Centre was built in the 1970s and according to the University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU), a memorandum of understanding that was signed in 1975 provided that the structure would be handed over to the university when the Commonwealth closes its activities.
According to UNZASU, the centre was officially closed last year but is wondering why it is being used by the Sports Council of Zambia for fundraising ventures when students have no accommodation.

Zambia Daily Mail