By NATION REPORTER
THE University of Zambia has disassociated itself from an article in the Mail & Guardian of South Africa by its lecturer, Sishuwa Sishuwa’s purpoting that Zambia was on the verge of civil war and widespread political unrest.
UNZA Acting Head for Communication and Marketing, Brenda Bukowa said Management would like to expressly disassociate itself from the opinions and views expressed by Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa in the article entitled, “Zambia may burn after the August elections. Here’s how to prevent this” which was published on March 22, 2021.
Dr Bukowa said UNZA Management would like to clearly put it on record that Dr Sishuwa was currently not in active employment of the University.
She said in a statement that since 2018 he had been and continued to be on an unpaid leave of absence outside the country.
“Therefore, his opinions and views in the mainstream and social media do not represent the official position of the University of Zambia.
“In this regard, we would like to inform the public that, as a public institution of higher learning, UNZA is non-partisan and is determined to live by its legal mandate and mission to continuously produce high calibre human resources for national development,” Dr Bukowa said.
She said as a reserviour of intellectuals, the University had guaranteed academic freedom to its students and members of staff to challenge socio-scientific issues with the aim of generating new knowledge and solutions for the benefit of the country.
Dr Bukowa said management would not be part to the abuse of academic freedom to advance personal agendas while using the name of the University to give credence to such abuses.
Zambia’s ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Emmanuel Mwamba has reported Dr Sishuwa to the Police for allegedly writing and publishing seditious material.
