Maravi

Mbulu seeks to make peace with Liato

Mbulu seeks to make peace with Liato
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Sun 09 Jan. 2011, 04:01 CAT

MINEWORKERS Union of Zambia president Rayford Mbulu has called for a ‘ceasefire’ between himself and labour minister Austin Liato.

During a press briefing at Katilungu House in Kitwe on Thursday afternoon, Mbulu said both he and Liato were stakeholders in the country’s socio-economic development and it did not augur well for the acrimony between them to continue.

“I do not want the acrimony between myself and the honourable minister of labour to perpetuate. I think in life, there comes a time when you have to put a stop to certain things and I think this acrimony needs to be brought to a complete halt,” Mbulu said.

“The minister has his role to play in regulating labour matters and I also have my role to play in ensuring that workers are properly represented and I think we can’t do this in an acrimonious environment. This intransigence is uncalled for, we need to ceasefire immediately.”

Mbulu apologized to Liato for the words he used against him in The Post edition of January 1 this year.
On December 31 last year, Mbulu said it was stupid for Liato to step up the fight against him Mbulu and MUZ.

He said it was nonsensical for Liato to put up schemes to silence him and the union on issues that affected the labour movement.

Mbulu’s comments came in the wake of Liato’s call for him to step down as MUZ president now that he was unemployed.

The government allegedly influenced Chambishi Metals Plc to terminate Mbulu’s employment ahead of the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) quadrennial conference so that he does not have a constituency to back his decision to contest the labour mother body’s presidency.

And MUZ Nchanga branch officials stated that Mbulu’s tenure as president would only come to an end in 2014.

The officials stated that Mbulu was given a mandate to run the affairs of the union at their 12th quadrennial conference.

“The only bodies that can dictate the removal of his mandate are the supreme council and MUZ quadrennial conference,” the officials stated.

They stated that it was shameful that ZCTU had remained mute when Mbulu’s contract had been terminated.

Labels: AUSTIN LIATO, MUZ, RAYFORD MBULU

posted by MrK @ 8:30 PM