IT is unacceptable that some people could resort to burning public property – especially schools – which are meant to improve people’s lives.
We find it hard to accept that sane-minded peo– ple could stoop so low as to burn down an educa- tional facility that also serves their relatives.
The burning of a bus and offices at Lusaka’s Kamwala Secondary School in the early hours of yesterday must be condemned in the strongest terms.
It is not just an attack on the school but on the nation as a whole for the repercussions go be- yond the immediate vicinity of the school.
Education Permanent Secretary in charge of administration, Norian Muneku, expressing her disappointment said it is a huge setback for the government.
We agree with her.
For instead of concentrating on building schools in rural areas, Government will now have to channel resources towards repairing the school infrastructure, lamented Ms Muneku.
With the country’s economy yet to recover, scarce resources will now have to be directed towards replacing what has been lost in the fire.
There is no doubt that the fire was started delib– erately by people with evil intentions. How else could a bus in the car park catch fire as well as an office block?
This arson attack must be investigated thor- oughly and we call on the Zambia Police to leave no stone unturned and ensure that the criminals behind this crime are caught.
Ms Muneku said the government will not toler- ate the lawlessness because a lot of money is spent to build school infrastructure.
“What has happened is not good because this is a setback to the government. We have other issues to attend to, but we shall now channel the resources to rehabilitate this school.
Our call to the police is to ensure that this matter is investigated thoroughly so that those involved in this arson are brought to book. These people will not be spared because this is uncalled for,” Ms Muneku said.
The attack on Kamwala Secondary School shows the arsonists have no respect for public property and have no regard for education which is important to push the country’s development agenda by raising an educated population.
Even if the arsonists have a grudge against the school administration or the government, school infrastructure must never be targeted for they serve everyone regardless of their status in so- ciety.
Zambians should be protecting them and not allow criminals to destroy them. It is the poor who will suffer the most.
Moreover, it is sad that the criminals decided to commit their crime just after President Hakainde Hichilema had officially handed over to the police the vehicles bought for each constituency to help in law enforcement at which he stressed the need to maintain law and order.
We so no to arsonists, especially when attacks are directed at educational infrastructure
