Malawi shakes up KIA over Sadc allowances

Malawi Government through the Ministry of Transport has transfer-listed all the union leaders, including those from the Human Resource Department in reaction to the strike by the Civil Aviation Department at the Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) over unpaid Sadc allowances.

Chairperson of the Civil Aviation Trade Union (CATU), Emmanuel Kamvagugu, has been transferred to Karonga Airport and his vice Nelson Mwapasa to Mzuzu Airport.

The union’s treasurer Bridget Mpando is also expected to be stationed at Mzuzu Airport.

Airport commandant Dicksy Kwatani has been posted to Chileka Airport in Blantyre, while head of human resource at KIA Civil Aviation, Obrien Botha, has also been transferred to Mzuzu.

Kalongosola Chilembwe, who was working as a watchman, has been interdicted and is on half pay after he locked the gate to the warehouse during the sit-in.

Government has since obtained an injunction restricting the civil aviation staff from staging another strike apart from communicating to the union that they are not entitled to allowances.

Meanwhile, union leaders yesterday engaged in a meeting with the Civil Servants Trade Union (CSTU) to chart the way forward.

“We are planning to hire a lawyer to counter the injunction,” said the union’s general secretary and spokesperson Ted Chunda.