Zambia Congress of Trade Unions leadership has refused to step down despite repeated calls by their members to do so.
Addressing the media today, ZCTU Secretary General Roy Mwaba said there were no prospects for him or the Union president Leonard Hikaumba to step down adding that those calling for their resignations had no concrete grounds to do so.
“What is happening is political. They claim that we were campaigning for the MMD, I would like them to show evidence that we did that. Let them tell the nation the venues of the rallies we are said to have attended,” Mwaba said. “Besides, the MMD is still there, let them tell the nation when we joined the party. Mabenga is not dead, let him say so.”
Mwaba further claimed that the Union had at no time met with former President Rupiah Banda and that they had requested for an audience with the latter three times during his reign but the letters were not responded to.
“Our policy is to work with the government of the day in pushing the agenda of the working class and the voiceless. No union the world over, can succeed in its mandate without maintaining cordial working relations with the government of the day,” he said. “We could not deal with a party in opposition (during the MMD rule) because we needed to find answers to workers problems by discussing with the government being the custodian of labour laws and decision makers on the applicant of resources. The PF is now in government and the ZCTU cannot deal with the MMD.”
The Union has also demanded that the country should remain united and called upon the government to promote the ‘one Zambia one nation’ slogan to ensure that peace prevailed in the country.
“Peace is very expensive and we cannot afford to lose it,” Mwaba said. “We demand that ‘one Zambia, one nation’ be upheld at all times. We do not want to fragment the country because if that happened, we will regret! We demand tolerance, respect for all and the recognition that no one has the monopoly of knowledge. We should embrace different opinions to move the country in a positive direction.”
Not really true Mr Mwaba. Unions may find it easier to work with certain governments than with others and sometimes may even side with the opposition. Unions in the UK are most likely to side with their Labour Party. Unions tend to be left wing. So, the PF is more likely to be in tune with the Union, being leftist than the MMD which was centre right.
You cannot be partisan either. How can you stonewall the opposition parties and only talk to the ruling party when you represent people who are members of all political parties. Surely you should talk to the opposition as well to avoid accusations of cosying up to the ruling party. Guys, I know you love your positions but you need to respect the wishes of your pay masters, i.e. members of the union, and resign.
Roy..no need to justify..you did your best..alluta continua..
Right, the need for a fresh blood is important. Hikaumba has been in office for too long and has taken every fight too familiar. what is the term of office for the union president. Is it for life? when do you call for elections. I think these guys have taken the union in their direction for too long its time we sorted these post out.
Flimsy grounds, it seems. Anyway, if members believe the leaders have broken code of conduct then they should give account.
the seat should be very sweet for them to refuse to step down just as RB did. he did not want to leave plot 1. thr is time for everything. step down guys.
Hands up all those who have ever seen an African resign on grounds like this!
hikaumba, mwaba and the rest. the writing is on the wall dont fight it. just leave peacefully. all and sundry know how useless a tool you have been to workers you purport to represent. am sure if the police had to dig your backyards, alot more cash will be unearthed than what we saw at stupid liato. mwikala patalala ……….
it seems ZCTU has become synonymous with Hikaumba. Time to kick him out!!!!
If Roy Mwaba and others should be kicked out, then the membership who voted for them should be kicked out as well. How can members say go away after voting them in? It’s stupidity. What country is Zambia going to be when everything has to be turned into PF? Is PF a cancer that has to invade every aspect of people’s lives? These illiterate PF people must know that NOT EVERYONE VOTED PF…YOU ARE NOT WANTED BY EVERYONE. GET IT IN YOUR THICK HEADS!!!
you@10 uli chipuba grow up.not everything is about Pf.you pathetic loser.
#11 IMBWA- what is your name as a dog? That is what I mean. Some of us don’t want PF or MMD everywhere. We are tired with politics. It seems all fools are in politics. ZCTU represents people and the majority don’t even want to hear about stupid PF or sleepy MMD. Leave ZCTU alone and take your PF stupidity somewhere else…
@10, are you sure hikaumba and roy served the zambian workers diligently? come out of your mask and let me parade you on the pondium so that the same zambian workers know who is supporting hikaumba. honestly, only someone living outside this country will not tell or see the idiocy of hikaumba and the rest. workers are suffering because of these fools. what negotiations did they do with the mmd? i will be back.
1st and foremost, Hikaumba has failed to be noticed, nothing tribal, we once had the Nkumbulas.
2nd Mwaba and your balless ZCTU leadership must step down, people don’t just ask such for nothing. Workers are simply demanding for more political and leaders with horns. Leaders who can do things to be sent to prison on the expense of workers rights.
3rdly ZCTU needs leaders who can be groomed to be ministers and Republican Presidents. These Hikaumbas & Mwaba of theirs can’t even make it to town-clerk of Mazabuka District.
There is a lot of money in the unions. That’s why they are refusing to step down, Ask Liato.
Double standards.Let them stepdown.Enough is enough.Bushe icashupa ukucita resign cinshi.
Cimbwi afwile intangalalo.
if you are clean you can do what the majority are calling for and it should not even bother you because you were not employed as unionists but the two of you have your own professions. And please this will help us set a good trend for all the leaders in all aspects of life.You only cling to such positions if you know that you have not been doing the right things and would want to make up but time is another determiner even if you forced your way today
every office has terms and conditions,they cant resign on weak grounds like they put it,if there term is not yet up and they dont have a valid reason for resigning they must stay put,you people we are no longer bush men who dont have order and you people here think as though you have never been to school,maybe am being harsh, you people may not know why laws are there in modern society,why cant everyone who didnt vote for PF stop work?…mukashitisha icalo ba mambala imwe,knowledge is important,i am impressed with this committee they must not step down because if they do,cadres will occupy those offices
Why should they resign? Nobody is mentioning a scandal here. There should be a process for either impeaching or recalling an under-performing executive. Otherwise the aggrieved trade union members should wait for the next convention or AGM.
Problem is that ZCTU has no term of office ni wamuyaya. The fact is that Roy campaigned for MMD these guys were actually promised some nominated posts of MPs had MMD won thats what made Leonard to be so quiet otherwise he is UPND. Call for a congress and amend the constitution on term of office. Enuf is enuf cos even the affilliates have the same cancer no term of office.
Mr. Mwaba, you are now talking as if people switched off their TVs and radios and were not reading newspapers or were just dumb and could not hear what you were uttering, especially towards the 20th September, 2011 election! We were seeing every thing. Previously the current chairman of your union had a voice, but we dont know what happened in the process!! Can you tell the truth all the time and God likes that.