Guess Nyirenda condemns Nkandu Luo’s denial of 5 UNZA Students bursaries 

By Derrick Sinjela

OPERATION Young Vote (OYV) Executive Director Guess Nyirenda has condemned Higher Education Professor Nkandu Luo unilateral decision to remove the five (5) University of Zambia (UNZA) students from Government sponsorship.

Guess Nyirenda condemns Nkandu Luo’s denial of 5 UNZA Students bursaries

Mr. Nyirenda described Professor Luo’s move as personal, appalling, unacceptable, an outright abuse of authority and office, infringement of human rights and blocking citizen right to education for the said students.
Nyirenda implored Professor Luo, a Patriotic Front (PF) Munali Member of Parliament (MP) to adhere to laid down students’ affairs disciplinary code by granting affected learners an opportunity to be heard, instead of taking a unilateral decision.

“It must be appreciated that in no way is OYV supporting any student misconduct and/or riotous behavior, but merely calling for the rules of natural justice to be applied. It is very worrying that under the Patriotic Front (PF) regime, things are upside down, where one gets punished and then heard later. There are many examples to this effect,” worried Nyirenda.
The Operation Young Vote Executive Director demanded a speedy reversal of Professor Luo’s unilateral decision and allow the five students an opportunity to be heard, and inevitably being restored on a full government bursary.
In the event that the Minister becomes adamant, as is always the case with the PF regime, Nyirenda urged the five affected students to remain strong and seek a judicial review in the courts of law in Zambia.

Cavendish University Shines at Zambia Alternative Mining Indaba 2017 pix by Derrick Sinjela

……..here is the OYV Statement in Full:-

16th JUNE, 2018: MINISTER’S UNILETRAL REMOVAL OF 5 UNZA STUDENTS FROM GOVERNMENT SPONSORSHIP STATEMENT BY OYV
The alleged unilateral decision by the Minister of Higher Education Prof. Nkandu Luo to remove the five University of Zambia (UNZA) students from Government sponsorship is not only personal, appalling and unacceptable but also an act abuse of authority and office and total infringement of human rights and right to education for the said students.
If it is indeed true that the affected students were not subjected to legal procedures as laid down in the students’ affairs disciplinary code at the institution, to be granted the much need opportunity to be heard, then the Minister was completely out of order.

It must be appreciated that in no way is OYV supporting any student misconduct and/or riotous behavior, but merely calling for the rules of natural justice to be applied.

The Minister should know very well or in case she has forgotten must be reminded that a person/suspect is innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law – or in the case of students the Students University Disciplinary Committee – whose decision can be appealed against to the court of law.

It is very worrying that under the Patriotic Front (PF) regime, things are upside down, where one gets punished and then heard later. There are many examples to this effect.

What is also sad is the way and tone the Minister used when addressing the same issue with the media. There was autocracy in handling the whole matter. The Minister must not sound as though the money paying for the sponsorship of students is hers as an individual – it’s not her personal money but tax payers and the same students’ parents and/or guardians are tax payers. It is actually more riotous and inhuman to unilaterally cut students (especially that they have been studying for many years) from Government sponsorship without any consideration for natural justice where the accused are given an opportunity to be heard.

Operation Young Vote therefore demands that the Minister reverses the unilateral decision and allow the students an opportunity to be heard.

In the event that the Minister becomes adamant, as is always the case with the PF regime, we can only urge the students to remain strong and seek a judicial review in the courts of law.

For and on behalf of OPERATION YOUNG VOTE
Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)
Executive Director

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