The University of Zambia Professional Staff Union (UNZAPROSU) and the University of Zambia and Allied Workers Union (UNZAAWU) say there is gross negligence on the part of management in terms of how the university is being run.

And the unions say are disappointed and shocked by how the Labour Ministry has handled the application by UNZA management to terminate the recognition agreement between them and UNZALARU.

Speaking at a press briefing, Tuesday, UNZAPROSU president Clement Kaluba, said the university was on its knees and there was need for a new team at top management level.

“We appeal to the Ministry of Higher Education to take keen interest in the manner in which the University of Zambia is being managed. We strongly feel there has been gross negligence on part of management to let the institution be where it is today and its time they vacate office. The University of Zambia as it stands is on its Knees and requires a new team of top Management. We UNZAPROSU and UNZAAWU stand with UNZALARU, an Injury to one Is an injury to all. UNZA is a public institution and if government and UNZA management have failed to run it let them close it, pay workers their dues and turn it into a shopping mall to fulfill the East park Mall expansionist prophesy,” Kaluba said.

And Kaluba said the haste with which government terminated the recognition agreement between UNZA management and UNZALARU was barbaric.

“We the University of Zambia Professional Staff Union (UNZAPROSU) and the University of Zambia and allied workers Union (UNZAAWU) are very disappointed and shocked at how the Ministry of Labour and Social Security have handled the purported application by the University of Zambia management to have the recognition agreement between them and UNZALARU terminated on flimsy grounds. To start with, we suspect that the decision by the Ministry is a product of premeditated course of action that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security engineered and colluded with UNZA management to initiate the process. We suspect so because the ministry made a public pronouncement of the intent of this decision even before the “smoke screen” application from UNZA management was made. The grounds used as the basis for termination of the recognition agreement are weak and just indicates that the real reasons behind this course of action could be something else. We are further disappointed in the manner in which the Ministry of Labour and Social Security have been paying a blind eye to the plight of UNZA workers,” Kaluba said.

“Rushing to terminate the recognition agreement is barbaric, vindictive and unnecessarily showing off of power and authority to weak and disadvantaged workers. Given this background of similar problems in the past, we as workers are not expected to praise and worship government and management for failing to pay salaries on time. Even as we write this press release our January 2020 salaries have not yet been paid and someone expects us to be happy? Not at all. We have never witnessed a situation where a grant and funding of tuition fees for government sponsored students for a particular month is received in the third week of the following months. The question is; why is it happening now and who is responsible? When workers point who to blame those with authority get agitated and responds with an iron fist as if this Institution is their family property illegible for inheritance.”

Kaluba cautioned members of management who had been used by the said ministry to terminate the recognition agreement.

“We would like to caution the individuals who have been used in this evil act that they may have succeeded in pleasing their master today but posterity will Judge them harshly. We would like to remind you that you are not the first and last persons to hold those positions of responsibility. There were others before you and you are here now and there will be others after you. Please note that your actions have the potential to cause more misery to UNZA workers and anyone causing suffering on fellow human beings is guilty of evil acts similar to witchcraft. When you are in a position of authority use that authority to help others not to inflict pain and anguish. We are appealing to The Ministry of Labour and Social Security to reverse their decision to approve the termination of the recognition agreement between UNZALARU and UNZA Council failure to which we will start praying and fasting so that the individuals behind this act should equally have their “individual recognition agreements with God” terminated as well,” said Kaluba.