Suspended PROTUZ official sues State

SUSPENDED Professional Teachers Union of Zambia (PROTUZ), secretary general, Kangwa Musenga has sued the State and the labour commissioner for illegal suspension.

In his application for judicial review filed in the Lusaka High Court, Mr Musenga argued that he was dismissed by the Teaching Service Commission and not PROTUZ and that it was illegal for the labour commissioner to block his bank account.

“I was dismissed by the Teaching Service Commission and not PROTUZ. Therefore, the decision by the labour com- missioner in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to block my bank account and directing who its signatory must be and how it should be run should be declared null and void,” Mr Musenge said.

Mr Musenge wants a court order to quash the labour commissioner’s directive to the Zambia National Commercial Bank to block the PROTUZ account.

He also wants a declaration that the decision of the labour commissioner to appoint an independent auditor premised on allegations from members of the trade union without affording him a hearing defies rules of natural justice.

Mr Musenga also claimed for an order of mandamus direction to the labour commissioner to make known the allegations to PROTUZ so that it responds to the said issues before an independent auditor is appointed.

Mr Musenge further claimed the commissioners acts were contrary to the Industrial Relations Act chapter 269 of the laws of Zambia as the commissioner’s mandate over trade unions did not encompass the same.