UNZA Academic Crisis Deepens




Lecturers’ union passes vote of no confidence in Vice-Chancellor, Senate, Management and Council over exam disruptions and governance failures

By Francis Maingaila 
Lusaka, Zambia24 --- (18-06-2026) -- The University Of Zambia Lecturers And Researchers’ Union (UNZALARU) has passed a vote of no confidence in the Vice-Chancellor, University Management, Senate, and the University Council over what it describes as failures in managing the 2025/2026 academic calendar, particularly the mid-year examinations and Term II sessional dates.

UNZALARU President Prof. Andrew Phiri and General Secretary Mr. Dominic Liche told Zambia24 that the decision follows repeated disruptions, conflicting communications, and the indefinite postponement of examinations, which have created uncertainty for both students and staff.

The union said it had earlier warned against rushed changes linked to water and sanitation rehabilitation works and called for a stable academic calendar. However, it says these warnings were ignored, resulting in repeated timetable changes and confusion across the university.

UNZALARU accused the Vice-Chancellor, in his role as Chairperson of Senate, of poor leadership and failure to respond to stakeholder concerns. It said Senate has failed to provide effective academic governance and has lost the confidence of academic staff.

The union also criticised the University Council for failing to exercise its oversight role under the Higher Education Act No. 4 of 2013, saying it bears responsibility for the governance problems at the institution.

UNZALARU further raised concern over the continued use of online and blended learning without adequate support. It said lecturers lack ICT equipment and reliable internet, while students are facing extra costs due to unplanned changes in learning methods.

The union has demanded an apology from the Vice-Chancellor, Management, and Senate for poor communication and mismanagement of the academic calendar. It has also called for students who incurred costs due to the disruptions to be compensated.

UNZALARU has urged university leadership to improve communication, ensure consistency in decision-making, and strengthen stakeholder engagement to restore confidence in the institution’s governance.


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