Copperbelt University (CBU) students yesterday staged a one day class boycott demanding former president Frederick Chiluba’s arrest.

The students trooped out of the campus carrying anti-Chiluba placards and mounted a peaceful demonstration around Kitwe City Centre, demanding the removal of Chiluba’s immunity. Some of the placards read: “Arrest and jail Chiluba, Abash Corruption.”

Addressing fellow students at Kitwe’s Kaunda Square, COBUSU president Kelvin Chambwa said students were demanding for the removal of Chiluba’s immunity by Parliament so that he could be brought before the courts of law to answer all allegations levelled against him. “Dr. Kaunda was arrested on petty grounds. Chiluba like wise is not above the law,” he said, Chambwa called for the probing of all leaders who served under Chiluba’s regime. He said their assets should be evaluated to prove whether their properties were acquired in accordance with their legitimate earnings.

“If found with more than what was expected, the officers should be made to account for the excess,” he said. Chambwa called on foreign affairs minister Katele Kalumba to resign as he was among those named in the Zamtrop account statements.

Earlier, the students had marched along the heavily paramilitary patrolled streets and later dispersed peacefully. Later, Chambwa explained to The Post that the students had a general meeting on Monday evening where they decided to go on a one day class boycott to peacefully demonstrate so that they could show how aggrieved they were with the recent revelations.

“We do realise with sadness that corruption has led to reduced funding to the education, health, agriculture, social and other sectors,” he said. Chambwa said the repercussions have been gravely draconian and most Zambians were living below the poverty datum line.

“This therefore means that part of the country’s resources which could have gone a long way in addressing some of the critical areas of our economy have in the past few years been plundered by some of our corrupt leaders and their close associates,” he said.

Chambwa said the students had tactfully analysed the recent happenings and realised with dismay that these practices have gone further to undermine some organs of the government like the judiciary.

“The judiciary has been compromised and the legislature is not as reliable due to the Speaker’s past reluctance to firmly deal with petitions,” said Chambwa.

Brighton Phiri, The Post (Lusaka), July 9, 2002