Munyenyembe was a rare voice of reason - Simuusa
By Mwila Chansa-Ntambi in Mufulira
Mon 13 Feb. 2012, 12:59 CAT
A MULTITUDE of people from all sectors of society on Saturday converged in Mufulira to pay their last respects to late Mineworkers Union of Zambia president Oswell Munyenyembe who died in a road accident last Tuesday.
And National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) president Mundia Sikufele has urged the labour movement in Zambia to use Munyenyembe's death to reflect and re-organise itself.
Meanwhile, mines minister Wylbur Simuusa says the government regarded the late Munyenyembe as a rare breed of a brave and courageous trade unionist.
Traffic moved slowly on the Kitwe-Chingola and Mufulira-Sabina roads as hundreds of mourners drove to the border town of Mufulira to pay their last respects to Munyenyembe whose body was interred at Chatulinga Cemetery.
Notable among those that attended the funeral were Simuusa, his deputy Richard Musukwa, works and supply deputy minister Mwenya Musenge, Copperbelt minister Davies Mwila, deputy secretary to the Cabinet in charge of administration Teddy Mulonga, ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba, Federation of Free Trade Unions of Zambia president Joyce Nonde-Simukoko, politicians from diverse political parties, miners and ordinary citizens.
And delivering the funeral sermon, Rev Chizason Chunda, of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian where Munyenyembe congregated, described the late trade unionist as an exceptional leader and a role model both to the Church and society at large.
Rev Chunda observed that many people might be asking questions as to why God allowed Munyenyembe to die in a tragic accident but they should remember that there was time for everything and that God's time was the best.
He observed that Munyenyembe used the time that God accorded him on earth properly because he dedicated his entire life to fighting for the betterment of human kind and fighting against injustice.
Rev Chunda added that Munyenyembe was a friend to many as could be evidenced by the multitudes that turned up to pay their last respects to him.
He challenged people to take stock of their lives and gauge whether they were using the time God had given them on earth properly.
Rev Chunda added that it did not matter how long a person lived on earth but that what mattered was how that person utilised the time that God gave them on earth.
And speaking at the burial site, Sikufele asked the Zambian labour movement to be united and seek God's guidance so that He could reveal the meaning of Munyenyembe's death.
"The voice of the labour movement which has seemingly become dim should be stronger and we should use this period to re-organise ourselves and serve the people," said Sikufele.
MUZ general secretary Chishimba Nkole said Munyenyembe's death had left a big gap in the oldest union in the mining industry in Zambia.
Nkole urged mourners to ensure that they continued showing their love for Munyenyembe by looking after his children and widow.
Hikaumba said Munyenyembe's demise was a ‘cruel thief' that had robbed the nation of a gallant and courageous leader.
Hikaumba said even though Munyenyembe was offered to stand as a member of parliament on a named political party's seat during last year's elections, he opted to continue representing workers.
And Simuusa said Munyenyembe was a rare voice of common sense and reason and that his contribution to the labour movement was unmatched.
He also said the PF government wanted to see a united and strong labour movement adding that previously, there were deliberate efforts to fragment and weaken the voice of workers.
Munyenyembe is survived by a wife Charity, six children and one grandchild.
He attended primary education in Muyombe; his secondary education in Malawi before studying architecture at the Zambia Institute of Technology (ZIT) which is now the Copperbelt University.
He began his trade union career at branch level in 1983 and rose through the ranks to become general secretary and eventually president, a position he held until his death last week.
Labels: LABOUR, MUNDIA SIFUKELE, MUZ, NUMAW, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE, WYLBUR SIMUUSA
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President Sata mourns Mine Workers Union of Zambia President Oswell Munyenyembe
TIME PUBLISHED - Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 2:08 pm
President Michael Sata has said that he is deeply saddened over the death of Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) president Oswell Munyenyembe. Mr. Munyenyembe, 59, died in a car crash on the Kitwe-Ndola dual carriageway on Tuesday afternoon. President Sata described the late Munyenyembe as a rare breed and highly valuable and respectable trade unionist.
“Oswell was someone with exemplary trade union skills and it was always a joy to see him doing what he knew best – presiding over negotiations and always accomplishing what his members expected of him,” President Sata said.
“Therefore, I have no doubt in my mind that the effect of this sudden loss is already being felt by both the employees and the management in our robust mining sector. His bravery, courage and maturity even on crucial moments is simply peerless or first-class.”
The President said Munyenyembe has been a beacon of hope, courage and bravery for the labour movement since the commencement of his trade union career in 1983.
“During his many years in the trade union movement, his dedication and selfless nature was always something that many passionately admired and esteemed. Even outside his work, Oswell carried himself as a kind, honest and a man of great honor and strength,” the Head of State said.
President Sata said genuine patriots of mother Zambia will never forget Munyenyembe’s great strides, efforts and contributions to the labour movement.
“Indeed, he will be greatly missed and we are all saddened by his passing and our thoughts and prayers are with the Munyenyembe family,” the President said.
“We pray that the Almighty God gives them comfort and fortitude as they face these immense difficulties.”
Labels: MICHAEL SATA, MUZ, OBITUARIES, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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COMMENT - " Recently, Ministry of Justice permanent secretary Mbololwa Muyaba said the government had no money to pay the former Mpelembe Drilling workers. " Then they better start taxing the mines and collect the dividends that are due to ZCCM-IH. They will have more than enough money to pay all their bills.
MUZ should fight for workers rights, urges Lishika
By Brina Manenga
Sun 05 Feb. 2012, 12:59 CAT
MINEWORKERS Union of Zambia chairman Geoffrey Lishika says he is disappointed with the government's statement that it does not have money to pay former Mpelembe Drilling workers. And Lishika says the union executive members have been dormant, adding that it was time they woke up and fought for the rights of the workers they represented.
"This is unfair because the K8 billion we are requesting is something that we worked for. That money is something that will help the workers start a better life for themselves," said Lishika in an interview.
"So if this government comes today and says it has no money to pay Mpelembe Drilling workers then we are worried. I talked to information minister Fackson Shamenda who stated that there is a committee that has been set by the President to look into the issue. We have not seen anything from that committee that involves the Ministry of Labour, Justice, Mines and Finance."
He said the challenges that former Mpelembe Drilling workers were facing should not be politicised.
"Every government that comes says they will do this and that but because they are not part of the problems we are going through, they cannot feel the pain. The 1,800 ex-workers cannot even send their children to school, but our leaders are sending their children to good schools abroad. It is unfair," he said.
On the union executive, Lishika said: "I have my superiors in the union but I do not know why they are remaining silent. They were not put in the offices just to negotiate salaries. We are expecting our executives to come in and make sure that they salvage the workers but they are doing literally nothing, they need to wake up."
Lishika urged MUZ president Oswell Munyenyembe to work for the benefit of the miners.
Recently, Ministry of Justice permanent secretary Mbololwa Muyaba said the government had no money to pay the former Mpelembe Drilling workers.
Labels: MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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MUZ backs Kambwili's stance on investors
By Darious Kapembwa and Mwila Chansa-Ntambi
Sun 05 Feb. 2012, 12:59 CAT
THE Mine Workers Union has backed Chishimba Kambwili's tough stance against Chinese investors that abrogate the country's labour laws.
MUZ president Oswell Munyenyembe said in Kitwe yesterday that those that were condemning Kambwili, who is now sports and youth minister following the realignment of ministries by President Michael Sata on Friday, did not know how stubborn some Chinese investors were and how much they mistreated Zambian workers.
"Kambwili is just okay; the Chinese have been mistreating Zambian workers for a long time. They shot 11 miners in Sinazongwe last year. Miners have really suffered at the hands of the Chinese and those that are today condemning Kambwili have been silent when these Chinese have been mistreating their fellow Zambians," Munyenyembe said.
He added that complaints against Chinese investors' mistreatment of Zambian workers were not new but that they had persisted because of inaction.
"The Chinese can't bend if they are not handled by someone who is strong," Munyenyembe said.
He said while investment needed to be supported, it was also important that investors adhered to the provisions of the law.
Munyenyembe added that investment was supposed to benefit both the investors and people in the host nation where those investors invested and that if labour laws were abrogated, then that investment risked becoming futile.
Kambwili has recently come under fire from some sections of society for his hard-line stance against some investors that are abrogating labour laws.
Last week, Kambwili ordered the revocation of the work permit for Sinozam Friendship Hospital chief medical officer Dr Xisheng Qin, a Chinese national, for allegedly being rude.
Kambwili who toured Sinozam Hospital to verify alleged reports of poor conditions of service for employees was upset with Dr Xisheng when he started scolding him for quizzing him over the workers' conditions of service.
Kambwili and Dr Xisheng took each other on, calling each other rude.
Dr Xisheng said Kambwili was being rude by pointing at him while talking.
Kambwili asked his ministry officials to contact the Ministry of Home Affairs so that Dr Xisheng's work permit could be cancelled and gave him seven days to leave Zambia.
But President Sata, in announcing the realignment of ministries, said he made the changes to curb statements that had the potential to alarm the nation and investors alike.
"I would like to direct that the portfolio of tourism be transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the labour portfolio be transferred from youth and sport to Ministry of Information, it shall be known as Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Labour," President Sata said.
"As a government, we have to be level-headed and not be seen to be inciting the public. I expect ministers to discourage strikes and lock-outs. Strikes or industrial unrests have a very negative effect on a fragile economy like ours. The same applies to lock-outs."
He said if not careful, some of the alarming statements had the potential to destroy the little the country has or the little strides it had made economically so far.
President Sata said the government knew that there were numerous shortcomings in almost all sectors but they would not be addressed through threats and being loud-mouthed.
Labels: CHINESE, CHISHIMBA KAMBWILI, LABOUR, MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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Profusion of splinter unions worries MUZ
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Fri 22 Apr. 2011, 04:00 CAT
HIDDEN forces are promoting splinter unions in the mining industry to divide the voice of workers, observes Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) General Secretary Oswell Munyenyembe.
In a statement released yesterday, Munyenyembe expressed sadness that while multinational corporations were conglomerating in larger and complex organisations, the opposite was obtaining in Zambia.
“We would like to note with grave concern the mushrooming of splinter unions in the mining industry on grounds that they are likely to weaken the hand of labour,” he stated.
“All over the world trade unions are merging to form strong and formidable trade union organisations to stand the powers and complexity of the firms we are working for.”
He stated that world trends now favoured mergers and strong voices in the union and that the mushrooming of unions was detrimental to the solidarity and strengthening of Zambian workers.
Munyenyembe urged union leaders to prioritise the interest of mergers to build strong and formidable unions if they were to stand the power and complexity of employers.
He observed that the mushrooming unions were not offering anything tangible in terms of ideas or strategies but were merely dividing and weakening the hand of labour in industrial relations.
“We would like to appeal to our employers that the promotion of rival trade unions is a recipe for industrial strife because very soon, no union will possess the legitimate voice of workers in their united sense. We would like to advise that productivity and safety in mine operations can only be guaranteed and promoted by strong and formidable unions that have a large following than the splinter unions that are currently being encouraged,” stated Munyenyembe.
He also appealed to all mine workers to work towards using the democratic ideals of their forefathers in building one strong union if their interests were to be secured.
He further stated that unity was the only way they would fight and conquer vices such as casualisation, outsourcing, sub-contracting and union busting that was currently taking centre stage.
He also urged MUZ members to remain united and focused if they were to extract tangible benefits from rising copper production and the high metal prices.
Labels: MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE, TRADE UNIONS
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MUZ urges 50%+1 in electoral Act
By Misheck Wangwe
Mon 28 Mar. 2011, 04:00 CAT
THE inclusion of 50 per cent plus one threshold in the electoral Act before elections is inevitable because Zambians deserve a popular Republican president, according to Mineworkers Union of Zambia.
In an interview, MUZ general secretary Oswell Munyenyembe said there was need for government to respect the demands of the people who initially spoke through the Mung'omba draft constitution that the country needed the 50 per cent plus one vote for the winning presidential candidate.
He said there was no need for the government and stakeholders to continue fighting over constitutional reforms because it was clear that elections would only be credible if the wishes of the people were embraced by the Constitution. “ It's the people of Zambia who have been calling for constitutional reforms for many years. The issue of 50 per cent plus one and the need for other critical clauses to be enshrined in the constitution has always been the people's voice. So the people's calls must be respected because we need credible elections this year and the threshold would enhance the legitimacy of the elected president and his government,” Munyenyembe said.
And Munyenyembe said the politics of insults and character assassination that had been embraced by politicians were not inspiring the electorates.
He said every well-meaning Zambians, including mineworkers, who had influence in the electoral process were interested in seeing issue based campaigns.
Munyenyembe said insults and violent campaigns were extremely embarrassing and would not end poverty or address the many economic challenges the country was facing.
“ The government should tell the nation what it has done for the people and why it deserves to remain in power. The opposition should also tell the people what it will do to transform the economy and bring positive change. If the minds of politicians are occupied with real issues, electorates will have the opportunity to make wise decisions and that's the essence of democracy,” he said.
Munyenyembe said people would be able to see and judge who would make a better government by looking at the manner in which they were conducting their campaigns.
Labels: 50 PERCENT PLUS 1, MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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Listen to Mineworkers Union of Zambia
By The Post
Tue 07 Sep. 2010, 04:00 CAT
THE comments by Mineworkers Union of Zambia general secretary Oswell Munyenyembe deserve to be reflected on seriously. A government that does not listen to its people and ignores their sentiments on matters that affect them is courting trouble.
This seems to be the route on which Rupiah Banda is firmly entrenched. Rupiah has made it very clear by his actions and inactions that he is not in government to listen to what the people have to say and to deliver on their wishes.
We say this because the amount of arrogance and disregard for the interest of our people in many of the things that Rupiah claims to be doing for our benefit is startling.
Rupiah seems determined to mortgage our country in such a way that our children will remain slaves and serfs tied to the whims of international capital for generations to come. Rupiah does not seem concerned that some of the actions that he is taking are actually not sustainable but a recipe for strife and disaster in years to come.
Rupiah has the worrying obstinacy of an ignorant man who decides he knows everything and everybody must listen to him. It would be okay if Rupiah was being obstinate about leading the country in the right direction for the benefit of all. But that is not the case. It is very clear that the stubborn positions that Rupiah takes rarely, if ever, have anything to do with public interest.
It’s a question of doing deals. And what is more unacceptable is that personal or family interests are always in the vicinity of what should be serious government decisions. Rupiah now lacks the credibility to make decisions that can be trusted because of his public commitment towards patronage, nepotism, added to which is his government’s determined attempt to legalise abuse of office.
It cannot be denied that the government by its very nature is a difficult undertaking. Indeed, it is an undertaking that requires those who run it to sometimes make decisions that will not please everyone. This is understood.
But it becomes scandalous, if a government chooses for its mode of operation, conduct that readily opens it to suspicion and accusations of corruption and other forms of abuse of power.
But this is exactly what Rupiah has done. It is next to impossible to find any government decision, of an economic nature, that can be said to have been done solely in the public interest.
There is always this or that interest being served. Rupiah seems to have fully adopted Frederick Chiluba’s criminal commandist grip over the economy, where everything was run from State House. This is what opened Chiluba to the problems that he has faced.
The presidency by its nature commands a lot of power and unless one is very disciplined, the path to its abuse and consequent self-destruction is astonishingly easy for a president given our current constitutional arrangement. There’s virtually no check on the powers of the president. He reigns supreme as long as he remains in office.
But the powers of the president can also be a force for good if they are exercised with public interest and public good as the guiding principle.
Such an approach would also have to accept the principle that the powers the president holds are held in trust for the people and not meant for his or her illicit benefit. A president who thinks that the powers he holds are for his benefit and his family and friends is destined for disgrace. And this is what we see with Rupiah.
The propensity to use government power for personal benefit is what has eroded the confidence of our people in the decisions of the government. This is why we said the words of Mineworkers Union of Zambia general secretary Munyenyembe require some reflection.
What Munyenyembe and the Mineworkers Union of Zambia are concerned about is something that should bother a government that works in the public interest. For a while now, the Mineworkers Union of Zambia have been expressing concerns about a number of issues which suggest that they are not convinced that their government is making decisions taking into account the consequences on the welfare of their members and future generations.
Rupiah and his friends appear prepared to settle for very little whilst giving away a lot to some so-called foreign investors. Investment is not a bad thing in itself. If anything, it is important. But investment that robs our people of their dignity and endangers their enjoyment of their heritage is destructive.
The decisions that are being made should take into account the feelings of our people. This is because these decisions are supposedly made on their behalf. It is our people who will have to live with the consequences of Rupiah’s decisions long after it is forgotten that Rupiah was president.
Rupiah does not appear concerned at all about the consequences of his decisions. Our people are traditionally very welcoming to foreigners but this should not be taken for granted. There’s an increasing feeling that some of the foreigners who are coming to invest in our country are insensitive to the feelings of our people and dismissive of the contributions that they make.
It is these things that make Mineworkers Union of Zambia and others concerned about the deals that Rupiah and his government are making with all sorts of investors that are going to impact on the mining sector. Investment that is going to increase tension and polarisation in our country, although lucrative, according to Rupiah, needs to be weighed and weighed very carefully.
We already have problems with Chinese investment in our country. Many of our people are concerned about the way that the government seems prepared to mortgage our economy to our Chinese friends.
There’s nothing wrong with Chinese investment per se. It is the government that seems to do very little to ensure that this type of investment works in the interests of our people, especially those that are employed in the sectors that the investment targets.
Rupiah and his friends need to do more to ensure those that are coming to invest realise that good relations with our people are as important as a return on their investment. Bad relations with our people do not only endanger their investment but also our nation. An unhappy labour force is not a good guarantee for people and tranquillity.
It is only a matter of time before things get out of hand. This is what Rupiah and his friends should bear in mind as they celebrate this or that investment. They must ask themselves: how does this affect our people?
It is wrong for Rupiah and his government to accuse the Mineworkers Union of Zambia of being used by the opposition when they express their concerns about the quality of investors that government is attracting to our country.
If Rupiah and his friends were interested in doing what is in the public interest, they would take the concerns raised by the labour unions and use them to negotiate proper investment packages that address the demands of the people.
But this is not how Rupiah and his friends behave when they negotiate on behalf of our country. Instead of fighting to get the best possible deals, the best possible agreements, they behave like regional managers for the so-called investors and do everything to ensure that the investors get everything they want.
They are not even prepared to argue for a comma in the agreements if it benefits our people. Rupiah’s behaviour is endangering our country’s future independence. His ignorance has deluded him into believing that he is in control when he is daily ceding our independence to forces that he has no control over.
This is why he can even go so far as to tell donors, who are trying to help our people, to go away. This man has no clue and no idea of what is happening in his own country.
Labels: LABOUR, LABOUR DAY, MUZ, NEOCOLONIALISM, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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Munyenyembe accuses govt of intimidating MUZ
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Tue 07 Sep. 2010, 04:30 CAT
MINEWORKERS Union of Zambia (MUZ) General Secretary Oswell Munyenyembe has accused the government of intimidating the union whenever it speaks out on issues affecting miners.
In an interview, Munyenyembe said MUZ was taken aback that
whenever they raised issues affecting miners, the government accused them of being used by the opposition.
He said it was sad that despite the various concerns raised by MUZ as regards the bringing of Vale, a Brazilian mining giant to start operating
in Zambia, the government had disregarded those concerns.
“We are taken aback that when we raise these issues, we are being intimidated by government. They are saying that we are being used by the opposition but do we need the opposition to tell us that miners are being mistreated?” Munyenyembe wondered.
He said MUZ’s views and concerns about Vale remained unchanged because the company had been mistreating workers in places where they were
already operating in other countries.
Munyenyembe said MUZ had information that Vale would be operating 50 per cent of Konkola North mine and that they had already began constructing a concentrator.
“As MUZ, our position on Vale is the same. Vale has no regard for workers’ rights. In Voiseyday where they are operating, they have even sued the president of a local union there for saying that they are treating workers like second class citizens,” he said. “In Canada, there is an indigenous tribe which Vale pays lower than others.”
Munyenyembe said Vale’s record was so bad that even when it came to compensating workers Vale always wanted to pay less.
“Now imagine if this comes to Zambia! Government does not listen to advice,” he said.
Munyenyembe said MUZ would see to it that Vale treats Zambian miners with respect and dignity.
Labels: LABOUR, MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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KCM miners to stage demo next Monday
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Thu 19 Aug. 2010, 14:10 CAT
MINEWORKERS Union of Zambia (MUZ) secretary general Oswell Munyenyembe has disclosed that the planned peaceful demonstration by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) miners will take place on Monday next week. Munyenyembe said the peaceful demonstrations would go on as planned on Monday and the union leadership had already notified police in Kitwe, Chingola and Chililabombwe.
On Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ) moderator Reverend Moses Mwale’s accusations that the union was inciting miners to rise against the government, Munyenyembe urged the clergyman to be honest with himself and see what the miners were going through.
He said the union leadership was not imposing its opinion on its members because the members had given them the mandate to represent them.
“Let him Rev Mwale just eat properly whatever he is getting from government. Some of these churches are compromised, they are no longer good shepherds to lead the flock,” Munyenyembe observed.
“Officially, there are 143 expatriates at KCM. We need to remind this reverend that there are over 300 Indians at the smelter doing jobs that can be performed by Zambians. Can a Zambian go to India and work as an artisan or a fitter?” Munyenyembe asked.
And National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) national secretary Goodwell Kaluba advised Rev Mwale to keep quiet if he did not know the problems facing miners at KCM.
Kaluba said there was nothing political about opposing the outsourcing of key departments at KCM.
He said Rev Mwale should understand that outsourcing was a real issue which if not addressed had the potential of sending so many workers to the streets.
“Now if that can please him, then I don’t know what kind of a reverend he is. Even as he preaches, he needs to preach for the welfare of the people. If he Rev Mwale is saying what he is saying to please the government, let him join the government and pack his Bible,” Kaluba charged.
“The reverend doesn’t know the problems that miners at KCM are going through. The perception he has about MUZ and NUMAW is wrong and misplaced. We can support the government of the day if they do things according to people’s expectations.”
Kaluba said Rev Mwale needed to understand that the government also had a stake in KCM as shareholders and there was no way the mining company could make a decision to outsource minus the knowledge of the government.
He further said Rev Mwale should understand that with outsourcing, a lot of people would not have permanent jobs and this would encourage casualisation which the government said they were against.
“He should also understand that the incentives that miners are enjoying with KCM will not be enjoyed when they start working for contractors and for sure some people will lose jobs because it will be up to the contractors to renew or not to renew their jobs,” he said.
Kaluba said his union would make every effort to ensure that KCM rescinds its decision to outsource.
Labels: DEMONSTRATION, KCM, MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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Learn to listen to the views of the people
By Editor
Wed 11 Aug. 2010, 04:00 CAT
To govern is to communicate. Any society comprises a great diversity of interests and individuals who deserve to have their voices heard and their views respected.
The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people. And the voices of the people include those of the government, its political supporters and opposition, of course. But they are joined by the voices of the labour unions, organised interest groups, community associations, the news media, scholars and critics, religious leaders and writers, small businesses and large corporations.
All of these groups are free to raise their voices and participate in the political process, whether locally or nationally. In this way, democratic politics acts as a filter through which the vocal demands of a diverse populace pass on the way to becoming public policy. And this means that all these voices must be listened to, must be heard.
To lead people one must understand them. It is very difficult, if not impossible for one to effectively lead people he doesn’t understand. And to understand people, one must talk to them, listen to their views and share their joys and hopes, sorrows and anxieties. To lead people, one has to have a clear understanding of who they are and where they are. And this can only be done by listening to them and talking to them. You can’t lead people you don’t know.
And to know people, you have to listen to them. The leaders of this government will not listen to their people, neither do they listen to anyone but their own inner demons. And the observations made by Oswell Munyenyembe, the secretary general of the Mineworkers Union of Zambia, on the inability of the leaders of our government to listen to their people are very valid.
The labour unions are very important institutions, and any political leadership that does not want to listen to the representatives of workers is digging its own grave. It’s clear that this government listens more to the owners of the mines, who are not supposed to be their masters but have become their paymasters, than they do to the mine workers and their representatives. Probably, it is because of the direct financial support they get from the owners of the mines for their election campaigns and other things. But whatever they get from these owners of mines is nothing compared to what they get through the taxes paid by these humble workers.
It is these humble workers who pay their salaries and allowances; it is these humble workers who pay for the planes they fly in and the helicopters they use in their campaigns, the automobiles they drive and almost everything else they use. But look at the way they treat them and their representatives as compared to the way they treat the owners of the mines and their managers!
Our politicians in government have to learn to reason with the people who elected them; they have to learn to persuade people. That is their due. They have voluntarily, everyone of them, joined politics. What they should be looking for is more and more people calling on them to give them their counsel, their advice and broaden their participation. By making the choice to join politics, they took a decision, and it was that, by persuasion, they could bring more people with them.
So, that is the basis on which they have to act and should act. They need to listen more and more to people because no section of the community has all the wisdom, all the virtues, neither does any have all the ignorance, all the vices. They should never pretend to know everything, to know what they don’t know. And they should not feel ashamed to ask, listen and learn from the people. They should listen carefully to the views of the people.
They should be pupils of the people before they become teachers of the people.
What the people say may or may not be correct but they are the masters, and should be listened to. After hearing what the people are saying, they must analyse it. They must heed the correct views and act upon them. Listen also to the mistaken views of the people; it is wrong not to listen to them at all. There’s need for our politicians in government to guard against arrogance. For anyone in a leading political position, this should be a matter of principle.
The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in developing our country. The masses of our people are the real heroes, while they themselves are often childish and ignorant. The governance and development of our country must rely on the masses of the people, on everybody’s taking a hand and not only on a few individuals issuing orders. Those in power should always act in accordance with the needs and wishes of the masses they were elected to represent.
They are not in government to represent themselves. They were elected to represent the interests of the people. And all their work must start from the needs and wishes of the people, and not from the desire of any individual however well-intentioned. There’s need for every politician and government to listen attentively to the voice of the masses and identify themselves with the interests and needs of the masses wherever they go instead of standing above them. If they insist on leading the masses to do anything against their will, they will fail in all they are doing.
Our politicians must not assume that everything they themselves understand is understood by the masses. Whether the masses understand it and are ready to take action can only be discovered by listening to them. They should not also assume that the masses have no understanding of what they themselves do not yet understand. It often happens that the masses outstrip them and are eager to advance a step and that, nevertheless, our politicians fail to act as leaders of the masses, and tail behind certain backward elements, reflecting their views and, moreover, mistaking them for those of the broad masses.
This government has not listened much to the workers and their representatives.
Workers need a living wage and a right to participate in determining policies that affect their lives, they need their jobs protected. But instead this government is listening to the owners of mines and their managers and they are giving them all the concessions they ask for at the expense of workers. But the great lesson of our time is that no regime can survive if it acts above the heads of the ordinary citizens of the country. They were not voted into power by the owners and managers of mines but by these same humble workers they are today not willing to listen to. But as Munyenyembe has warned them, the time of reckoning is coming. These same workers who are also an important component of the voters of this country will know what to do with them when the time to vote comes. They will vote wisely and only for people who are known for their concern for the welfare of workers and the people.
People are loyal to those who are loyal to them; the workers and the poor of this country will in the final analysis only vote for those who they think will fight for their needs and defend their interests. Those who are on the payroll of the owners of mines and their managers will be rewarded by them and not by the workers and the poor whom they are not listening to, whom they have abandoned and betrayed. People are kind to those who are kind to them, those who care for them and everything equal, they will not vote for those who don’t listen to them, those who don’t care about them. If the MMD and its leaders want to remain in power next year, they have no alternative but to heed the advice Munyenyembe is giving them and stop being arrogant and insensitive.
Labels: GOVERNANCE, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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Miners threaten to withhold their votes for govt
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Tue 10 Aug. 2010, 04:01 CAT
MINEWORKERS Union of Zambia (MUZ) secretary general Oswell Munyenyembe has said the MMD government should not expect any votes from miners next year if they do not listen to their advice.
And Munyenyembe has said it is surprising that whenever unions in the mining sector try to advise the government on issues affecting miners, the government chooses to discredit the union leadership using a ‘special correspondent’ in the government-owned newspapers. In an interview in Kitwe on Monday, Munyenyembe noted that the MMD government did not want to listen to advice.
“Government does not want to listen, and this is their major problem. Our advice to the government is that they should listen to what the unions are telling them because if they don’t, come 2011, they should not expect votes from miners,” Munyenyembe said.
He said the government should not take their defeat in the just-ended Chifubu parliamentary by-election lightly, saying they should evaluate themselves and see where they were going wrong.
Munyenyembe observed that although Ndola had no major mining activities, it had mines such as Bwana Mkubwa and other small-scale mines run by the Chinese, where workers were frustrated with the poor conditions of service they were subjected to.
“The government by now should know that the mines are the largest employers on the Copperbelt, and whatever happens in the mines affects communities on the Copperbelt,” he said.
And Munyenyembe said the government’s tactics to discredit the MUZ leadership through a ‘special correspondent’ would not stop them from fighting for their members.
Munyenyembe said it was disappointing that whenever unions tried to speak out on issues affecting their members, the government tried to discredit them.
An article authored by a special correspondent that was published in the Monday edition of the state-owned and government-controlled Times of Zambia accused the union leadership of ignorance and lack of negotiation skills because of their opposition to the coming of Vale, a Brazilian mining giant, to Zambia.
Last month, MUZ at a press briefing vowed to oppose any attempts to bring Vale to Zambia because the mining company allegedly had a bad human rights record and no respect for recognition agreements.
But Munyenyembe dismissed the special correspondent's claims that MUZ did not know how to negotiate, saying the union had existed for more than 50 years.
He disclosed that in fact, MUZ last Thursday met the directors of Vale in Lusaka and made their concerns clear in the presence of government officials.
Munyenyembe said the government should not pretend that Vale was a good investor because no good investor could allow a strike to drag for 12 months.
Munyenyembe bemoaned what he termed the government’s over-protection of investors.
He complained that Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) had continued to bring in expatriates with impunity despite unions discouraging such trends.
“When we complain, that is when they bring in more expatriates with impunity. What should the union say? Do we need an expatriate to buy bulbs? There are now a lot of foreign buyers at KCM, and if the union complains, we’re told that ‘no, you are chasing away investors’,” complained Munyenyembe.
“And the other problem at KCM is that their CEO is very arrogant. He even boasts that ‘me, I talk to plot one’.”
Labels: MINERS, MMD, MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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MUZ accuses ZCTU of failing affiliates
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Mon 02 Aug. 2010, 04:00 CAT
MINEWORKERS Union of Zambia (MUZ) secretary general Oswell Munyenyembe has accused the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) leadership of failing to stand by its affiliates, asking them to resign.
In an interview in Kitwe, Munyenyembe said MUZ was concerned about the happenings in ZCTU, where leaders in the union mother body were concentrating more on politics than addressing workers’ plight. He said
it was very embarrassing that ZCTU was now being referred to as a government 'vuvuzela'.
“As MUZ, we are getting concerned with the happenings in ZCTU. They are just concentrating on politics, asking the Pact to disband and so on and so forth but they are not there for the affiliates when they need them,” Munyenyembe said.
He said MUZ and other affiliates expected ZCTU to help them address critical issues such as outsourcing of labour at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), delays in payment of teachers’ salaries and other labour-related issues.
“KCM has outsourced the concentrator at Nchanga to U & M, the schools like Konkola Trust School are already gone, if you look at Fitwaola Open Pit, they have outsourced, they have brought in a South African firm, meaning that employees who used to work at the open pit will now be contractors,” Munyenyembe said.
“At the hospitals, we know that they are bringing in Indian doctors to come and run them. Of course, at first they will pretend that they will keep the Zambians who work there but eventually, they will be frustrated and forced to leave while those that will remain will get very low salaries,” he said.
“These are the issues that we expect the congress to be addressing and dealing with; and not politics all the time. If they have failed, they should step down.”
Munyenyembe said unions did not need politicians but people that were interested in workers’ plight.
“I think it is high time MUZ led the congress,” said Munyenyembe.
Labels: MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE, ZCTU
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MUZ urges mines minister to defend plight of miners
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Fri 23 July 2010, 04:00 CAT
MINEWORKERS Union of Zambia (MUZ) secretary general Oswell Munyenyembe has advised mines deputy minister Gabriel Namulambe to focus his energies on addressing the plight of miners and not defending investors.
Reacting to Namulambe’s statement that MUZ should have consulted the government before issuing a statement to the media that they would oppose any attempts by government to bring in Vale, a Brazilian mining giant, to invest in Zambia’s mining operations, Munyenyembe said MUZ was not a government wing.
“Mr. Namulambe served in Levy Mwanawasa’s government as a full cabinet minister. Before that, he even served as Copperbelt Permanent Secretary. He should know how MUZ operates, we are not a wing of government and we can’t consult them before issuing a statement on an issue that affects our members,” he said.
Munyenyembe said MUZ had on several occasions met President Rupiah Banda and informed him of issues concerning bad roads in mining townships, engagement of ill-qualified expatriates that were getting more money than qualified Zambians and out-sourcing of manpower by the mining investors.
He said MUZ expected the government to seriously address issues when of ill-treatment of miners by investors. Munyenyembe said so many things had gone wrong in the mines and that some mines had even engaged expatriates in their human resource departments.
“So these are the issues Namulambe should be looking at. We know that he is a job seeker but he should not mislead people. He should stay away from MUZ or do something else,” he added.
And Munyenyembe said MUZ had information that 168 people were supposed to be laid off at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM)’s Nchanga concentrator.
He added that the union also had information that KCM intended to outsource services at the hospitals, saying this would frustrate Zambians.
“We have information that they KCM want to bring in doctors and other heath workers from India to come and run the hospitals. Where is the protection from the government?” wondered Munyenyembe.
MUZ last week vowed to oppose any attempts by the government to bring in a Brazilian mining giant, Vale, to operate in Zambia.
MUZ president Rayford Mbulu alleged that Vale had a bad human rights track record where they operated and that United Steel Workers who were working under Vale had been on 12-month strike in Canada and that Vale had not even bothered to meet the union in order to resolve the impasse.
Meanwhile, Nchanga member of parliament Wylbur Simuusa said there was a lot of anxiety and apprehension amongst miners over KCMs tendency to outsource services.
He said miners wanted clear answers from KCM management and the Ministry of Labour over the issue of outsourcing.
He said outsourcing was disadvantaging miners because the foreigners who managed outsourced units came with their own conditions.
Simuusa also said mining companies had a moral obligation to give back to the communities they operated in.
Reacting to the Chamber of Mines general manager Frederick Bantubonse’s statement that mining companies are not obliged to develop infrastructure in the areas where they operate, Simuusa said mining companies were reaping billions of kwacha from Zambian communities and were morally expected to give back to those communities.
Labels: FREDERICK BANTUBONSE, KCM, MINERS, MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE, WYLBUR SIMUUSA
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‘Chiluba should not capitalise on mine workers’ problems’’
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Mon 22 Feb. 2010, 03:50 CAT
MINEWORKERS Union of Zambia (MUZ) secretary general Oswell Munyenyembe has asked Frederick Chiluba not to capitalise on the problems facing former mineworkers on the Copperbelt to campaign for President Rupiah Banda.
Commenting on the decision by former miners to appoint Chiluba as their representative to government over their unpaid benefits, Munyenyembe said the former president should not have a say on matters of governance because he failed to attend to the plight of poor ex-miners when he was president.
Munyenyembe said Chiluba should not be given chance to manipulate ex-miners because he failed to pay them their terminal benefits when MUZ started to push for their payments in 2000.
“We started pressurising government over the unsettled ex-miners benefits since 2000 when Chiluba was president of the Republic, he failed to pay them. Why should he be given chance to cheat poor people? We know it’s one way of trying to campaign for Rupiah, we won’t allow him,” Munyenyembe said.
Munyenyembe said Chiluba should not use poor ex-miners he condemned to misery when he was president to pursue his selfish agenda and that the labour movement was ready to stop him.
“It’s sad to note that government has continued to delay the payment of benefits to some ex-miners for the sake of engaging Chiluba and they are waiting for 2011 campaigns.
You cannot use Chiluba for campaigns, he brought a lot of misery to the people, he should just keep quiet and leave the poor alone,” he said.
Munyenyembe said although ex-miners were no longer members of MUZ, the union had continued to speak for them and to protect their interests.
Munyenyembe appealed to the former miners not to engange Chiluba in their issue because he created their problems and failed to address them when he was Republican president.
And Chingola Patriotic Front (PF) member of parliament Dr Joseph Katema charged that Chiluba brought a lot of harm than good in his 10 years in office as Republican president.
In an interview in Chingola on Monday, Dr Katema said Chiluba was a liability to Zambia and should not be given chance to manipulate Zambians again.
Dr Katema said Chiluba had no moral right to speak on matters of national interest because he brought a lot of harm during his reign.
He said all well-meaning Zambians must strongly condemn and stop the unholy alliance between President Banda and Chiluba because if left unchecked, the two would create another scandal that would consequently bring more misery to the lives of the people.
Dr Katema wondered why Chiluba was being entertained in the political arena when the law did not allow him to actively participate in politics as a former president.
“Chiluba should not be an issue in the country’s political dispensation because it’s him who pushed this issue of restraining former presidents from participating in active politics and today it’s law. I don’t know why he wants to provoke the people. Let him keep quiet, he has caused enough pain in the lives of many,” he said.
Dr Katema said the privatisation policy initiated by Chiluba brought damage to the country’s economic and social well-being because it was not a thought-through initiative but a hurriedly implemented programme that benefited the minority and brought misery to the majority poor.
Dr Katema also blamed Chiluba for the dilapidated public infrastructure on the Copperbelt because of his privatisation programme that was mismanaged.
“Why didn’t he implement whatever he is telling the nation today when he was president? He came to the Copperbelt recently and told people that he came to collect information about the challenges they were facing for further transmission to RB. There is no structure in the governance system of this country called Chiluba, so he should leave the people alone,” he said.
Dr Katema said Zambians should not easily forget that Chiluba destroyed the health sector beyond recognition when he introduced what he called voluntary separation and encouraged civil servants in this sector to get huge chunks of money and most of them simply looted the sector and left the country.
“As PF we have thrown him in a political dust bin because he destroyed sensitive sectors such as the health sector. After his voluntary separation policy, people got money and left the country leaving the sector vulnerable and a lot of people died because of his weird decisions,” he said.
Dr Katema said Zambians must be able to stand up and resist the political alliance between President Banda and Chiluba because it was not up to any good for the country.
Labels: CHILUBA, MINERS, MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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Saasa urges govt to translate statistics into tangible benefits
By Fridah Zinyama
Tue 12 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT
ZAMBIA’S good economic statistics will remain meaningless as long as average citizens do not feel the benefits of this growth, economic consultant Professor Oliver Saasa has said.
And Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) secretary general Oswell Munyeyembe has said the benefits of positive economic growth should result in reduced prices for commodities and services in the country.
Meanwhile, University of Zambia (UNZA) Development Studies lecturer Dr Fred Mutesa said Zambia’s positive economic growth attained should lead to qualitative improvement in people’s living standards.
At the close of last year, the Central Statistical Office (CSO) announced that the country’s annual inflation rate hit single digit at 9.9 per cent and preliminary data indicated that the country’s economic growth rate had reached 6.3 per cent while poverty also recorded a marginal decline.
Prof Saasa said although the country had managed to close last year on a positive economic note, the challenge of allocating resources to priority areas of the economy still remained.
“It is good that we have ended the year (2009) with a single digit inflation rate, a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 6.3 per cent and lower interest rates as a country but what does this really mean for the average Zambian on the streets?” he asked.
Prof Saasa said the government should this year ensure that it allocated enough resources to areas such as agriculture and infrastructure development which would have more impact on improving the lives of the local citizenry.
“At the moment, government has not done much to improve the irrigation system in the country even though it had put in place the National Irrigation Plan which was meant to run from 2003-2011,” he said.
“But the funds set aside for this project were taken to the Citizens Economic Empowerment Fund which can only be accessed by people who already have resources.”
Prof Saasa said it was unfortunate that up to now, the country had to “pray” for rains to have a good farming season, adding that there was panic if any indications of a drought arose.
“If the irrigation system is well developed in the country, then farmers will be assured of production whether there is rain or not and the majority of people employed by the sector will be assured of employment,” he said.
Prof Saasa added that there was also need to invest in infrastructure development in economic areas like farm blocks.
“Growth is nothing if it does not benefit the majority of the people in the
country,” said Prof Saasa.
And Munyeyembe said the cost of food in Zambia was still very high despite the country recording positive economic growth and single-digit inflation at the end of 2009.
“Even though inflation has been going down over the past few months, the buying power of miners had remained the same, if not worsened,” he said.
“For example, on the Copperbelt, we are buying a bag of roller meal for K49,000 which is very expensive for miners who have not had a salary increment for some time now.”
Munyeyembe said MUZ expected the good economic trends to positively benefit all citizens in the country and not just a few individuals.
“When the economy is growing, people should see where you have come from and where you are going,” he said.
Munyeyembe said infrastructure development was also a good sign that the economy was growing in the country.
“Look at the state of roads on the Copperbelt, Mufulira-Sabina is worse than the Pedicle road,” said Munyenyembe. “If the economy is growing, the benefits should be seen.”
Meanwhile, Dr Mutesa said the positive macro growth in the country was not enough unless it translated into the empowerment of its citizenry.
He said economic growth should manage to tackle poverty at country as well as household level for it to be meaningful.
Dr Mutesa added that there was urgent need to diversify the economy from mono-dependence on copper mining to avoid the pitfalls of the external pressures such as the recent recession which negatively affected the country.
Labels: ECONOMY, FRED MUTESA, GDP, MUZ, OLIVER SAASA, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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MUZ urges ‘reasonable’ salary increments for miners
By Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe
Thu 07 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT
MINE workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) secretary general Oswell Munyenyembe has warned of industrial unrest this year if foreign mine investors in the country do not offer reasonable salary increments to miners.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Munyenyembe said there was no need for investors to fail to give miners reasonable salary increments this year when the copper prices on the international market had gone up.
"As you know we have been negotiating with different mine houses over salaries. We have been negotiating with KCM (Konkola Copper Mines), Mopani and the Chinese mine investors. We are not getting what we are expecting. We want to warn them that we are not going to accept anything less than the inflation rate. The copper price has now reached US$7,454 per tonne on the international market, so there is no justification for us to fail to get what we want. If they do not give us what we want, they will see more industrial trouble than they saw previously," warned Munyenyembe.
He said miners were aware that the mine houses were no longer paying windfall taxes and that meant that the mining firms were making a lot of profits therefore workers also deserved decent salaries.
Munyenyembe said at the time when the copper prices went down on the international market, mining houses rushed into retrenching workers, but wondered why the mining companies were taking time to increase salaries for miners this time around when the prices have improved.
Munyenyembe also warned government not to interfere in the matter as the miners push for increased salaries.
"We also want to tell the government not to interfere in our negotiations. Government should stay away," he said.
And Roan PF member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili urged investors especially the Chinese not to ignore the Zambia labour laws.
Kambwili's comment came in the wake of complaints from some Luanshya miners that China Luanshya Mine (CLM), the new owners of the once troubled Luanshya mine, has put some workers on three months probation despite having already served the company for almost six months when it took over the mine.
"Some workers have been put on probation after the served the company for six months. This is not in order, and it has created panic among the workers. I am therefore urging my Chinese friends to follow our labour laws," he said.
Kambwili said the government should also be monitoring the activities of the foreign investors especially the Chinese and not just be excited about their investments.
CLM commenced production last month.
Labels: MINING, MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE, SALARIES
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Munyenyembe warns KCM chief against stubbornness
By Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe
Sat 26 Dec. 2009, 04:00 CAT
MINE Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) secretary general Oswell Munyenyembe has warned Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) chief executive officer Kishore Khumar against being stubborn to the workers.
Munyenyembe said it was sad that Khumar was always stubborn to the workers and the union, and warned him that if he continues to do so, he may put his job at risk.
"If he continues to be stubborn and stops listening to us, he will find his job in flames. He says he has support from government, but is it the government that goes underground or it is the workers?" he asked.
Munyenyembe said each time the union wanted to engage in dialogue with Khumar, he always turned them away.
"Khumar wants to take what is happening at KCM to every mining house, like the issue of the three per cent salary increment. We shall not allow this situation. We believe in dialogue.
Each time we call him for dialogue he does not want that. He thinks he can get support from the government. We as the union we are there to protect the workers," he said.
Munyenyembe also said that the union was disappointed with the high number of expatriates at KCM.
"During ZCCM we had 100 expatriates in the country but today KCM has 169 expatriates," Munyenyembe.
He wondered why KCM could employ expatriate mine surveyors and accountants as expatriates, when the competent Zambians were just loafing.
Meanwhile Munyenyembe disclosed that a miner died at Mopani Copper Mine's central shaft in the early hours of Thursday.
Munyenyembe named the deceased as Damson Mwansa.
"He died after a rock fall at 2140 meters level, he was 47," said Munyenyembe.
Labels: KCM, KISHORE KHUMAR, LABOUR, MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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MUZ cautions Maamba mine over retrenchments
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Mon 21 Dec. 2009, 04:00 CAT
THERE will be no justification for new owners of Maamba Collieries Limited (MCL) to lay off any workers, Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) secretary general Oswell Munyenyembe has said.
And Ashok Devineni, chairman of Nava Bharat said new owners of MCL have no intentions to retrench any workers but said the Singaporean company will have to evaluate the skills ability of the workers to cope with new developments at the coal mine.
Nava Bharat, the diversified Singaporean investment company which now holds 65 per cent shareholding in MCL, plans to pump about US $550 million in revamping operations of the country’s biggest coal mine and simultaneously build a 300 megawatts thermal power station in the next three years.
Commenting on the development which is likely to give life to struggling Maamba miners who sometimes have been subjected to three months without pay, Munyenyembe said MUZ expected Nava Bharat to employ more workers in view of the increased business activities.
Munyenyembe said MUZ welcomed the government’s decision to sale MCL.
“Our appeal to the new investors is that they should come and respect the laws of this country,” Munyenyembe said. “Yes they are bringing in money and we are providing labour.”
He also thanked the workers at the mine for the patience exhibited during the time when the firm was closed.
Munyenyembe appealed to Nava Bharat to be open to its workers and disclose to them what was in the agreement.
“…They are opening up the thermal plant and we need more workers…so we see no justification for the issue of retrenchment and today we are saying…people who are put on separation should be paid all their terminal benefits,” said Munyenyembe.
And Devineni said Nava Bharat had no intentions of retrenching any of the MCL workers.
“We would first of all analyse the skill services available there (at MCL) and put a lot of those who do not find place in the current work atmosphere in a training programme,” Devineni said. “But there is no plan as such to retrench any body.”
Devineni said Nava Bharat was known for corporate governance and corporate social responsibility, management protection and cordial industrial relations at all its operating units.
“We wish to emulate similar corporate philosophy and value systems in Zambia too,” said Devineni. “…This is the beginning of our journey in Zambia and we hope to play an important role in the development of Zambian economy.”
Maamba mine aims to reach maximum output capacity of two million tonnes of coal per year in the long term. It has 78 million tonnes of known coal reserves expected to last over 70 years and it produced 600,000 tonnes coal during peak production in the 1980s.
Labels: MAAMBA COLLIERY, MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE
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COMMENT - With 58,000 miners nationwide, 11,000 or 19% of them losing their jobs, the neoliberal MMD lie that foreign mining companies must be attracted at all cost, because 'they will bring jobs' sounds very hollow. This is the time to start creating jobs in agriculture and manufacturing, and tax the heck out of the mines. Capitalizing the economy is the ONLY reason for the mines, not bringing jobs.
Rupiah has failed to inspire miners – MUZ
By Zumani Katasefa and Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Sat 07 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT
MINE Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) secretary general Oswell Munyenyembe has said that President Rupiah Banda has failed to inspire and impress miners in the past one-year he has been in office. In an interview, Munyenyembe said MUZ had not been impressed with President Banda's performance.
"As miners, we are not impressed with President Banda's performance for the one year that he has been in office. This government could have avoided the job loses that had taken place in the mining sector, or just reduced on the number that lost jobs. We had about
11,000 miners losing jobs," said Munyenyembe.
He said the government had allowed foreign mine investors to bring in expatriates while letting Zambians lose jobs.
Munyenyembe said there was no need for the MMD government to withdraw the windfall tax when Zambians were literally not benefiting from the copper proceeds.
"Government withdrew the windfall tax when the roads in our townships are bad. In Chingola where we have the largest mining company (Konkola Copper Mines) the roads are very bad. Look at Mufulira, Kitwe and Chambishi, the roads are impassable," complained Munyenyembe.
He advised President Banda's government to listen to people's complaints if he was to be accepted by all Zambians.
"President Banda should listen to the people. If he does not listen, the MMD will lose the 2011 elections," he said.
Meanwhile, Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) Copperbelt region coordinator Jurita Mutale has observed that there is a lot more that President Banda could have done during his one-year stay in office.
Mutale said although one year was not long enough to give a fair assessment of someone's performance, she believed that President Banda could have achieved more by providing the necessary leadership since he was just carrying over already planned programmes.
Mutale cited the prolonged strikes in the health and education sectors as incidences that could have been avoided had President Banda provided the needed leadership.
She noted that the strike, especially in the health sector, impacted negatively on the rights of women and children.
"In terms of maternity, we heard and saw how women were giving birth from outside because there were no medical personnel to attend to them. So for me, we need to reflect and evaluate on what had happened and what had not happened and chart the way forward," she said.
"For education, the strike made us lose out on time which called for doubling of efforts by both teachers and pupils in order to catch up. So really, all these issues are hinging on His Excellency's leadership. You may have a plan but you need a leader. Leadership is about being focused, motivating the people you are leading, being innovative, understanding, accommodating and able to analyse issues."
Mutale said there was need for the government to set its priorities in a focused manner. She said in terms of gender issues, a lot more still needed to be done although there was already a gender ministry in place.
She said there was need for the government to tell the public how many women managed to access the Citizens Economic Empowerment Fund (CEEC) and those that failed out of the total number that applied.
Labels: MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE, RUPIAH BANDA
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COMMENT - Why do even the unions keep asking for jobs to be maintained? Isn't it clear that the dogmatic and ideological decision to privatise the mines has failed, and that this is no way to run an economy? The miners should not be asking for jobs - they should be taking over the mines, and the government must help them doing so. They can get them on so many things - violation of environmental and labour laws, and not last, on tax evasion (look who didn't pay the windfall tax and get them on that). It is a chance for the MMD to show they are not corrupt, and stand with their own citizens. Also, mining is a very inefficient way to create jobs - agriculture can create 10 x more jobs with 1/10th of the investment - which is why money should be poured from mining into agriculture, infrastructure and manufacturing.
Govt has failed to protect jobs for miners – Mukanga
Written by Chibaula Silwamba, Kabanda Chulu and Mutuna Chanda
Friday, May 08, 2009 4:39:50 PM
THE government has failed to protect jobs for the miners despite assurances, Kantanshi member of parliament Yamfwa Mukanga has charged. And Patriotic Front (PF) chairperson for labour Davies Mwila has said there is no justification for Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) to retrench workers when copper prices have started increasing on the international markets.
In an interview on Tuesday, Mukanga, whose constituents in Mufulira town have been hard hit by retrenchments of MCM, said people were desperate because they had no means of survival.
"[Labour minister Austin] Liato had lied that no company had notified the government that it will retrench workers but now people are losing their jobs at Mopani Copper Mines and this has shown that the government doesn't care about these people. People have no jobs while the government is watching from the terraces. That is not good, the government was supposed to get involved to ensure that our people are protected," Mukanga said.
"The President used to assure us. Even the ministers were assuring us but people are still losing jobs. A lot of people have been affected by the lay-offs by Mopani Copper Mines. So many people have lost their jobs at Mopani but the government has kept quiet. Government was supposed to protect them."
Mukanga urged the government to seriously look into the frequent retrenchments of the miners and come up with measures that would mitigate the sufferings of the people in Copperbelt Province.
And commenting on the decision by MCM to retrench 978 miners at both Nkana and Mufulira mines, Mwila said in Lusaka that President Rupiah Banda's government must be blamed for failing to protect its own citizens.
"There is no control from this government and investors are doing things on their own. Just recently, President Banda's ministers assured that there will be no job losses but this is contrary to what they said," Mwila said.
"When copper prices dropped, investors used that as an excuse to lay off workers but there is no justification by Mopani to prune workers since prices on the international market have started rising [US$ 4,600 per tonne] and their production costs are well below what they are selling these commodities."
On Lusaka economist Chibamba Kanyama's suggestion that redundancy packages should be revised to reflect investor challenges, Mwila said Kanyama was part of management and should not be taken seriously.
"Zambia Federation of Employers has been advocating that retrenchment package of two months salary for a year served is too much and Kanyama is also supporting that view, but what is that package when someone has just worked for five years because it comes to between K15 million to K20 million that will also be taken by banks since most loans are salary based," said Mwila.
"There is no need to review the Act on redundancy packages because workers are getting peanuts in fact it must be increased upwards to avoid workers becoming destitute."
United Party for National Development (UPND) national youth chairperson Joe Kalusa said mining investors in the country were playing the drums while the MMD government was just dancing.
Kalusa challenged labour deputy minister Simon Kachimba to disclose the deal he allegedly struck with the mines.
"The retrenchments at Mopani are not genuine since expatriates have not been affected and last week Kachimba said there will be no job losses but since people have been retrenched he should tell us what deal he struck with the mines for him to make that announcement," Kalusa said.
"Copper prices are still high but the MMD government has no control and they are playing double standards, it is like investors are playing drums and this government is just dancing instead of taking charge."
And Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) general secretary Oswell Munyenyembe blamed government for its sluggish approach in dealing with job losses in the mining industry.
Munyenyembe said the problem was with government because it was not eager to meet trade unions in the mining sector over the plight of workers in the industry.
"... We have been pressing to meet them particularly the President [Rupiah Banda] to give them the actual issues on the ground but they have not been forthcoming," Munyenyembe said.
"What is more confusing is that the minister of mines and the minister of labour are saying that they were not informed of the latest job losses at Mopani. Government is confusing its citizens."
He expressed disappointment with Mopani over the retrenchments arguing that the lay offs were not justified at the current copper prices.
"At the current copper prices we don't expect Mopani to be offloading those numbers," said Munyenyembe. "The recession is just an excuse."
National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) president Mundia Sikufele said it was difficult to trust the promises of a stop to job losses in the mining industry.
Sikufele said it was sad that miners were losing jobs.
"Companies and government will say one thing today and what happens after is different," said Sikufele. "I'm hoping that this is the last retrenchment."
National Energy Sector and Allied Workers Union (NESAWU) general secretary Yotam Mtayachalo urged mining companies in agreement with unions and workers to sacrifice certain conditions and benefits as an interim measure to save jobs.
"When times are hard, it pays to make tough and unpopular decisions which will be beneficial in future and this demands unity among the workers and leaders. The auto mobile workers in America have made such bold decisions to protect jobs of their members. It is better to be in employment than get meagre redundancy packages and offloaded in the streets," he stated.
Mtayachalo also called on Mopani to rescind its decision to retrench union branch leaders.
Kankoyo PF member of parliament Percy Chanda suggested that the retrenched miners could engage in small scale copper mining in the slug dumps and sell the products to Mopani.
He urged government to facilitate the practice by engaging Mopani to enable the retrenched miners to continue with their livelihoods.
He said while other retrenched miners in other areas could engage in farming, it was not possible for those who were retrenched in Kankoyo area because the soil was contaminated as a result of the emissions of sulphur dioxide.
On Monday, MCM retrenched at least 978 workers of whom over 500 are from Nkana in Kitwe and over 400 from Mufulira to ensure the survival of the mine.
The sources indicated that the mining firm had also closed some of its departments that included industrial engineering and In Situ at Nkana in Kitwe.
Labels: DAVIES MWILA, JOBLOSSES, JOE KALUSA, MCM, MUNDIA SIFUKELE, NEOLIBERALISM, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE, YAMFWA MUKANGA, YOTAM MTAYACHALO
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