By JOHN SAKALA
The National Democratic congress NDC is disappointed with the conduct of police officers who used force in quelling the riots that broke out at the University of Zambia (Unza) last night.
NDC Secretary General Mwenya Musenge says NDC is disturbed that a student has died owing to the unprofessional conduct by police officers.
Mr Musenge said reports reaching him were that Vesper Shimuzhila, a fourth year student died as a result of suffocation.
“This was after police forced entry into her room and tear gassed the confinement. As NDC, we mourn with the family of the deceased student. As a party, we blame the entire police command over the loss of life.
“We are appealing to the Inspector General of police to discipline the officers who caused the death of the university student. It is our considered view that our police officers are well trained to handle disturbances such as riots. The police should not have overly reacted in handling the fracas at Unza,” he said.
Mr Musenge said minimum force should have been exerted.
He said the use of maximum force on innocent and unarmed students was uncalled for.
“We fear that with this overzealousness we are seeing from the police command, things might become worse as we approach 2021. We also condemn students’ action to engage in uncivilized acts by going to the streets every time they are agitated.
“We feel police should not have followed the students into the main campus and fought battles with them. Police should have ensured that they quelled the riots in a more acceptable and humane manner. It is regrettable that the students’ action to riot has been caused by delays by Government to pay them their outstanding allowances,” he said.
He has urge Government to quickly move in and pay students their dues.
