News / Local
Food riots at Lupane State University
30 Mar 2017 at 00:13hrs | Views
Students at Lupane State University main campus in Lupane on Wednesday went on a rampage and stoned Vice Chancellor Professor Pardon Kuipa's car during food riots.
Students complained of poor diet and looted food stuff.
According to Chronicle sources, since Tuesday students had been chanting songs denouncing Professor 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.
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.
"Everyone has complained of the poorly prepared meals we're getting from service providers. The food is so bad that sometimes we prefer to eat junk food like maputi but one cannot survive on that," said a student who declined to be named for fear of victimisation.
Students 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.
"If they are not ready to have us here, we should go back to Bulawayo.
"There is no security at the hostels. Outsiders come in as they please with no proper checking. We fear our valuables will be stolen." said another student.
LSU information and public relations officer Mr Zwelithini Dlamini confirmed the demonstrations.
"I was not around yesterday (Tuesday) but I've spoken to the Dean of students and the issues that they are raising revolve around their welfare here on campus.
"We've been having a challenge with power, we have a line that supplies us here and that line seems to be faulty and we've been relying on back-up power from a generator.
"As you know it cannot run for 24 hours, it has to be switched off after some time," said Mr Dlamini.
Students complained of poor diet and looted food stuff.
According to Chronicle sources, since Tuesday students had been chanting songs denouncing Professor 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.
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.
"Everyone has complained of the poorly prepared meals we're getting from service providers. The food is so bad that sometimes we prefer to eat junk food like maputi but one cannot survive on that," said a student who declined to be named for fear of victimisation.
Students 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.
"There is no security at the hostels. Outsiders come in as they please with no proper checking. We fear our valuables will be stolen." said another student.
LSU information and public relations officer Mr Zwelithini Dlamini confirmed the demonstrations.
"I was not around yesterday (Tuesday) but I've spoken to the Dean of students and the issues that they are raising revolve around their welfare here on campus.
"We've been having a challenge with power, we have a line that supplies us here and that line seems to be faulty and we've been relying on back-up power from a generator.
"As you know it cannot run for 24 hours, it has to be switched off after some time," said Mr Dlamini.
Source - Chronicle
