By MOFFAT
CHAZINGWA
THE voices of miners have been critical in helping to shape the course of the mining industry in Zambia.
From the time trade unionism among African mineworkers was initiated, workers in the industry have demonstrated a peculiar resolve not only to demand for their rights, but also to remain united.
A number of landmark achievements have been scored within the industry because of the unity exhibited by the miners over the years.
One notable achievement has been the successful construction of Katilungu House, which houses the headquarters of the Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) in Kitwe.
The building, named after the union’s founding president, Lawrence Chola Katilungu, remains a marvel for Kitwe because of its imposing size and unique design, even surpassing a number of other buildings built in recent years.
The building, according to MUZ general secretary Joseph Chewe, is a true reflection and symbol of the fruits of unity, commitment and dedication towards achieving a common agenda.
This, Mr Chewe says, has been the driving force for MUZ, which was born out of the struggle to gain a voice for effective representation of workers in the mining industry.
“This voice we are seeing today being disintegrated happened when unionism was just launching out.
“The owners of the mines did not want to see workers speak with one voice and so they sponsored splinter union groups even among leaders, but the good thing is that our leaders then were not selfish,” Mr Chewe says.
He said that was why the unions, and MUZ in particular, managed to record a number of achievements such as the construction of Katilungu House.
At inception, MUZ rented offices at London House in the second-class trading area of Kitwe, but with the rapid growth of the union, office space proved a major challenge.
It was then that miners around the 1960s to ‘70s decided to get together to put up their own permanent structure for office accommodation.
Then union president David Mwila spearheaded the campaign for construction of a true symbol of identity for MUZ in Zambia.
“Miners contributed straight from the pay-lines which then were the pay points. As you know in the early days, miners would queue up to receive their wages,” Mr Chewe said.
Union leaders in different branches asked for contributions from their members and because they were honest, they worked tirelessly towards the common goal of building Katilungu House.
Mr Chewe is convinced that Katilungu House was successfully built because union leaders in the past years were honest, transparent and focused on serving the interests of the miners.
The unity demonstrated by the miners during the construction of Katilungu House, which was opened to members of the public in 1974 by Hastin Banda, then Labour Minister, came to be acknowledged by Government.
The miners were rewarded for their efforts when the Government gave MUZ another building in the town centre, which they named David Mwila, in honour of another president of the union.