Wed, 21 Feb 2018 14:57:17 +0000
By CHITE MTONGA
MINISTER of Higher Education Prof Nkandu Luo must stop intimidating lecturers in higher learning institutions, University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union, (UNZALARU) General Secretary Kelvin Mambwe has said.
Reacting to the recent expulsion and suspension of lecturers at Copperbelt and Nkrumah University, Mr Mambwe said the actions by the minister were meant to intimidate lecturers from exercising their rights to protest against the employer.
He told the Daily Nation in an interview that UNZALARU condemned the development in the strongest terms as it demeaned the existence of Unions and laws that protected workers.
Dr Mambwe said Prof Luo who also threatened to deregister the union at the Copperbelt University had dictatorial tendencies no wander Institutions of higher learning had been in distress since she became Minister of Higher education.
He revealed that Prof Luo had brought chaos in Universities as she had failed to appoint university councils despite unions calling for the appointment of councils and only a caretaker council existed even at the University of Zambia.
He said there was completely no council at Nkrumah and the university was run by the council from Mulungushi University saying that it was the source of the current problems at the University.
Dr Mambwe said Prof Luo since her appointment as Minister of Higher Education had not shown concern in resolving issues that were affecting universities but was busy causing confusion.
“The minister is not helping the unions and these universities, she is just causing confusion and you know when there were reshuffles we hoped she would be affected for the sake of saving our institutions,” she said.
Dr Mambwe said Prof Luo should let laws that govern unions and lecturers apply adding that government should look at the plight of the affected lecturers.
He added that the minister of Higher Education had too much power over the universities.
Dr Mambwe said there was need for lengthy discussions with stakeholders on the problems that universities were facing.
