The Zambia National Students Union has asked the Constitutional Court to declare Higher Education Minister Professor Nkandu Luo’s intentions to disband students unions illegal, null and void.

In his petition in which Prof Luo and the Attorney General were cited as first and second respondents, ZANASU secretary general Wickson Mwenya students had not taken kindly to Prof Luo’s pronouncements.

“The entire membership of the Zambian National Students Union has taken issue with the 1st Respondents threats and declarations which have been widely publicized in both the print and electronic media, calling it unconstitutional as they view it to interfere with their right to freedom of expression, association and assembly. The ZANASU membership regards the 1st Respondents threats and intended action as not only ill advised but also gravely unconstitutional and hence the need to curtail it,” read the statement of claim.

“ZANASU firmly believes that a ban on students unionism will not only be an illegality but also that it will irretrievably impair the proper links of stability between students on one hand and the administrations authorities at higher institutions of learning on the other hand and thereby affecting the goals of higher academic pursuit.”