Nkhotakota District council staff protest over wages

Nkhotakota District Council employees yesterday downed tools in protest against the council’s alleged failure to pay them their 10-month wages.

The staff, comprising security guards, cleaners, drivers and revenue collectors also sealed council offices.

According to a letter dated February 4 2020, the disgruntled staff wrote Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development on their industrial action.

The workers claim the council has failed to remit their wages after a series of negotiations on the matter.

Yesterday morning, the employees blocked access to the council secretariat and vowed not to open the offices until their demands were addressed.

In an interview, the concerned workers’ leader Master Phiri said they engaged the council secretariat, but nothing positive came out.

“We will only go back to work when we receive our wages,” he said.

Phiri also said they wanted the immediate transfer of district commissioner (DC) Medson Matchaya and four other senior officials for allegedly failing to address their grievances.

But the DC downplayed the concerns, saying the protesters were not pleased with the reforms being undertaken at the council.

Matchaya said some revenue collectors were allegedly implicated in issuing fake general receipts to traders and have since been suspended.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Principal Secretary Charles Kalemba is today  expected to address the employees and the secretariat on the matter.

Nkhotakota District Council needs about K7 million per month to pay its employees.