By CHUSA SICHONE-
LUSAKA Boma local court magistrate, Chansa Kalunga and his family have been served with a notice to vacate their Evelyn Hone College home and may soon find themselves spending nights in the cold.
This follows judgment passed by the Supreme Court on February 18, 2014 in which it was ordered that the college takes possession of the flat which magistrate Kalunga, himself a former Evelyn Hone College member of staff, has been occupying with his wife and two children.
According to a letter dated March 17, 2014 signed by Evelyn Hone College human resource manager, Mwelwa Mandona, and availed to the Sunday Times last week, the former lecturer of English at the institution has been given 48 hours in which to vacate the flat.
“You are, therefore, expected to hand over the keys to the flat by Tuesday, March 19, 2014 before 17:00 hours to the undersigned. Please note that this gesture is purely based on humanitarian grounds,” the letter reads in part.
But Mr Kalunga wondered why the institution had given him short notice to vacate the flat instead of a minimum of one month or three months maximum.
He disclosed that he had been in a legal battle with the institution over his terminal benefits since his employment contract was terminated in 2007 after working for the college since 1997.
“I am still a Government worker and I occupy a Government flat. I don’t know what crime I have committed, I cannot tell what crime I have committed to be served with a 48-hour eviction notice,” Mr Kalunga wondered. “As I claim for my money, they start giving me 48 hours.”
He said he was ready to vacate the college flat but that the 48 hours he was given in which to do so was just too short a notice.
Mr Kalunga said the High Court had in 2008 ruled in his favour, together with several others, over the terminal benefits but the institution appealed in February, 2014.
He is yet to be paid his dues.