Government Threatens Union Deregistration

Government has warned the University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) that is could face cancellation. 

According to the Ministry of Labour a recent statement made by the union’s General Secretary Kelvin Mambwe is in contravention of Section 3 of the Industrial and Labour Relations Act Chapter 269.

 Mambwe has been quoted as stating that under current conditions only idiots can vote for PF.

 “As long as the University of Zambia is not properly funded, this institution will be ungovernable. And it will be a bad reflection on the government of these guys calling themselves leaders when they can’t lead at all. And if an election was to be called today, there are two categories of people that would vote for them; either those that are enjoying with them or idiots,” Dr Mambwe is quoted as stating.

 However, Dr Mambwe’s statement did not come from nowhere. His comments come in the context of non-payment of salaries, a problem that is not just affecting the University of Zambia (UNZA).

 “It’s as simple as that. No normal person would support this nonsense. It’s not only UNZA which is struggling today we have council workers, but there is also ZNBC, there are National Museum workers who have not been paid for eight months and they want us to be the next category of people who are not being paid. We are not going to allow that. And we have told them,” Dr Mambwe explained.

 As is the case elsewhere, Government mismanagement of the education sector and underfunding has led to frustration and a complete breakdown in trust between staff and their employer. This raises the question of whether under these conditions it is UNZALARU that is the potential source of anarchy, as the Ministry of Labour suggests, or if it fairer to say that it is in fact Government.

 The Ministry of Labour has taken particular issue with the political nature of Dr Mambwe’s comments. However, it could equally be argued that by threatening to deregister dissenting voices Government’s reaction is highly political in nature. 

 Either way, as the dispute rumbles on the question of the state of freedom of expression in Zambia once again rears its head.