An accountant at Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) has sued her employer in the Lusaka High Court, seeking damages for allegedly subjecting her to slavery conditions for no apparent reason.

In this matter,Yvonne Kalumbi is seeking an order of injunction, restraining YMCA from interfering with her work or forcing her to go on forced leave.

In a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court, recently, Kalumbi stated that she had been subjected to servitude conditions by YMCA for no apparent reason.

She stated that YMCA, through the Chairperson Human Resource Committee, had been purporting that as an accountant, she had been behind the delayment of the Annual General Meeting taking place when in fact not.

Kalumbi stated that following those allegations, the Chairperson decided that she goes on forced leave without an apparent reason.

She noted that YMCA’s board members tenure of office became obsolete on November 15, last year, according to their Constitution, hence they did not have authority to direct her to go on forced leave.

Kalumbi further stated that the manner in which YMCA had been carrying out the activities had proved to be a source of worry.

She stated that she had on several occasions tried to engage YMCA to find an amicable resolution to the problem but the organisation had been hostile towards such attempts.

“Kalumbi has made attempts at engaging YMCA with a view of finding an amicable resolution to the problem and YMCA has been visibly hostile towards such attempts. Arising from this unbecoming conduct on the part of YMCA, Kalumbi has consequently been subjected to unbearable inconvenience and discomfort,” read the statement of claim.

Kalumbi is now seeking an order of injunction, restraining YMCA from interfering with her work or forcing her to go on forced leave.

She is further seeking damages for inconvenience caused by YMCA, costs and any other relief as the court may deem fit.

Meanwhile, four YMCA members have dragged the organisation and its board members to court, seeking an order that the board be dissolved as they allegedly have no authority to hold on to the office.

In this matter, Agrippa Kaputo, Becker Mwewa, Taweni Musa and Wilson Cheeks have sued YMCA, Vincent Chirwa, Ephraim Zulu, Benjamin Sichilumbe, Milk Ndlovu, Patrick Sakala and Prisca Katumbo in the Lusaka High Court.

The plaintiffs stated in a statement of claim filed recently, that the defendants were elected board members of YMCA and were sued in that capacity.

They stated that the defendants were voted into office on November 15, 2015 and sometime on November 21, 2015, the board members had their last Annual General Meeting, which indicated that their tenure of office became obsolete.

The plaintiffs observed that as a result thereof, the current board members had no authority whatsoever to hold on to the office and operate as board members of YMCA.

They alleged that in disregard of the Constitution, the purported board members had been harassing and threatening the plaintiffs not to interfere with their operations, and had further stopped remitting the allowances to the YMCA members.

The plaintiffs further stated that the said members had gone ahead to lock the accountant’s office alleging that she was behind the calling of the AGM meeting.

“The plaintiffs have been trying for a long time now, to have this matter resolved amicably by calling for an AGM wherein the defendants have been visibly hostile towards such attempts,” read the statement of claim.

They are now claiming for an order that the board members of YMCA be dissolved and new members be voted into office and an order of interim injunction restraining the purported board members from conducting, holding any meetings or operating as YMCA board members.