UMUZ TOP LEADERS RILE MEMBERS

Sat, 14 Oct 2017 13:13:43 +0000

By Rogers Kalero

MEMBERS of the United Mine workers Union Zambia (UMUZ) have accused the union leadership of running down the union through dictatorial tendencies.

They charged that the leadership had become dictatorial by suspending Vice-president Ananiahs Sabiti, who was perceived to be a threat to union President Wisdom Ngwira.

But when contacted, Union General Secretary Yosam Nyirongo refused to comment on the matter because it was before the disciplinary committee.

The UMUZ members, who spoke on grounds of anonymity for fear of being victimised by Mr Ngwira and Mr Nyirongo, told the Daily Nation that the two union leaders had financially crippled the union.

They said the two had now resorted to suspending whoever was speaking against their selfish style of leadership.

The union members said Mr Sabiti was suspended without any proper charge on the day of nomination. He was suspended when he was about to file in his nomination papers to challenge Mr Ngwira for the position of union president.

“The union is debt ridden. It has been financially crippled by the leadership of Mr Ngwira, Mr Nyirongo and General Treasurer Serfus Shonga. Now, because the union is debt ridden, these three top leaders don’t want anybody to speak against them.

“Recently Mr Sabiti was suspended without a proper charge because he wanted to challenge Mr Ngwira as union president. He was suspended when he was about to file in his nominations.

“When you look at the charge, it is not clear, but merely saying misconduct,” said the emotional UMUZ members.

“In the nomination process, the clause on act number 2 of 2016 section 52(1) which states that a candidate shall file nominations to a returning officer, UMUZ clause 20 (d) (m) which defines the process,  was clearly violated.

‘Instead candidates filed nomination papers to six individuals who were not returning officers, but handpicked by the acting President Mr Ngwira and his General Secretary Mr Nyirongo,” said the UMUZ members said.

The UMUZ members said the nominations which took place on September 29, 2017 at UMUZ headquarters were fraudulent and that Labour Minister Joyce Simukoko should halt the process before the elections were held.

But, when contacted, Union General Secretary Yosam Nyirongo refused to comment on the matter as it  was before the disciplinary committee.