Unam expels SRC president
The University of Namibia's Windhoek campus was tense yesterday after the SRC president was ordered to pack his bags and leave.
The expulsion of the Unam Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Joseph Kalimbwe, along with two other students is turning ugly with allegations levelled left, right and centre.
Kalimbwe alleges that the Unam management has been trying to silence students who are vocal about injustices on campus.
He says there is a 'witch-hunt' against students who speak out against management and that is the reason why he and two other students were suspended from the university.
“When you are vocal and you speak about things that are happening, it becomes a problem. This whole thing is just a witch-hunt,” says Kalimbwe.
Kalimbwe was served with a letter from Unam vice-chancellor Lazarus Hangula yesterday, informing him that he was not registered as a Unam student and that he must remove all his belongings from the campus.
“You are requested with immediate effect to remove all your belongings from Unam,” read the statement.
He was ordered to return his room keys and all Unam documents in his possession.
Kalimbwe vehemently denied that he had not registered, saying that management had in fact “deregistered” him.
“I have been a registered student at Unam since 2013,” he said.
Unam has also laid criminal charges of malicious damage to property after the students had attempted to break into the cafeteria.
Kalimbwe told Namibian Sun that they tried to break into the cafeteria known as The Grub due to a lack of study areas at the Unam main campus.
He added that they only wanted the cafeteria to be open during the examination period to allow students to study.
The secretary-general of the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso), Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, also joined the fray yesterday, threatening the university with legal action if they didn't reverse the decision to suspend the students.
“Nanso's lawyers have engaged the affected student leaders and have since responded to the illegal actions of the university. The affected leaders reserve their rights to approach a court of competent jurisdiction if the actions of the university are not retracted,” said Nauyoma.
Unam spokesperson Simon Namesho said the three students had until yesterday to give reasons why they should not be barred or suspended from the university.
“The said students have been accorded an opportunity to provide reasons by Tuesday, 30 May 2017, why they should not be barred from Unam campuses and be suspended from the students' council, pending the finalisation of the investigation into the allegations and any disciplinary actions that may be taken against them,” he said.
Namesho also told Namibian Sun that Kalimbwe was not a registered student.
SHONA NGAVA
Kalimbwe alleges that the Unam management has been trying to silence students who are vocal about injustices on campus.
He says there is a 'witch-hunt' against students who speak out against management and that is the reason why he and two other students were suspended from the university.
“When you are vocal and you speak about things that are happening, it becomes a problem. This whole thing is just a witch-hunt,” says Kalimbwe.
Kalimbwe was served with a letter from Unam vice-chancellor Lazarus Hangula yesterday, informing him that he was not registered as a Unam student and that he must remove all his belongings from the campus.
“You are requested with immediate effect to remove all your belongings from Unam,” read the statement.
He was ordered to return his room keys and all Unam documents in his possession.
Kalimbwe vehemently denied that he had not registered, saying that management had in fact “deregistered” him.
“I have been a registered student at Unam since 2013,” he said.
Unam has also laid criminal charges of malicious damage to property after the students had attempted to break into the cafeteria.
Kalimbwe told Namibian Sun that they tried to break into the cafeteria known as The Grub due to a lack of study areas at the Unam main campus.
He added that they only wanted the cafeteria to be open during the examination period to allow students to study.
The secretary-general of the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso), Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, also joined the fray yesterday, threatening the university with legal action if they didn't reverse the decision to suspend the students.
“Nanso's lawyers have engaged the affected student leaders and have since responded to the illegal actions of the university. The affected leaders reserve their rights to approach a court of competent jurisdiction if the actions of the university are not retracted,” said Nauyoma.
Unam spokesperson Simon Namesho said the three students had until yesterday to give reasons why they should not be barred or suspended from the university.
“The said students have been accorded an opportunity to provide reasons by Tuesday, 30 May 2017, why they should not be barred from Unam campuses and be suspended from the students' council, pending the finalisation of the investigation into the allegations and any disciplinary actions that may be taken against them,” he said.
Namesho also told Namibian Sun that Kalimbwe was not a registered student.
SHONA NGAVA
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