By AUSTIN  KALUBA –
IT is disheartening to note that University of Zambia lecturers and students have joined hands in disrupting peace whenever they are aggrieved.
Should not the people at the highest institution of learning be above these arm-twisting tactics when making their demands?
What the lecturers should understand is that they are not the only group of people who are owed money by the Government.
While we are not against their demand, we strongly condemn the methods they are using since it has led to anarchic behaviour by students who rioted recently disturbing peace.
Dialogue is a hallmark of civilised people, while on the other hand using underhand methods to achieve one’s goal lumps one in the ‘Lumpen’ category of protesters.
UNZA is now becoming a mad house with unsavoury characters peddling pseudo intellectualism for cheap attention.
At a subterranean level what this ilk of academic Pharisees is sub-textually telling other mortals is that as intellectuals they are special and need speedy intervention to meet their demands.
Our good friends should understand that the Government is aware of their demands for payment of outstanding monies owed to them.
Thus their refusal to release the semester results is not only rude but an affront against authorities.
On the part of students blocking the Great East Road and burning tyres and logs forcing motorists to find alternative routes is below ‘Kaponya’ behaviour.
Unruly behaviour is the same whether perpetuated by a UNZA student or some thug at Inter City Bus Terminus.
While we urge Government to address the issue, we don’t think it should budge to blackmail by any group that considers itself special and above other mortals.
We say this in view of the many demands; the Government has to meet in paying pensioners, farmers who have supplied maize, improving of salaries for essential workers like doctors and other heavy responsibilities on its shoulders.
Education Minister Michael Kaingu has not shied away from the demand as he disclosed recently that Government would release K50 million to UNZA towards the accrued staff benefits which has led to a stand-off between the members of the UNZA Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) and management.
However, UNZALARU has demanded to be paid their accrued benefits for all university workers worth K320 million.
Whatever the misunderstanding, dialogue is the way to go.