BRIAN MUNDUBILE MOURNS UNZA STUDENT

Lusaka April 2, Country men and women, I want personally and on behalf of my colleagues in our alliance to send our deepest condolences to the family of the late Emmanuel Bwalya, a second year student in the school of Humanities. I also send my condolences to his friends, the student fraternity and staff and the entire management of University of Zambia on the occasion of this untimely and devastating loss of a young life

The leadership of the TONSE Alliance and its partners are deeply saddened by the death of Emmanuel Bwalya.

It is our firm belief that the death of young Emmanuel Bwalya could have been prevented had the UPND administration led by President Hakainde Hichilema responded swiftly when social media was flooded with videos and images of the poor state of sanitation facilities at the University of Zambia last week. 

We believe that the Presidential directive issued to the ZNS is merely reactive in nature as real and workable precautionary measures were not put in place to secure areas where the ZNS team was working on to prevent accidents such as the drowning of Emmanuel Bwalya, in one of the sewer ponds. 

It’s regrettable that life had to be lost for the government to respond to the plight of the students, and UNZA management who made repeated calls for funding to rehabilitate student facilities at our highest learning institution. 

It’s not the lack of money by the government but sheer misplacement of priorities, while government approved billions of kwachas of NAPSA funds to be given to the private contractors working on what is a self-financing tolled Lusaka -Ndola dual carriageway including additional millions released for what they are calling road stabilization. 

Such funds should have been reserved and invested in upgrading and expanding UNZA limited physical infrastructure and students facilities thereby helping to restore the academic excellence the institution has been known for internationally and for many years. 

We are disappointed that the UPND administration has failed to adequately fund infrastructure upgrades at the University of Zambia since taking office in 2021. 

It is sad that the UPND administration is singularly patronizing meal allowances to students but neglecting critical infrastructure upgrades at the University, which is the premier national asset.

If elected President of Zambia, my administration stands ready to address all challenges facing not only the University of Zambia but all education facilities across the nation. 

When we form government in months we will not ascribe lip-service by dramatizing student meal allowances and misapplying the ZNS mandate. 

Our policy priority is clear- to restore academic excellence by among other measures investing our resources including those of NAPSA to save the University of Zambia from total collapse and improve student learning, sanitation conditions and staff welfare at all our national  universities and colleges. 

Brian Mundubile

TONSE Alliance Presidential Candidate