GOVERNMENT says it will dismiss Copperbelt University (CBU) lecturers if they do not resume work.
And Government has resolved not to yield to lecturers’ demands to fire senior management at the learning institution.
Lecturers who have been on strike for about a month now are demanding the resignation of their vice-chancellor Naison Ngoma and senior management.
They argue that Professor Ngoma’s continued stay at the helm of the CBU management is counter-productive.
But chief government spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili said at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that Government has made a resolution that it will not fire Prof Ngoma under duress.
“On behalf of the government, I want to warn lecturers at CBU that those who will refuse to return to work will be fired.
“The lecturers who want to resign should just resign and stop calling for the resignation of CBU management. Government has not found anything wrong with the CBU management,” Mr Kambwili said.
He said Government has observed with dismay the tendency by some lecturers in public institutions to call for the resignation of their managements whenever there is a grievance.
Mr Kambwili said it is sad that the Copperbelt University Academics Union (CBUAU) has turned down all requests and opportunities to dialogue but has continued with the illegal strike.
He said CBU is a public institution and that striking lecturers who do not want to resume work will be fired.
Mr Kambwili said firing the CBU management for no justifiable reason would set a bad precedent.
CBU was closed after a prolonged stand-off between management and lecturers culminated into a violent protest by students.
And reacting to Mr Kambwili’s statement, CBU lecturers and academic staff said they will not resume work if Prof Ngoma and his management continue clinging to their positions, NKOMBO KACHEMBA reports in Kitwe.
Speaking at a press briefing in Kitwe yesterday, CBUAU general secretary Kawungu Nyirenda dared Mr Kambwili to go ahead and fire them.
“We want to challenge Mr Kambwili to fire us, but we want to warn him to do it properly. No one will leave this institution,” Dr Nyirenda said.
Daily Mail