Amushelelo arrested amid ugly scenes at 'biased' Unam
Activist and Landless People's Movement (LPM) member Michael Amushelelo was arrested yesterday after the party's youth command blocked the entrance to the University of Namibia (Unam) in protest against the institution allowing the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) to host activities on campus last Friday.
This despite a controversial ban that has allegedly so far only been activated against opposition parties' campus activities.
Along with his party colleagues, Amushelelo arrived at Unam’s main campus in Windhoek yesterday morning. They were stopped from entering the premises and distributing flyers, and then blocked the university's entrance by standing in the road and placing big rocks in the path of cars.
According to Unam security, SPYL sneaked onto campus last Friday and was not allowed to carry out its activities as claimed. Via social media, the group was seen parading on campus, despite the ban on political activities that was put in place in April.
Unam spokesperson Simon Namesho told Namibian Sun that SPYL members who were a part of the campaign were called in for a meeting yesterday, but he could not comment on what the outcome might be. "We can't say what the consequences of the students’ actions will be. We will first need to look at the code of conduct and if they've stepped outside those conducts, there will be measures we will take. The group was called in for a meeting today [Monday], but it is still too early to know about an outcome," he said.
‘Mickey Mouse institution’
The university issued a formal prohibition on all political activities on campus in April, a move seen at the time as an attempt to disrupt an event by the Affirmative Repositioning Students Command (ARSC), where the party’s chief activist Job Amupanda was set to speak.
Although the ARSC initially tried to defy the ban, a strong presence of security guards at the venue forced the organisers to call off the event.
At the time, the ban - formally issued by the university’s pro-vice-chancellor for finance and administration, Ellen Namhila - was roundly condemned by academic staff, who warned Namhila to “refrain from turning a once prestigious university into a 'Mickey Mouse' institution that glorifies and embraces intellectual docility”.
Those who slammed the directive included Amupanda and fellow Unam academics Rui Tyitende, Dr Ellison Tjirera, Professor Lesley Blaauw, law lecturer Dr John Nakuta and school of humanities lecturer Dr Basilius Kasera. They branded the directive as "unconstitutional".
Released without being charged
Yesterday, the university's student representative council (SRC) tried to de-escalate the situation by leading LPM members to Namhila's office. But this was stopped by the police and senior Unam staff members.
Amushelelo - who was arrested for alleged malicious damage to property - was released from custody late yesterday afternoon without being charged. He told Namibian Sun that the police looked at video footage of the incident and ruled out malicious damage to property. “This was just another ploy by the police to intimidate us,” he said.
This despite a controversial ban that has allegedly so far only been activated against opposition parties' campus activities.
Along with his party colleagues, Amushelelo arrived at Unam’s main campus in Windhoek yesterday morning. They were stopped from entering the premises and distributing flyers, and then blocked the university's entrance by standing in the road and placing big rocks in the path of cars.
According to Unam security, SPYL sneaked onto campus last Friday and was not allowed to carry out its activities as claimed. Via social media, the group was seen parading on campus, despite the ban on political activities that was put in place in April.
Unam spokesperson Simon Namesho told Namibian Sun that SPYL members who were a part of the campaign were called in for a meeting yesterday, but he could not comment on what the outcome might be. "We can't say what the consequences of the students’ actions will be. We will first need to look at the code of conduct and if they've stepped outside those conducts, there will be measures we will take. The group was called in for a meeting today [Monday], but it is still too early to know about an outcome," he said.
‘Mickey Mouse institution’
The university issued a formal prohibition on all political activities on campus in April, a move seen at the time as an attempt to disrupt an event by the Affirmative Repositioning Students Command (ARSC), where the party’s chief activist Job Amupanda was set to speak.
Although the ARSC initially tried to defy the ban, a strong presence of security guards at the venue forced the organisers to call off the event.
At the time, the ban - formally issued by the university’s pro-vice-chancellor for finance and administration, Ellen Namhila - was roundly condemned by academic staff, who warned Namhila to “refrain from turning a once prestigious university into a 'Mickey Mouse' institution that glorifies and embraces intellectual docility”.
Those who slammed the directive included Amupanda and fellow Unam academics Rui Tyitende, Dr Ellison Tjirera, Professor Lesley Blaauw, law lecturer Dr John Nakuta and school of humanities lecturer Dr Basilius Kasera. They branded the directive as "unconstitutional".
Released without being charged
Yesterday, the university's student representative council (SRC) tried to de-escalate the situation by leading LPM members to Namhila's office. But this was stopped by the police and senior Unam staff members.
Amushelelo - who was arrested for alleged malicious damage to property - was released from custody late yesterday afternoon without being charged. He told Namibian Sun that the police looked at video footage of the incident and ruled out malicious damage to property. “This was just another ploy by the police to intimidate us,” he said.
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