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Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
NOLMACY returned to Lupane State University yesterday following two days of demonstrations over food and incessant power cuts at the main campus.
Students ran riot on Tuesday and Wednesday in protest over poorly prepared meals that they say makes them sick and incessant power cuts which they say disturb their studies.
LSU information and public relations officer Mr Zwelithini Dlamini said the situation was back to normal and all the concerns raised by students had been addressed. “Things are back to normal, lectures went on as usual. We had a meeting with management and the Vice Chancellor included, on the recent demonstrations” said Mr Dlamini.
He said the university had already engaged the four caterers who supply the institution to improve their services as well as sorting the electricity concern by connecting a temporary line instead of the generator.
Comment could not be obtained from the students.
The university’s Student’s Executive Council President Mr Arthur Lunga’s mobile phone went unanswered while acting vice president Ms Charmaine Mudawu referred questions to Vice president Silas Makusha who said they were going to release a statement on Monday next week.
Sources said rowdy students have since Tuesday been chanting songs denouncing Professor Pardon Kuipa and the Dean of Students, Mr Honest Ncube, accusing them of turning a deaf ear to complaints over poorly prepared meals, incessant power cuts and poor security at the university. The students allegedly stormed management offices demanding to meet Prof Kuipa and Mr Ncube before looting cooked and uncooked food from service providers.
About 350 students were moved to the main campus after years of learning at different venues in Bulawayo. The students say they are tired of eating poorly prepared meals and incessant power cuts at the university which disturbs their studies.
Students who spoke to The Chronicle said they have raised the issues with the university’s management but nothing has been done. They said the university mainly relies on a generator for electricity, which they said is switched off at 10PM when they want to study or write assignments. The students demanded that the Students’ Executive Council (SEC) be disbanded as it was failing to represent them.
— @AuxiliaK
Online Reporter