By Francis Chipalo
Students at Levy Mwanawasa Medical University have blamed police and school management for failing to act on a wave of violent attacks in private boarding houses around PHI and Mtendere, saying criminals have sexually assaulted female students and stolen phones and laptops.
The students staged a peaceful protest on Monday, with female boarders reporting break-ins where attackers demanded “blow jobs” and took electronic devices and other personal belongings.
They accused local police of being “full of excuses whenever called upon,” and said management has ignored complaints dating back to 2022.
“It had to take us to protest in order to be heard,” students told government officials during a follow-up engagement at the university on Wednesday.
Following the protest, government sent three Permanent Secretaries to meet the students: Thabo Kawana from the Ministry of Information and Media, Kangwa Chileshe from the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, and Joe Kalusa, the Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary.
The students told the PSs that attacks have become frequent, with thieves exploiting overcrowded houses of 16-17 students. Fear often paralyzes others in the house, leaving victims isolated.
Students also said police patrols end at midnight, yet most incidents happen between 02:00 and 04:00.
The protests follow similar complaints in Rufunsa and other areas near the university, where students have reported burglaries and sexual violence in off-campus housing. Munali parliamentary candidate Chrispin Chiinda met victims earlier this week and called for police to engage female students directly and sensitize them on self-defense.
School management and Zambia Police Service had not issued a public statement on the specific allegations by press time.
The PSs pledged to relay the students’ concerns to relevant ministries for urgent action, including improved police response and engagement with landlords on boarding house security.