PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has blamed the death of fourth year University of Zambia Student Vespers Shimuzhila who suffocated from teargas during a riot on a proverbial “hyena that ate the old woman”.

A reporter had asked the President for his comment on the happenings at the University of Zambia before he departed for Uganda this afternoon but he said “the police should do their job”.

He said information minister Dora Siliya had released a statement, which was the government position.

He said the government wants to know what happened.

“Remember there is a saying that ubushiku mukote alubile elo chimbwi chanya imfwi, you know Bemba, what does that tell you? An old woman disappears from the village, the next day a hyena defecates white hair. I think Madam Siliya made a comment, we are waiting, we don’t want to speculate, thank you,” said President Lungu, without elaborating further.

Siliya, according to ZNBC, stated that the government had called for thorough investigations into the disturbances that occurred at the University of Zambia following a riot over delayed meal allowances.

She stated that it was regrettable that the riots started after some students attended a UPND press briefing in Lusaka where inflammatory statements were allegedly issued.

Siliya stated that the government could not stop students from demonstrating peacefully because it was their right.

She, however, stated that student demonstrations at night were a source of worry because they put the lives of others at risk.

Siliya stated that President Lungu was disturbed by the sad development and called on the police to find the root cause of the protests.

On Thursday, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema held a press briefing where he stated that people would one day rise against government as the case was in the 1990s.