By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA
and ESTHER NG’ANDU –

. KASOSA

COPPERBELT University (CBU) management has with immediate effect suspended the students’ council in connection with the disturbances that characterised CBU on Thursday night and stretching into yesterday morning.
The students’ council comprises all student representatives, including Copperbelt University Students’ Union (COBUSU).
CBU public relations officer Grace Malunga confirmed the suspension of the council, alongside 10 other students.
Ms Malunga confirmed the 30-day suspension starting from yesterday.
The affected students were asked to show cause why further disciplinary action should not be taken against them.
She said the action taken against the students’ council was because of its failure to provide leadership, as they were supposed to seek permission before demonstrating.
“They are free to appeal against the suspension to the vice-chancellor, and management’s position in view of the students’ disturbances is that the university is not going to close and necessary measures are being taken to ensure that whatever caused this instability is addressed,” she said.
CBU students on Thursday night ran amok and blocked public roads within the range of the campus with burning tyres and logs.
The protest by the students who were demanding payment of project, accommodation and meal allowances, dragged on until yesterday morning when riot police quelled the riot.
Police had a tough time all-night long, fighting running battles with the students.
Copperbelt Police chief Joyce Kasosa confirmed the riot and said a windscreen of one of the police motor vehicles was shattered during the confusion.
She, however, said no other property was reported damaged apart from the public roads, including Jambo Drive, which were blocked with burning tyres.
Ms Kasosa said the riot started on Thursday before midnight when students assembled and took to the streets where they lit fire using tyres and logs.
Calm was only restored around 04:00 hours when police managed to disperse the rioting students.
“The police had a tough time all-night long quelling the riots, and they had to call the fire brigade to quench the fire which was all over public roads around CBU area,” Ms Kasosa said.
COBUSU president Humphrey Mwenya said the protest by the students was over project, accommodation and meal allowances which they had not been paid.
Mr Mwenya could, however, not comment further as the students’ union leadership was engaged in a meeting with the dean of students.