University of Zambia (UNZA) students staying in boarding houses have appealed to their landlords to purchase generators to combat power shortages caused by load shedding. University of Zambia (UNZA) students staying in boarding houses have appealed to their landlords to purchase generators to combat power shortages caused by load shedding.
In an interview with the Lusaka Star, School of Education Third Year Student Florence Mwenya said it has become difficult for her to do school work at their Kalingalinga home because of load shedding.
“The times that we have power are the times we are in school. When we get back to the boarding house, there is no power. It is difficult for us to study,” she complained.
Ms Mwenya has since urged landlords housing students to purchase generators that could only be used in the evening when there was no power.
Meanwhile, some landlords spoken to have said they cannot manage to buy generators as the rentals students paid were not enough to cater for that.
One of the Landlords, Musonda Chibwe, said generators were expensive because they run on petrol.
“At times, it is hard to maintain these boarding houses because the students do not pay rentals on time. Generators run on petrol. And so, we would have to buy petrol whenever there is a power cut. We cannot afford that,” she explained.
Mrs. Chibwe revealed that it has become hard for the landlords to maintain boarding houses with the current depreciating of the kwacha.
“We are trying to balance with the current economic downfall. Once the Kwacha is trading at the normal rate, everything will be back to normal,” she added.
Mrs Chibwe has since asked the students to be more understanding of the current load shedding situation.
She also encouraged them to study hard as they can change the power shortages in future.
Buy us gensets, UNZA Students living outside campus urge boarding house landlords
