Sat, 03 Jun 2017 13:16:19 +0000
By SIMON MUNTEMBA
THE University of Zambia lecturers have called off their go-slow. University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) Secretary General Kelvin Mambwe confirmed in Lusaka yesterday.
In an interview, Mr. Mambwe confirmed that the lecturers at the country’s highest learning institution have called off their go-slow opting to dialogue with Government.
He said UNZALARU had directed its members to call off their go-slow upon being promised by Government that it would soon attend to the grievances of the lecturers and students.
“Yes, I can confirm that the go-slow is over, after meeting with management, the union (UNZALARU) had taken its feet off the gas pedal to allow for Government and management to address their grievances,” said Mr. Mambwe.
Mr. Mambwe disclosed that the union took industrial action over a K500 million debt owed to its members by the institution.
And UNZA Vice-Chancellor Luke Mumba also confirmed that lecturers resumed work after a successful engagement with relevant authorities in resolving some of the grievances that resulted in the protests.
Professor Mumba said in an interview yesterday that the institution had engaged UNZALARU to resolve their grievances through the Ministry of High Education.
He said the students’ demand against the eviction from boarding was unfair because management had given them enough time to pay and only 400 out of 800 students had paid.
UNZA was dragged into industrial disharmony for the last two weeks with students demanding payment of their accommodation and project allowances while lecturers also had issues with the outstanding allowances owed to them.
Some two weeks ago, the UNZALARU announced that it had decided to go on go-slow following non-payment of contractual obligations.
According to UNZALARU publicity secretary Moffat Moyo, employees, including former staff were owed money since December 2010 when their contracts ended or when they retired.
He stated that some members of staff were serving their third contracts before getting their
gratuities or pension.
Mr. Moyo appealed to the management to provide a clear roadmap on the dismantling of the debt before members could resume work.
And the students on Sunday night protested over the lecturers’ on-going go-slow, among other things and vowed to continue taking to the street if Government did not intervene in the matter.
Subsequently, Minister of Higher Education Nkandu Luo suspended all union activities at the UNZA, saying it was a way of bringing sanity and discipline among students.
Professor Luo said according to investigations by the authorities, the riots were being instigated by those aspiring for positions in the student’s union in up-coming elections.
