Students at the Copperbelt University (CBU) last night swapped books for unruly behavior as they went on a rampage looting shops at the university campus under the guise of expressing their displeasure at drawing water from bowsers rather than taps.
The university is said to have been without running water for nearly two days because of a broken down transformer at the treatment plant from which the school is supplied. As a relief measure, while Nkana Water and Sewerage Company and ZESCO replace the transformer and fix the problem, the students have been provided with two water bowsers to supply them with water and another bowser for the lecturers.
Despite these measures and the interim student union president, Edgar Chiingu, having communicated this to the students, some decided to wait for the cover of the night to unleash destruction. They looted mainly food and grocery items.
Commenting on the development, many netizens condemned the students’ behavior as unreasonable and an excuse for criminality as it appears the real issue was not water but hunger, considering that they mostly took food.
“They are just hungry students who waited for an opportunity to loot. The issue wasn’t even about water. They need to face the law,” said one person.
Another wondered how the country could develop with such behavior from students and how rioting and looting would solve the water problem.
