4 suspected illegal strike instigators nabbed
FOUR alleged ring leaders of the country wide strike by truck drivers yesterday have been arrested.
Copperbelt Commissioner of Police, Charity Katanga said that the four were found instilling fear in those that were working.
“Some of the striking drivers were hiding in the bush and throwing stones at the trucks that were moving on the road and five trucks have been damaged in the process,” Ms Katanga said.
Minister of
Transport and
Communication Mutotwe Kafwaya yesterday released trucks that had parked in fear of harassment by some drivers who were conducting an illegal strike at Sabina area along the Kitwe-Chingola road. This was after some truck drivers had gone ahead to protest against low minimum wages while others whipped their colleagues mercilessly for failing to comply with the strike.
A check in Ndola, Kitwe, Chingola and Kalulushi found some drivers had parked their trucks and were threatening those who were working.
The minister was with Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) chief executive officer Gladwell Banda and police officers from the Copperbelt.
“The drivers are conducting an illegal strike demanding better salaries, but the action taken is against the law. Let them air their grievances in a proper manner; not what we are seeing,” Mr Kafwaya said.
Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of administration Eugene Sibote has advised the drivers with grievances to find other means of airing them instead of engaging in illegal industrial action. Mr Sibote directed all provincial police commissioners to ensure such acts were stopped.
He also directed that all highways be patrolled and those found wanting would be dealt with in line with the law.