Government operations in Itezhi – Tezhi district today came to a stand still when unionised public service workers resolved to strike demanding for payment of rural hardship allowances in the district.

And Itezhi Tezhi District commissioner Mary Mukwiza has appealed to the workers not to strike as the issue of rural hardship allowances in Itezhi Tezhi was receiving active attention by the PSMD.

According to a statement signed by Itezhi – Tezhi , Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) Chairperson Chris Ng’andu made available to ZANIS this morning, the decision was made yesterday following a meeting of seven public service unions.

The public workers say they are unhappy over numerous unmet assurances by the government over rural hardship allowances that started almost five years ago.

The statement adds that civil servants in the district could no longer act on assurances on phone calls from Public Service Management Development Division (PSMD) because this could not be used for references in future.

The workers have said that the Strike was inevitable and that it will only be ended when the Public service Management Division (PMSD makes written communication to workers through the District Commissioner.

The Union stated that in March 2011 Itezhi Tezhi Union wrote the PSMD over the unrest over long awaited rural hard allowances for GRZ workers in the district in which they assured that the issue would be addressed.

“After lengthy discussions in Lusaka with various stakeholders regarding the rural hardship allowances, the Union officers were requested to go back to the district because the issue had reached an advanced stage and that the only thing remaining was for the district to wait for a circular from PSMD regarding the same subject which was to be faxed to the District Commissioner but this circular has never reached the district, ” read the statement in part.

They said that yesterday, as the Union officials were having a briefing from the DC over the matter a call came from the Education Permanent Secretary Andrew Phiri informing the District Board Secretary on the progress which his office had made regarding the rural hardship allowance but he was informed that it was not only teachers unions but all civil servants unions who were in the meeting.

The statement reads that with this information the education Permanent Secretary said then he could not address the matter but promised to communicate to PSMD who would address the ZCTU officers.

Meanwhile Itezhi Tezhi District commissioner Mary Mukwiza has appealed to the workers not to strike as the issue of rural hardship allowances in Itezhi Tezhi was receiving active attention by the PSMD.

She said that PSMD communicated with her office yesterday that government was in the process of sending officers to make verifications before they can authorize the payment of rural hardship allowances.

The district commissioner was in the company of District Education Board Secretary (DEBS), District Agriculture Coordinator (DACO) and other heads of government departments.

Last year in May teachers throughout Itezhi Tezhi staged a go-slow to compel government to implement the long awaited rural hardship allowances.

The Unions represented include Zambia Nation Union of Teachers (ZNUT), Zambia Union of Nurses organization (ZUNO), Secondary School Teachers Union of Zambia (SESTUZ), APTUZ, and Basic Education teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ).

A check by ZANIS in various government departments found that no work was going on and pupils were just loitering outside in schools.

ZANIS

Chief Chikanta of the Tonga people of Kalomo has thanked to the Catholic Church for for embarking on an initiative of sensitizing traditional leaders on their important roles and responsibilities in society.

The traditional ruler says many churches in Zambia shun working with chiefs because of certain beliefs.

” But it is encouraging that the Catholics have taken it upon themselves to break the barrier between traditional leadership and the church,” he said.

Chief Chikanta said this during a local leaders meeting organized by the Catholic Church under the Sustainable Economic and Social Empowerment (SESE) project at Saint Marys Parish in Choma yesterday.

Others in attendance were Chiefs Singani,Siachitema , Muchila and eight headmen from outside Choma district.
The chief pointed out that the sensitization meeting came at a good time as the nation will be going to the polls later this year hence creating an opportunity for traditional leaders to lobby for attention for some concerns from national leaders as they will be much available for campaigns.

He disclosed that chiefs ‘s roles and responsibilities is currently compromised due to the introduction of the adopted human rights citing that it has left them with no respect from the public as they are no longer feared.
“In as much as we appreciate the introduction of human rights but on our side as chiefs, they have made our subjects to lose respect for us,”he said.

Chief Chikanta said there is need for the church and traditional leaders to work closely in sensitizing members of the public according to the written role of chiefs act and village registration in order for people to fully understand what they are required to do.

He cited lack of cooperation between the church and traditional leadership as the major source of current vices which have been adopted mainly by youths.

The traditional leader pointed out there is need to revisit the human rights act if respect and order in society is to be promoted stating that the current scenario pauses a danger to the young generation as it is impossible to discipline because of the rights which protects them.

Chief Chikanta said currently chiefs have been made mute due to human rights which are barring them from disciplining offenders.

“Human rights have promoted laziness, excessive beer drinking and prostitution because as chiefs we are not doing anything to stop the act for fear of being taken to court,” he said.

He called on other churches to emulate the catholic church ‘s stance of sensitizing local leaders of their responsibilities in society.

ZANIS

Chibombo District Commissioner ( DC ) Colonel Philip Chabakale has expressed his dissapointment at the Zambia wildlife authority ( ZAWA )’s officers failure to capture two stray lions that in the recent past terrorised Chiyuni area.

Col. Chibakale said he was concerned that ZAWA officers who were in the area to capture the dangerous beasts had not succeeded in their mission.

He said this had left lives of people and their domestic animals at the mercy of the marauding lions. The beasts recently killed two cows in the area.

The DC has since appealed to the ZAWA management to redeploy its officers to control the situation.

The beasts are suspected to have come from Kafue national park and Kaindu area in Mumbwa district have so far slain 3 cows in the area since they were spotted.

And the presence of the lions in the area has delayed the re-opening of schools in the area.

One of the schools is Kalebuka Basic school. The school head teacher Belington kunda says the lions were spotted by several local residents in the area around 04:00 hrs this morning.

Mr Kunda says the lives of innocent children trailing to school every morning are at stake because of the lions which are looming around in the area.

He further appealed to local authorities to move in to curb the situation as the lions pose a serious security risk in the area.

ZANIS

A 23-year-old man of Shachele Village in Chief Shakumbila area in Mumbwa district is battling for his life after he was accidently shot in the stomach by his uncle.

Police spokesperson, Ndandula Siamana says Hilux Muleza was shot by Alison Hanyama, when he was demonstrating how to operate a pistol.

She says the uncle did not realize that there was one bullet in the pistol when he was demonstrating to his nephew how it works.

Ms. Ndandula says Mr Hanyama has since been apprehended while Mr Muleza is battling for his life in Nangoma Hospital.

And the police in Kabwe have recovered an AK-47 riffle after a tip from the general public.

She says the gun was retrieved after criminals attempted to rob residents of Kafulamase compound in Kabwe east.
{ MUVI ]