MUSICIAN Pilato has wondered why President Edgar Lungu hates Zambia and its young people so much. Reacting to the Copperbelt University’s expulsion of the students’ union leader Lawrence Kasonde, Pilato said: “This level of provocation is too much.”

According to a letter dated June 17, 2019 and signed by Vice Chancellor Professor Nason Ngoma, Kasonde’s appeal on April 25, 2019 against his expulsion had been unsuccessful. Higher education minister Professor Nkandu Luo closed the CBU indefinitely three months ago and suspended all union activities at the university. Before that, the university had been engulfed in a spate of industrial disharmony following a riot sparked by lecturers and non-academic staff downing labour.

Students staged a protest in solidarity with lecturers and rioted against being stopped to write examinations on account of non-payment of fees and not meeting the academic quota to be eligible to write exams. But announcing the closure, the minister said the behaviour of the students had left her with no option but to close the institution. Constant pleas from students, activists, citizens and politicians for President Lungu and Prof Luo to reopen the CBU have fallen on deaf ears.

Pilato, real names Chama Fumbe, has been calling for the reopening of the CBU and plans a protest march to press for reopening the university. He sees Kasonde’s expulsion as provocation.

“What really happened to these people when they were young that makes them hate this country and its young people this much?” Pilato asked in a Facebook posting on Tuesday morning.

“Ba mayo ba Nkandu naba kateka [madam Nkandu and Mr President] what really happened to you kanshi bane?” Pilato asked.

“I think the baggage you bring from your past is costing this country, please seek the help of a counsellor. It’s not healthy, bane.”

Pilato said he had once again written to home affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo to appeal the decision by Lusaka Police commissioner Nelson Phiri against denying him a permit to protest.

He appealed to the public, young people, and students to remain patient. Pilato said he was resolved to stand and defend the country from its abusers, “the native colonialists.”

He vowed never to give up appealing to other Zambians not to give up too.

“To every young person reading this, there’s a reason to believe and there’s a reason to hope. To the CBU students, I kindly request that you hold on to your dreams and fight a little more, it’s not all lost,” said Pilato.

“President Lungu and Minister Nkandu Luo are old people who have no dreams anymore. They have no ambitions anymore. To them this is their land of milk and honey but not for you, young person. We have a reason to fight and it’s not too late. This country still has more to offer to a dreamer and the ambitious.”