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Students sponsored under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in Gwembe Constituency have raised concerns about challenges affecting their welfare and learning conditions at Eden University, including delayed meal allowances and security lapses at boarding facilities.
The concerns emerged when a monitoring team from Gwembe Town Council visited several institutions where Gwembe CDF beneficiaries were enrolled, including Eden University, LIBES and St. Mawaggali Trades Training Institute.
At Eden University, students reported that meal allowances for January had not been disbursed, leaving many struggling to purchase food.
This is according to a statement issued in Lusaka on Sunday.
Stenchard Sianchika of Chisanga Ward told the team that he had not attended any classes since reporting on 15 January 2026 due to unresolved administrative issues.
He said the delay was causing him to miss valuable instruction time “which he may not recover.”
Read More: Civil group calls for nationwide audit of Zambia’s CDF spending
Another student, Aaron Mangrani, raised concerns about poor security at the boarding house, saying the lack of a lockable door led to the theft of his food items.
Despite the difficulties, the students expressed gratitude to the government for enabling them to pursue tertiary education through the CDF bursary, saying their families would not have been able to meet the costs.
In response, Eden University management acknowledged the students’ complaints and assured them that the January meal allowances would be paid before the end of the term.
Compliance Manager Eric Silupumbwe said delays in issuing students’ personal protective equipment were due to slow procurement processes that had affected the entire institution, not just Gwembe beneficiaries.
Eden University Assistant to the Dean Snanzeni Limbusha also clarified that Sianchika’s absence from class was partly due to ongoing efforts to secure an alternative college for his programme, which the university could not viably run for a single student.
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