Lunzu pupils riot against teachers’ strike

As the nationwide strike by public primary and secondary school teachers continues, pupils from Lunzu Catholic and Nansengwe primary schools today staged own protest to vent  anger over continued disruption of their classes.

The students caused havoc around Lunzu trading centre chanting “sitikuphunzira [We are not learning]!” blocked the M1 road with huge stones and pelted stones at any vehicle attempting to cross through.

Traffic came to a standstill from as early as 8:30 am and as police came in at around 11 am trying to calm down the situation their efforts could hardly be felt.

Police, using two anti-riot vehicles, fired tear gas to disperse the pupils while some tried to clear the road by removing the stones. 

They engaged in running battles with the pupils sprinting from the east to the west side of the trading centre and back while stoning the police chanting “sitikuopa [we are not afraid]!”.
 

Chileka Police Station spokesperson Grace Mwale said 10 people including some of the pupils have since been arrested.

According to Mwale, three police officers were injured during the fracas, “two of them were treated as out patients  at Mlambe Mission Hospital while one senior officer was referred to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital”. 

She however could not give more details about the injured officers.

On Monday, pupils from Nyambadwe primary school in Blantyre also tussled with the police demonstrating over their right to education.