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Chancellor College lecturers finally went on strike on Tuesday after the University of Malawi office failed to meet the academic staff’s demand to remove college principal Francis Moto.
The lecturers, led by the Chancellor College Academic Staff Union (CCASU), on Thursday defied a call to return to work by the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), which indicated that it has instituted a commission of inquiry to establish the cause of the dispute.
The strike has been received with mixed reactions at the college’s campus with some lecturers still working and University Workers Union (UWTU) condemning it.
UWTU Chanco Branch president Dennis Kumkwawa in an interview said he was surprised that CCASU decided to go ahead with the strike while mediation was still in progress.
“Going on with the strike before the mediation is through just shows that these people are not interested to talk. These people, it seems, have a preconceived agenda on Dr Moto. Why should staff strike against a fellow employee and not the university council, which employs us,” said Kumkwawa.
Pro-vice Chancellor Leonard Kamwanja said although the lecturers have gone on strike the university would still continue discussions to find a solution.
“We would want to bring in a little more interested groups. The striking lecturers may not be happy but we still believe that the discussions are very much on course,” he said.
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Bright Msaka Wednesday evening sent a letter to the university vice chancellor, CCASU, Moto and other stakeholders calling for an immediate end to the strike “without conditions”.
“Government reserves the right to act as appropriate if this call is not positively responded to. Government will not countenance actions that undermine or frustrate the legitimate right of students of the University of Malawi, who are the future of this nation, to receive a full and proper education,” said Msaka.
He also thanked the other teaching staff, who are not members of CCASU, students and the college’s workers’ union for taking a stand against the strike.
Justifying why other lecturers were not involved, CCASU president Jessie Kabwila-Kapasula said the strike was only for the union’s members, who feel their confidence on Moto has not been restored despite the ongoing discussions.
“There are two options for us to go back to work. Either we are given new leadership or the Principal should go on leave until the issue is investigated and resolved. Whatever will come out after the investigations we are ready to accept,” she said.
Kabwila-Kapasula said CCASU feels the strike is justifiable because it has followed all the procedures including the 21-day notice.
She said despite the call from OPC the lecturers will carry on with the strike until their demands are met.
CCASU decided to go on strike after meeting several officials, including the university management, Ministry of Labour officials as well as the OPC in an attempt to solve the standoff.
Moto on Thursday said he could not comment on the issue since during one of their meetings they agreed that it would only be the pro-vice Chancellor who would talk to the press.
“Although not all lecturers are on strike I am concerned about those students who are currently not learning. These students will certainly lag behind and as an administrator here I am certainly concerned and worried,” said Moto.
CCASU is accusing Moto of mismanaging the college.
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