AFRICA BRIEF

Zambia mourns Chona

LUSAKA -- Zambian president Frederick Chiluba has declared tomorrow a day of mourning for liberation leader Mainza Chona, who died in South Africa two days ago, state radio said yesterday.

Chona was the nation's first prime minister, the report said.

The declaration means all entertainment activities will be banned tomorrow, while flags will fly at half-mast and state radio will only play solemn music, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation said.

Chona will also have a state funeral.-- Sapa-AFP

Campus shut after rioting

NAIROBI -- The government in the Democratic Republic of Congo yesterday shut down the University of Kinshasa, a day after rioting students killed three police officers on the campus.

The policemen were killed on Thursday while protecting two ministers who went to the campus to negotiate with students about tuition fees, the country's information minister told state television.

Information Minister Kikaya bin Karubi said the officers were grabbed by some of the crowd, dragged away and stabbed to death. About 3 000 students were involved in the protest. -- Sapa-DPA

Malawian students riot

BLANTYRE -- University students rioted in the streets of the commercial centre of the city yesterday after a fellow student was shot dead by riot police

Police shot Fanikiso Phiri, an education student, on Tuesday while dispersing a protest in the university town of Zomba, 70km east of here.

Students had staged a protest against police brutality and falling living standards in an impoverished Malawi.

The main highway was closed yesterday as police used teargas to disperse students. -- Sapa-AP

Zanu(PF) 'headless chicken'

HARARE -- Zimbabwe's main opposition party said President Robert Mugabe's party was confused, comparing it to a headless chicken as the ruling Zanu(PF) opened its congress yesterday.

"What is beginning to emerge from the Zanu(PF) conference is what we have always known --
Zanu(PF) is confused," said Learnmore Jongwe, spokesman for the Movement for Democratic Change. -- Sapa-AFP