Unima Council criticises Chanco students
The University of Malawi (Unima) Council has criticised students from Chancellor College (Chanco) for the violence they unleashed from Sunday evening to Tuesday afternoon.
The council has also said it expects that as the “ungovernable students” return home, their parents will take time to counsel them just as Chanco management has been attempting to do.
In a statement released by Unima Council yesterday, the council said it believes the violence was planned beforehand because: “Firstly, despite giving the University of Malawi Students Union (Umsu) repeated assurances that government, through its Higher Education Loans and Grants Board, would make sure that no needy student is denied assistance, Chancellor College Students have elected to ignore this advice.
“Secondly, Council is aware of external elements that are manipulating students to jeopardise their own future by engaging in violent and criminal disruptions of their academic calendar.”
The council also expressed concern that the students took to the streets after Umsu had been denied clearance to hold demonstrations by the Zomba District Commissioner (DC) and later by the courts.
The damages caused during the demonstrations include burning three hostels on campus before attempting to burn Chinamwali Police Unit where they also assaulted a police officer, harassing innocent members of the public at Chinamwali Market before blocking American second lady Dr. Jill Biden’s motorcade. Biden was on her way to Machinga through Chinamwali.
The council on Tuesday closed Chanco indefinitely following the clashes between students protesting a hike in their financial contribution from K275 000 to a minimum of K400 000 per year.
Meanwhile, the High Court in Zomba granted bail to 13 students, including the students union president, who were arrested for unlawful assembly.
