Maravi

MUZ demands stand-alone labour ministry

MUZ demands stand-alone labour ministry
By Mwila Chansa-Ntambi in Kitwe
Tue 21 Feb. 2012, 11:59 CAT

THE Mineworkers Union of Zambia has demanded the immediate re-instatement of the Ministry of Labour as a stand-alone ministry. And MUZ is expected to elect a new president in the next three months.

During a media briefing at Katilungu House in Kitwe yesterday, MUZ general secretary Nkole Chishimba observed that the Ministry of Labour had always been such a major portfolio that it could not be relegated to the basement of another ministry.

"We think labour has been merely relegated to a mere tentacle of another ministry which by any standard can't measure up to any relevance or interlink to warrant the combination," Chishimba said.

"There is no amount of words that will convince us as a union that there was something wrong with the arrangement of Ministry of Labour and Social Security."

Chishimba added that just when stakeholders started getting to terms with the ministry of labour, youth and sport, another strange change in the name of ministry of information, broadcasting and labour had yet again come in to unsettle all players, including technocrats and staff.

He wondered when stakeholders would focus and concentrate on tackling the challenges at labour when they were not even certain of where they were going to be tomorrow.

Chishimba added that the majority of MUZ members invested their hope in the Patriotic Front because they thought labour was going to receive better attention.

"On their behalf, I wish to state that our role did not end at casting the winning ballot but beyond that to continue keeping our politicians in check so that value is added to our democracy and also to guarantee strength, growth and development of labour," said Chishimba.

The labour ministry has been attached to Ministry of Information.

And in an interview, Chishimba said MUZ was likely to elect its new president within three months as per constitutional requirement.

The election has been necessitated following the death of union president Oswell Munyenyembe in a car crash on the Kitwe-Ndola Dual Carriageway on February 7.

"The constitution says someone cannot go beyond three months in acting capacity, so the position will have to be filled up and organisation of the election is done by the supreme council. So we need to organise logistics for all branches throughout Zambia," Chishimba explained.

He appealed to MUZ members to be more supportive of the union now than ever because bereavements usually bring a lot of perceptions.

"There may be a perception that with our president's demise maybe the union will not be as vibrant as it used to be but even when he was alive, we were working as a team. People will carry the mantle that he left. So we are urging our members to be supportive, patient and courageous to continue receiving leadership from us," said Chishimba.

He advised that moving from one union to another would not help anyone.

Labels: MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY, MUZ

posted by MrK @ 5:16 PM