|
Government has requested Malawi Congress of Trade Unions (MCTU) president Sunduzwayo Madise to step down following his November 2001 conviction in a court of law for fraud and dishonesty.
But Madise said Sunday he will not step down on a matter of principle, accusing some unnamed individuals of trying to cause a split in the labour movement.
Commissioner for Labour in the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training Zebron Kambuto said in his letter to MCTU Secretary general dated January 16, 2004 that it is unacceptable for Madise to hold a union position in terms of Section 20 of the Labour Relations Act No. 16 of 1996.
Kambuto says in the letter that he has received telephone calls from international trade organisations which support MCTU financially and technically that they are not ready to work with the current MCTU executive committee as long as Madise remains in his position.
Kambuto says in the letter that the international labour organisations are not happy to work with somebody who has been or is violating his own country’s labour laws.
“I am requesting for Mr Madise to step down from the position of MCTU president. The choice is yours to have your MCTU isolated and dysfunctional just because of one person, or win back the support of everyone by having Mr Madise removed from his position as soon as possible before matters get out of hand,” reads the letter in part.
Kambuto also wrote former secretary general for MCTU Francis Antonio on September 22, 2003 before MCTU elections which elected Madise as president, advising it not to bring Madise to any meetings, conferences, workshops and seminars organised by the ministry because Madise was not entitled to hold and trade union position because of his conviction.
But Madise said Sunday that MCTU sought a legal opinion on the matter which allowed him to stand.
“The provision in the Act is being misrepresented. It says that anyone who has been convicted for fraud and dishonesty should not hold a position which deals with the collection of funds and my position does not deal with collection of funds,” said Madise.
“To be a convict is not in itself a crime. I know there are some people who have a vendetta against me. If there are differences in opinion between government and MCTU, then let the courts interpret that but I cannot step down just because someone wants me to step down,” added Madise.
He declined to disclose names of people who have a vendetta against him.
|
