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The University of Zambia (UNZA) has reportedly suspended 48 students from all academic activities till further notice.
This happened a day before the 2023 student union nominations, following the riot that erupted at the University on September 18, 2023.
On October 3, 2023, the university sent letters of academic suspension to students suspected to have taken part in the riots which left several school properties damaged.
Read more: 10 arrested over riots triggered by cancelled students’ union elections at UNZA
Those suspended included aspiring candidates of the University of Zambia’s 2023 student union elections and other students from different schools.
In a suspension letter made available to Zambia Monitor on Thursday in which the suspected party chose to remain anonymous, the university pointed out that riotous behaviour and vandalism contravene rules and regulations for students of the university of Zambia.
“By copy of this letter, dean of Students, Dean of School of Law, Chief Security Officer and Deputy registrar Academic Affairs are requested to ensure that you do not access facilities of the university whilst the case is active.” the Dean of students stated in a letter.
Meanwhile, Fortune Mubangala, also known by his campaign name ‘Yalelo’, a law student at the university, who was also one of the suspended students and student union aspiring candidate wrote a letter to the university asking it to revoke its decision of suspension.
“I would like to intimate that the decision to suspend me while pending a hearing is prejudicial as I have every right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty as espoused in Article 18 of the Constitution of Zambia, 1991,” wrote Mubangala.
He further indicated through a letter that the school’s decision had given him mental damages adding that the school should compensate him a modest sum of K70, 000 for the mental damage caused.
Another student on suspension who also chose to remain anonymous said it was appalled and disappointed that the university suspended students on mere allegations.
“I believe that the government is aware about the suspension, If the rule of law was at its course, evidence for the allegations was supposed to be provided and students were not supposed to be suspended before the hearing with the students board of discipline,” he stated.
The affected parties are requesting for justice as investigations are underway.
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