Zambia: Youths Run Amok

SCORES of youths left out in the Zambia Army recruitment programme in Lusaka yesterday fought running battles with police when they protested against alleged nepotism in the process.

The irate youths threw stones at cars and blocked Katima Mulilo Road at the junction with the railway line using various objects.

They lit a bonfire, forcing motorists to use alternative routes.

The youth attributed their action to failure to be recruited in the process which was characterised by long and meandering queues.

In their complaints, they alleged that there was corruption at the Zambia Army First Infantry Brigade in Emmasdale, charging that some officials there had settled for their relatives.

Police in riot gear quashed the fracas after firing teargas canisters, prompting the angry youths to scamper for safety.

Eye witnesses Robert Phiri and Chilufya Chanda, trading near Katima Mulilo Road, said they were forced to remove their merchandise to protect it from the rampaging youths.

Calm was later restored and traffic started flowing smoothly around 12.50 hours after police officers removed the objects from the road which just received a facelift.

Lusaka Province police chief, Charity Katanga said no arrests had been made.

Ms Katanga said 25 officers from Emmasdale Police station were deployed to guard the area as she had anticipated such a disturbance beforehand.

Ms Katanga said those that caused the fracas which lasted about 20 minutes were not happy after learning that their names were not shortlisted as successful candidates around 11.30 hours.

Meanwhile, University of Zambia (Unza) students on Tuesday night demonstrated and gave management up to Sunday to re-open the institution.

But the Lusaka Province police chief warned that the students would face the wrath of the law if they became unruly.

Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Childhood Education Minister John Phiri said the Government wished to encourage dialogue over the impasse.

University of Zambia Students Union (Unzasu) president Ali Tunkara said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday shortly after addressing students at the 'Monk Square' that students were demanding that the institution be re-opened by Sunday, July 1, 2012 and that examination results should be released this week.

Mr Tunkara said first-year students should have reported last Sunday while senior students wanted to leave Unza for Ridgeway Campus to major in medicine, but examination results had been withheld.