By ESTHER NG’ANDU –

GOVERNMENT has urged students not to abuse freedom of expression and avoid resorting to damaging public property when aggrieved and insisted police officers were wrong to enter student hostels and brutalise students at the Copperbelt University.

Higher Education Minister Nkandu Luo said students should not abuse freedom of expression by damaging property when aggrieved.

“We are not only appearing in the Zambian press that our institutions are riotous but also in the international press which sends a bad signal of our institutions and they are being graded poorly.

“So let students not abuse the freedom of expression by behaving in an unacceptable manner, I encourage you to dialogue,” Professor Luo said.

Speaking yesterday when she addressed students at the institution, she said she was saddened that students did not dialogue when aggrieved and resorted to vandalising public property through rioting.

Prof Luo, however said her ministry was extremely saddened at the behaviour of police adding that Government did not accept such attitude by police.

She maintained that police officers were wrong to enter students hostels and brutalise them and that she was still waiting for a report from the ministry of Home Affairs on the matter.

The Minister said her ministry was also waiting for a detailed report from the Human Rights Commission (HRC) on the recent police brutality on CBU students.

The Minister has also assured students that Government would address the sanitation challenges and allowances.

“For the allowances we have changed the modalities of giving you, we won’t communicate through leadership but give a memorandum signed by my permanent secretary,” she said.

Prof Luo urged management and workers to work together and their issues would be addressed by the Government.

Kwacha Member of Parliament Joseph Malanji also urged students to engage relevant authorities and not damage property.

He has pledged to continue helping the institution in various ways.