Workers at Mansa Municipal Council in Luapula Province have downed tools to protest over non-payment of their salaries by the local authority.
The workers have also locked offices to senior officers demanding for the resignation of the Town Clerk and the Human Resources Management.
A check by ZANIS found the town clerk’s office barricaded with hips of stones, wheelbarrows and planks piled on the door.
Mansa Municipal Council has gone for about 25 months without paying its workers.
And the striking workers have vowed not to resume work until the Town Clerk Bwanga Kapumpa who is currently on leave, acting Town Clerk Mary Muluti, and the entire Human Resource management step down.
They accused management of having failed the workers as they have not been paying them their salaries.
The workers further complained of poor working conditions, and said they will not return to work until their demands are met.
They explained that they have been raising the issue of salaries and poor conditions of service with management but their effort has proved unfruitful.
They said management has always told them that they will only be paid when they receive funds from Lusaka .
The workers also said management does not pay them their entitled allowances among them housing, commuted overtime and education.
The Council workers also added that management has failed to honour their funeral support entitlement.
They said according to the terms of reference, management is compelled to cover funeral expenses for workers but that this was not done.
Mr. William Kabaso, who works as Food and Beverages Officer said he has not been paid for 25 months, adding that every time he asked for a salary advance, management advises him to borrow money from his workmates.
He complained that non payment of salaries has made it difficult for him to pay school fees for his children, who have since stopped going to school.
Another worker, Jeffter Mwelwa, a Revenue Officer, wondered why management fails to meet the needs of workers when the Council makes a lot of money.
He blamed management for not utilising the Council revenue prudently.
Mr. Mwelwa said management’s expenditure is more than the income Council realises.
Efforts to get a comment from Council management failed by press time.
[ ZANIS ]
Bwanga where have you taken the money. I hear you are challenging your elder brother Mumba in the mufulira parliamentary elections. Where have you got the money from today for you to eye that office regardless of whatever ticket you intend to stand on. Investigate these chaps these are the ones allocating themselves plots. 25 months how do people survive but pa zed kuti wapena
But nangu walikosa 25 months without pay, thats like living in hell. How do these pipoo manage to stay that long without pay? Nangu chichetelo bakamba aweeee!!!!!!
imwe bushe how can you live like this dead whilst working 4 25 solid months,you pipo in mangament wat is your problem.And you workers why cant you do something than protesting.I think make a move by getting,drinking and eating things from civic hotel and some other sources you know.bushe takwaba ubuloshi nishi ku mansa so that you teach these fulls a lesson but you are strong my brothers VIVA PF?????????? :((:((:((:((:((
But you bloggers surprise kme. Town Clerks have supervisors called Mayors. Mayors have supervision by Provincial Local Gorvernment Officers. PLGOs have supervision by the PS MLGH. If councils countrywide are not paying salaries, who is to blame – if I may ask? Does it have to get to 25 months before any one acts. THREE MONTHS in a row should be enough to fire a Town Clerk. We are all just rubbish Zambians. – no one cares what happens.
Just recently RB/FTJ/MMD were boasting about progress taking place in Mansa, is non payment part of this? Remember how that Mansa DC reacted agains a broadcast by Radio Yangeni on the short comings of the Council which has an MMD cadre as Mayor?