A trade unionist in Solwezi Kelly Nawezhi has demanded for the immediate resignation of the National Union for Mine and Allied Workers (NUMAW) president James Chansa and his counterpart for Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) Joseph Chewe for allegedly engaging in active politics.
Mr. Nawezhi charges that Mr. Chansa and Mr. Chewe where visibly seen campaigning for then ruling party PF and President Edgar Lungu.
He said it is clear that the duo have no interest in serving the interest of miners but their own selfish interest without considering their mandate and obligations as Union leaders.
“Therefore, the two union leaders must resign together with their secretaries on moral grounds for abusing the office of the organisations they are serving as Presidents and Secretaries by using them as a platform to campaign for the Patriotic Front in the just ended crucial general elections when they’re expected to be non partisan and neutral in their operations and concentrate on representing the needs of Miners where they draw salaries and allowances through Membership contributions,” said Mr. Nawezhi.
He claims that he has overwhelming evidence of how MUZ as a Non Governmental Organisation was being used as a proxy for the Patriotic Front in the just ended general elections to an extent of distributing PF branded mealie meal to Miners as a way to garner support for the then ruling party.
He alleges that the two leaders victimized and threatened to drop some branch officials who never supported their idea of using the two organisations as a proxy for the Patriotic Front during the campaign period.
“As Mr. Chansa, he was retrenched by KCM in February this year and he was given all his terminal benefits which automatically disqualified him to continue as NUMAW president,” he said.
He has demanded that all salaries and allowances Mr. Chansa has been drawing from NUMAW should be paid back at the current Bank interest or be reported to law enforcement agencies for obtaining money by false pretences and abuse of office.
But when contact for a comment, Mr. Chewe referred the matter to the MUZ Secretary General Mr. Mumba while Mr. Chansa mobile number went unanswered.
