The University of Zambia Trade Unions has given government a 60 days ultimatum to pay an excess of 600 million kwacha gratuities and pensions owed to UNZA’S employees and retirees who haven’t been paid for over 8 years.
University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers’ Union UNZALARU, president Dr. Andrew Phiri on behalf of the unions expressed disappointment that despite social dialogue engagements with leaders and government, there has not been any meaningful outcome and government has further not shown any commitment in resolving or addressing the many challenges faced by the university and its employees and retirees.
Dr. Phiri also demanded for the immediate appointment and installation of a substantive UNZA council and subsequent advertisement of the top management positions of vice chancellor, deputy vice chancellor and dean of student’s affairs as the university has never had such to spearhead the governance of the institution.
“For the past seven months, UNZA has had its top management positions vacant without any explanation as to why this is so and no serious remedial action from the Ministry of Education has been taken. We cannot afford to have a university that we believe is in a state of collapse fail to have substantive officials in office for that long,” he said.
This was said during a joint press conference by the University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers’ Union UNZALARU, the University of Zambia Professional Staff Union UNZAPROUSU and the University of Zambia Allied Workers Union UNZAAWU, where they have pledged to take alternative action if government fails to meet the demands of the institution.
