By SYLVESTER MWALE –
NEGOTIATIONS between the Government and public university unions to dismantle more than K6 billion debt have collapsed after Government representatives and university managements failed to attend a scheduled meeting in Kabwe on Tuesday.
The K6 billion, which dates back from 2010, is owed to lecturers and retirees in form of pensions and gratuities, as well as to statutory bodies like National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA).
The two parties were expected to agree on the modalities of clearing the debt, which is also part of the implementation of the Cabinet’s decision for a sustainable financing strategy for public universities in the country.
Higher Education Permanent Secretary Mabvuto Sakala had written to all stakeholders, including union representatives from University of Zambia, Copperbelt University and Mulungushi University for a meeting on Tuesday.
Apart from Mr Sakala, the meeting was expected to be attended by Labour Commissioner Chanda Kaziya and director of budget at the Ministry of Finance as well as vice-chancellors from the three public universities.
However, in a statement read on behalf of university union leaders, UNZA Lecturers and Researchers’ Union (UNZALARU) president Evans Lampi said none of them showed up for the meeting.
“As you might be aware, unions have been accused of delaying the process of dismantling the debt,” Dr Lampi said. “It is for this reason that we feel Government’s actions to stay away from this meeting need to be condemned in the strongest terms.
“We feel it is very necessary that the nation knows that unions have spent money to come for this meeting knowing that it is a very important meeting and one wonders why Government has decided to take such a route.”
Dr Lampi appealed to the Government through Mr Kaziya to withdraw a notice of deregistration of unions at the Copperbelt University in the best interest of the nation.
He said the disregard of the union was not a solution to the problems currently facing public universities as it was only fanning misunderstandings between the Government and the unions.
“Government should be the first to show leadership and stop politicking on such important matters,” Dr Lampi said. “Unions in these universities will not take kindly to intimidation and threats.”
Efforts to get a comment from Mr Sakala failed as he was reportedly attending a meeting at Cabinet office by Press time yesterday.