Friday, April 19, 2024

Opposition should seek other avenues for resolving internal matters instead of courting ‘foreigners’-Roy Mwaba

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File:Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Secretary General Roy Mwaba addresses journalists at Courtyard hotel in Lusaka

THE Zambian Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) general secretary Roy Mwaba has now changed allegiance from the MMD to the party in government when he decided to antagonize the union’s leadership by questioning why it was necessary to meet opposition political party leaders over their stance to oppose President Sata’s suspending Judges.

Mr Mwaba, who was supportive of MMD programmes and activities prior to the September 20 general elections, shocked many people at a press briefing in Lusaka when he asked why opposition political party leaders were courting the diplomatic community on internal matters which Zambians had the capacity to resolve.

Mr Mwaba said if the opposition were aggrieved on the suspension of judges, they should seek other avenues of resolving internal matters instead of courting ‘foreigners’.

“There are a number of avenues that the opposition can follow if there is any issue that they feel should be addressed. For example the opposition leaders have Members of Parliament (MPs) who can raise an issue in parliament or they can call for an interparty dialogue where issues can be discussed.

“So there are avenues through which internal matters can be resolved. So as a labour movement we are wondering why the opposition is running to seek foreign intervention when there are avenues,” he said.

Mr Mwaba advised foreign missions not to interfere with the country’s internal matters as Zambian’s had the capacity to solve their internal issues.

He said Zambia was a sovereign state which was capable of resolving its internal issues.

Mwaba said opposition party leaders should stop wasting time of the labour movement and they next time they wished to meet with the ZCTU on any matter, they should make a formal application instead of the impromptu approach taken this time.

Mwaba said the opposition political party leaders had besieged the ZCTU headquarters, which are located next to the office for the taskforce on corruption headquarters in Lusaka’s Porsche Woodlands suburbs to seek audience with the labour movement over the suspension of three judges. He said nothing tangible was discussed in the meeting.

“There was nothing that was resolved in the so called meeting and there are minutes to that effect and this will be availed to the board. But advise the opposition that next time they wish to meet us they should follow procedure,” he said.

Mwaba emphasized that the ZCTU would only issues a statement on the suspended judges after gathering adequate information because the Congress did not want to speculate on the case.

He also took time to comment on the Barosteland turbulence saying the labour movement was shocked as to why some stakeholders were making unwarranted comments on the matter when President Michael Sata had not made any official position following the Roger Chongwe Commission of inquiry whose report was tossed out by the President upon its submission at State House.

He said ZCTU always advocated for a united Zambia and that all and its affiliates would always stand to defend the position of the mother body.

25 COMMENTS

  1. This man is a big fool. Anyway him being a Bemba we expect him to support his kinsman. Why does he make so much noise, is he the only one at ZCTU. One cannot miss the difference in approach to issues between Hakaumba and this fool. Is it a trade mark for this group of fools. Empty tins indeed making the loudest noise.

  2. Has Roy Mwaba forgotten that he is a representative of the workers and not an opposition to the opposition parties? Roy, you have a job to do. Work on workers welfare. 

  3. #1 FUULS ARE THOSE WHO WENT TO CRY IN FRONT OF DIPLOMATS WITHOUT EVEN CONSIDERING OTHER WAYS OF AIRING THEIR GRIEVANCES. YOU MAY NOT LIKE MWAMBA BECOS OF HIS TRIBE, PROBABLY (THAT IS IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY ONLY BY LOOKING AT HIS NAME) BUT WHAT HE’S SAYING AT THE MOMENT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. I WISH YOU WONT CONLUDE ABOUT MY TRIBE BCOS I HAVE SIDED WITH MWAMBA.

  4. Stupid people ;like Roy Mwaba should are not fit to hold public office like what he holds now. He is someone who can do anything to remain in power even by F*** a workmate on on his work table and to day comes to glorify the HECMS? Please let’s have morals and even bad one could be tolerated but to some extent. Is it because this guys has a politically correct surname and he turn to back to his vomits.

  5. I wonder why its only in Africa were we always asking Europeans and Americans to assist us on issues that we can solve ourselves. Thats why these whites do not take us seriously as they know that we do not even trust ourselves over our own matters. Shame on us in Zambia. I look forward to a time when all people will realise that we are no longer under colonialism and we can do things by ourselves.

    • Zambia is in trouble. Given the amount of copper mining thats been going on here, we should be talking of a real good qaulity of life for our people through out the country. Nice provincial towns, with street lights, social amenities, jobs etc. However, if every thing we want to do has to be political, forget about it. With MMD we were looking for this breakthrough. Apart from Mwanawasa, we have had our share of failed leaders. This is a leadership issue, and I am afraid the current regime had a great opportunity but seem to be mixing it up. The outcome is, another round of failed leaders yet again. Thats why I really think we deserve the Barotse factor to keep us sane.

  6. EVERY COUNTRY HAS ITS PROBLEMS.
    Failure to resolve your own problems is a big sign of weakness in the opposition. What can EU or Diplomats do? This is tantamount to parading oneself at a talk show crying that you have a problem. Your wife gives you only 15min each month. People will listen and laugh but that’s it. They have no right to talk to your wife. Diplomats will do nothing other than just close their doors and start laughing at the low level of thinking in the opposition. Talk to the right people within Zambia and be sincere with your protest. The president has not concluded but simply opened up to what all have suspected all along especially during MMD.

  7. #4 Mwaba is a fool, I have worked with him closely in the UNION, I know what I am talking about. He is big headed, a bootlicker and unstable. Talk of being compromised, a while ago he was licking Banda’s shoes and now where is he? A worker’s represantative should be firm and collected not this imbecile. He just adds value to the bullshit going on in his clan.

  8. No amount of insults will change  the current state of affairs.The fact  is Ba Sata baleteka  and to those who hate Bembas be aware that you can not defeat the majority you can insult the Bembas, but the Lord looks at us with favour.Why because we are peaceful and we do not promote tribalism we hate aka patulula. 

  9. # 9 Progress. That concept of burrying your head in the sand, refusing to accept realities of issues is what makes you Bembas so diceptive that Zambians have classified you as LIARS only good at stealing. The whole country’s out cry of the ruling elite has majority from one region of Zambia is being denied by people like you. That in itself is deceptive and Zambians now have realised that and hence Sata’s rule is/will be dogged and doomed as tribal. Accept wrong decisions were made and corrections are being made Zambians will hear you. Hard heartedness will re enforce belief in Zambians of Sata as ata tribal president if no change is seen.

    • I agree with you that cabinet appointments were done wrongly.Most ministers come from the same region.This has nothing to do with being Bemba.And there is completely nothing wrong with the suspension of the 3 Judges and setting up a tribunal to probe the allegations against the said judges.I always call a spade a spade.

  10. @Ba Mimi, truth in Zambia is that Bembas are all over the show. They engage, they open up, they risk, they socialise, they adapt, they can preach, politic, do business, sing, play ball or do kaponya survival tricks. BEMBAs are versatile. Love them or hate them. That’s it is.

  11. #9 Progress, you fit very well in our expectation of you. It is typical but do not take the name of the Lord in vain because he created and loves everyone the same. You have just decided to make yourselves monisters thats why the rest of us wonder at your clan. Repent my brother.

  12. The opposition is being very childish. The mandate is with the people of Zambia, the electorate, not the diplomats. The opposition should be trying to reach the Zambian populace. They are the ones who vote governments in or out. For as long as PF has the mandate of the people, they run the show. If anyone wants to bring PF down, it can only be done through the people. The opposition are in opposition precisely because they have failed to reach the people. Grow up guys. I would expect this from the childish HH, but General Miyanda? You have let me down big time.

  13. This is what happens when you under-estimate someone. People were so confident that Sata could never win the presidency, so they were not prepared for the shock. Some thought they would always be in control of the state machinery and could therefore get away with anything. Others thought that they were popular enough to go it alone, and intact started sleeping with the corrupt on the insane assumption that they could lead a merger of political parties and thus access a majority vote. Well, Sata won. Face the fact. He did not win by childishly crying like a baby about the big bully RB to the diplomatic community. He won by ten years of courting THE ZAMBIAN VOTERS!!!

  14. I agree with you Equaliser. Sata spoke and appealed to the expectations of the people-the common man-the voter. What do they expect diplomats to do? Strain relations? Childish indeed. Look at how Guy Scott campaigned in villages. Go to the vendor and the job seeker ba Miyanda.

  15. They need to be talking to Zambians and tell them what is wrong with Sata’s actions and explain what they would do differently. Is it money they want from diplomats? Selling the country’s interests to foreigners wow.

  16. at least its gatefying to know that people like The Equalizer see things perspectively, i really dont understand why these opposition fools calling thenselves leaders have managed to fool miyanda! HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN!! so sad indeed. i will be back.

  17. To whom was MCS talking to when he promised to recognize gay rights while he was in opposition?I usualy excuse myself from speaking against things dat i do myself!

  18. Equaliser, Watchman and mature. Hats offs to you all. Good analysis. I would just like to add that I lost faith in the General when started advocating the Village concept (plagiarised Ujaama). Probably concieved with Fred Mutesa (now ZED president). If a presidential candiatdate cannot learn from Nyerere’s mistakes (how he drove Tanazania’s economy into the ground) then there is a serious problem. I will not talk about inflexilibleness/autocratic tendencies (how he failed to cooperate with fellow General Christon Tembo in 2001 to challenge FTJ’s 3rd term/ would have unseated the MMD in 2001 if he joined forces with late Gen Tembo. That is now history. However, he is a good (disciplinarian) general and devout christian and it ends there.

  19. If it were a question during leactures in the theater.. I would have said ” well, my point has already been put across by #Watchman#equaliser#mature..#progress. ” Keep it up. 1 zambia..

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