UPND secretary general Steven Katuka says his party will ensure that the Patriotic Front government is made to account for their promises to resolve all challenges affecting members of staff and students at the University of Zambia (UNZA).

In a statement to News Diggers! in Lusaka, Wednesday, Katuka demanded that the PF government pays lecturers and researchers all contractual obligations dating as far back as 2010, and negotiate for 2018 conditions of service immediately.

“We find it unfortunate that Edgar Lungu is busy travelling around the world with a big entourage when citizens are suffering. We challenge Lungu to stop being a tourist and concentrate on the problems facing institutions like the University of Zambia. Lungu has destroyed all the sectors of the economy! The University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) is making meaningful demands, which any sane leadership should take seriously. As UPND, we fully support the demands by UNZALARU. What Lungu and his PF do not know is that failure to resolve the UNZA problems facing lecturers and researchers will trickle down to the students whose academic calendar will be adversely affected. We know that PF does not value education, but they should at least show some sanity in the way they address concerns raised by UNZALARU,” appealed Katuka.

“We demand that PF government pays lecturers and researchers all contractual obligations dating as far back as 2010. We further demand that negotiations for 2018 conditions of service commence with immediate effect. It is our considered view that the tool for promotions that was earlier developed be used instead of the current one that has been falsified by management. Why is Lungu failing to clear outstanding bills at UNZA when his government is busy buying expensive vehicles and awarding big contracts to some Chinese companies to do high cost road construction? We demand that Lungu explains why he is also failing to finance research at UNZA. We wish to challenge Lungu to show some sanity in the way he is running the country. We know that he has no vision, but some things can easily be done. We further wish to assure UNZALARU that the UPND will ensure PF is made to account for their promises and resolve all challenges affecting members of staff at UNZA, including the students.”