Thursday, December 30, 2010

Mine workers union of Zambia president Rayford Mbulu vows not to resign

MINE WORKERS UNION OF ZAMBIA (MUZ) PRESIDENT RAYFORD MBULU HAS CHARGED THAT HE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY ANY GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL AND WILL THEREFORE NOT RESIGN FROM HIS POSITION DESPITE CALLS FROM THE LABOUR MINISTER FOR HIM TO DO THAT.
LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTER AUSTIN LIATO YESTERDAY ASKED MR MBULU TO RESIGN SAYING HE IS HOLDING ON TO THE OFFICE ILLEGALLY.
MR LIATO SAID MR. MBULU WAS NOT IN ANY FORMAL EMPLOYMENT AND THAT THE LAW PROHIBITS SUCH PERSONS FROM REPRESENTING OTHER EMPLOYEES.
HE SAID THIS WAS THE REASON WHY MR. MBULU WAS BARRED FROM CONTESTING THE POSITION OF ZCTU PRESIDENT AT THE JUST ENDED ZAMBIA CONGRESS OF TRADE UNION QUADRENNIAL CONFERENCE.
BUT IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH RADIO PHOENIX, MR MBULU CHALLENGED GOVERNMENT TO APPROACH HIM IF THEY HAVE ISSUES WITH HIM STATING THAT AS A ZAMBIAN, HE HAS THE RIGHT TO ASSOCIATE AND BELONG TO ANY GROUPING.
HE QUESTIONED THE AUTHORITY THE LABOUR MINISTER HAS IN DECLARING HIS PRESIDENCY AS ILLEGAL STATING THAT UNDER THE MINE WORKERS UNION OF ZAMBIA CONSTITUTION THROUGH WHICH HE WAS ELECTED, HE IS STILL THE INCUMBENT UNTIL 2014 WHEN HIS TENURE EXPIRES.

AND MR MBULU HAS ACCUSED MR LIATO OF MEDDLING IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE LABOUR MOVEMENT IN THE COUNTRY.
HE STATES THAT GOVERNMENT WANTS A LABOUR MOVEMENT THAT DANCES TO ITS TUNE, BUT WAS HASTE TO STATE THAT HE WILL NOT SUCCUMB TO PRESSURE.

MR. MBULU WAS DISMISSED FROM HIS EMPLOYMENT AT CHAMBISHI METALS ON THE COPPERBELT FEW DAYS PRIOR TO THE ZAMBIA CONGRESS OF TRADE UNION QUADRENNIAL CONFERENCE WHICH SAW UNION PRESIDENT MR LEONARD HIKAUMBA RETAIN HIS POSITION UNOPPOSED.
AND CHANGE LIFE ZAMBIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FATHER FRANK BWALYA HAS ACCUSED GOVERNMENT OF MANIPULATING THE JUST ENDED ZCTU QUADRENNIAL CONFERENCE.
MR. HIKAUMBA’S RETENTION OF THE ZCTU PRESIDENCY CAME AFTER HIS ONLY CHALLENGER MINE WORKERS UNION OF ZAMBIA PRESIDENT, RAYFORD MBULU’S NOMINATION WAS THROWN OUT DUE TO FAILURE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS TO STAND AS ZCTU PRESIDENT.
MR. MBULU’S NOMINATION WAS THROWN OUT BY THE LABOUR COMMISSIONER AFTER FAILING TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF STATUTORY INSTRUMENT NUMBER 23 OF 2008 OF AMENDMENT ACT OF THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT CHAPTER 289 OF THE LAWS OF ZAMBIA.
BUT FATHER BWALYA SAYS GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN SO MANIPULATIVE OF THE ZCTU IN ORDER TO HOLD ON TO POWER.
HE SAYS THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT GOVERNMENT HAD A HAND IN THE OUTCOME OF THE QUADRENNIAL CONFERENCE.
HE STATES THAT THE MMD KNOWS VERY WELL THAT IT WILL HAVE INFLUENCE OVER THE ZCTU IF IT CAN HAVE SOMEONE WITHIN THE LABOUR MOVEMENT SECTOR.
THE ZCTU QUADRENNIAL CONFERENCE USHERED IN NEW OFFICE BEARERS TO OVERSEE AFFAIRS OF THE LABOUR MOVEMENT FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
ZCTU PRESIDENT LEONARD HIKAUMBA RETAINED HIS POSITION UNOPPOSED WITH ROY MWABA BOUNCING BACK AS GENERAL SECRETARY.
MR MWABA WILL BE DEPUTIZED BY COSMAS MUKUKA THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF BASIC EDUCATION TEACHERS’ UNION OF ZAMBIA.
MEANWHILE, FATHER BWALYA HAS DESCRIBED 2010 AS A VERY DEVASTATING YEAR FOR ZAMBIA, CITING WHAT HE TERMS AS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IN PLACE A PEOPLE DRIVEN CONSTITUTION.
HE ALSO SAYS THAT THE MUTILATION OF THE LAW ON CORRUPTION BY REMOVING THE ABUSE OF OFFICE CLAUSE FROM THE ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSION (ACC) ACT WAS ANOTHER DETRIMENTAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR 2010.

ENDS////

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