The University of Zambia (UNZA) Management says it wishes to expressly disassociate itself from the opinions and views expressed by Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa in an article entitled, “Zambia may burn after the August elections. Here’s how to prevent this”, published in the Mail & Guardian of South Africa on 22nd March 2021.
UNZA Management says it would like to clearly put it on record that Dr Sishuwa is currently not in active employment of the University of Zambia.
UNZA Spokesperson Brenda Bukowa said since 2018, Dr Sishuwa has been and continues to be on an unpaid leave of absence outside the country.
“Therefore, his opinions and views in the mainstream and social media do not represent the official position of the University of Zambia,” Dr Bukowa said.
“In this regard, we would like to inform the public that, as a public institution of higher learning, UNZA is non-partisan and is determined to live by its legal mandate and mission to continuously produce high calibre human resources for national
development.”
“As a reserviour of intellectuals, the University has guaranteed academic freedom to its students and members of staff to challenge socio-scientific issues with the aim of generating new knowledge and solutions for the benefit of our country.”
She added, “However, Management will not be party to the abuse of academic freedom to advance personal agendas while using the name of the University to give credence to such abuses.”
Someone in UNZA clearly got a phonecall from state house, instructing them to “disassociate” themselves from the article. But why did that take more than a whole month after publication? Not very convincing!
A PiyeF00l hand clearly evident 🙁
A university is a pot full of ideologies & independent thinkers. Sad to see great minds buckle to pressure of political empty tins.
UNZA does not need to have an official position with respect to its academics, whether on unpaid or paid leave. It simply must keep quiet, observe, and accommodate. What a dorky statement.
Just recently a member of the UNZA unionized workers once said that, “whoever will vote the PF government into power again ninshi chipuba “ why was this statement not seditious? And now you hear that the same university is distancing itself from Sishuwa. Remember Sishuwa is a private citizen and I’m sure he wrote the disputed article in that capacity. No need for the UNZA management to be political. They need to call a spade a spade. UNZA is not ECL and ECL is not UNZA, but UNZA for all Zambians. This is a big problem in Zambia, everything is the President.
Well written statement, though belated. When academics in the employ of state institutions like UNZA write on controversial issues, they should always put in a disclaimer to indicate that the views they express do not represent those of the institution they work for. UNZA law school academics always do that and have shown the lead in how best things should be done. Despite being a semi-autonomous institution, UNZA is far from being financially independent of GRZ. Therefore, every attempt should be made by academics working for the institution from giving the impression of being partisan and antagonistic of government. Since he has not been in active employment with UNZA since 2018, Dr. Sishuwa would do well to indicate that he writes as a freelancer. He should never hide behind the name…
… of UNZA but should be courageous enough to expressly state that the views he expresses are purely his own and that he is ready to stand by them if challenged by those in authority.
The truth hurts so bad, it’s like fire ants in the pants! Sishuwa’s timely advise can only be ignored at the PF’s and LWas Lungu’s own peril, Idriss Debt Itno was not stupid but look how he ended up, shot like a dog ?
Thank you unza for showing maturity as intellectuals. You don’t need this ka ugly Bush pig looking boy to damage your reputation just because hh is feeding his malnourished stomach.
Sorry to my fans and haters, I have been quiet as I am busy working hard to prepare for August elections.
Best to sever ties completely otherwise the institution will come into disrepute as the individual becomes more toxic and careless as we near elections. Unless UNZA management secretly endorses his actions.
This information is very good because we must be informed about this man. Much as he writes various articles on various issues freely we must also know him and what he does. However, whether or not he is on paid or unpaid leave it matters less, he must be sensitive to what he writes we want to remain a peaceful nation. If he is living outside the country that might explain why he does not care if Zambia burns or not. The freedom of life is universal and Sishuwa has no freedom to temper with it by writing inflammatory and seditious material that may threaten the lives of many as a result of Zambia “ burning” as he put it.
Someone has read the riot act to the UNZA administration. Since when did a university have anything to do with the work of an academic in its employ, even if he was employed by UNZA? Norm Chomsky is an American academic who has written books and frequently criticises successive US governments. No one censures him Prof Dawkins is renowned for his anti Christian and Evolutionist views, but he remains a don at Oxford. This is totally unnecessary. Is there a there dictatorship in Zambia? REMEMBER, a dictatorship is not usually one man but a cabal. Someone in government must come out and clearly declare that Zambians will enjoy freedom of speech.
Sishuwa should stand on his two tiny legs.. He should hide behind an institution.
@Kaizer Zulu calling another Shishiwa ugly, had me in stitches. Can someone donate a mirror to Zulu. I forgot he has some photos of himself. Kaizer you are an icon of ugliness. Just ask your family! Look at that oversized hooter! Why is your nose so big? The air is free, you are definitely drawing a lot of oxygen with that hooter. Ugly little jerk.
whether SHUWASHUWA o leave or not he is still Unza employee and why cant he express himself without any interference from power that be
A university thrives on ideas and MUST I repeat, MUST be a place where ideas of all kinds are generated, debated and exhaustively analyzed. This statement by the UNZA is a very strange statement; a testament to the lowest levels to which people there have sunk and to the fact that they do not have the mental backbone to resist pressure from those in government. I shudder to think of the kind of education our kids are receiving at that university, most likely it is all rote devoid devoid of critical and creative thinking. You don’t have to take my word for it. Just get to engage with some of the folks there, you will known what I’m talking about.
They Youngman only a few months ago began a war with founder of One Foundation attacking them on what he felt was an unprofessional approach to their handling of a matter he had an interest in and now this…any all institutions of learning have certain guidelines on how you express your political sentiments that have little added value to academia….wasn’t it too long ago another vuvuzela was admonished for using the headed paper of his university to air his views? the thought of going back home to leave the street lights of zuma land made him think twice…..
@Charles Ngoma wrote, “No one censures him Prof Dawkins is renowned for his anti Christian and Evolutionist views, but he remains a don at Oxford. ” For your own information, Dawkins is not alive. He died on 14th March, 2018. Kindly update your information so you do not continue spreading falsehoods.
It’s a sad situation where even our highest university, a supposed beacon of academic freedom and excellence, buckle under political pressure.
Who sought and necessitated them to issue out such cowardly statement? What Dr Sishuwa wrote is not biased to any political party but he called out the cirrent state of Zambian politics which has gone to the d0gs.
If these UNZA people can’t stand up and say we don’t censure our lecturers then the country is broken beyond repair. They are just proving Sishuwa right, and they look worse and weaker than the man they are trying to scandalise and discredit… at least in the eyes of progressive and level headed people like myself. Very weak (as Trnmp would say)!
We are sliding down a slippery slope. Bit by bit they keep chopping down civil liberties until no one will be able to express their opinions with the fear of beinga rrested. Nothing in that article would ioncite violence. In any case, are Zambians so stupid that they will just rise up against Govt just because someone t9old them to do so EVEN when they are so happy with Govt? Dr Sishuwa is merely highlighting issues whioch if not handled properly could lead to civil unrest and goes on to show what could be done to prevent such a problem. People supporting PF ‘s heavy handed response to any critism should realsie that these things are precedence-setting, meating each victory they get at suppressiing free speech makes them even determined to significatly reduce civil liberties. OF will one…
@Charles Ngoma it is backwardness. They do not understand how the world works. They think they are babyseaters of their Lecturers, what a University!
We do understand that it is healthy to criticize any government when ever it goes wrong, that is democracy we the citizens enjoy ever since FTJ brought democracy in Zambia, now the problems come when we over step on democracy and start making strange sentiments that come to injure the citizens feelings by putting in fear of their future, when you talk about Zambia burning you mean that people shouldn’t live in peace because one day they will be running away from their homes and become refugees in some countries.
As Zambians we know what it means to be refugees, as we have hosted refugees from some neighbouring nations their stories are rather louder in our ears, how they lost all that they owned in their countries as they were running away from the burning countries…