William Chilufya sues Hivos for unlawful dismissal

FORMER Hivos Southern Africa Country Engagement Manager, William Chilufya has sued the organisation claiming damages for alleged unlawful dismissal and mental anguish.

Mr Chilufya has filed a complaint in the Industrial Relations Court contending that Hivos unfairly, wrongfully and unlawfully terminated his contract of employment based on frivolous, vexatious, untrue, baseless and incompetent charges.

He stated that he signed the contract of employment effective January 1, 2022 to July, 2025, as Country Engagement Manager.

Mr Chilufya said he was however suspended from employment for 15 days on allegations that there were reports of irregularities under the Voice for Just Climate action (VCA) project in Zambia and the same suspension was then extended for another 15 days to July 21, 2022.

" I decided to write to Zambia Institute of Chartered Accounts (ZiCA) to verify if CROWE Zimbabwe was accredited here in Zambia to conduct audits, having in mind that it is the said accounting firm that conducted an audit which the respondents herein relied on the findings to dismiss me from employment.

"I was found guilty on charges which I had requested to be furnished with certain documents which sit only on HIVOS internal system so that I could defend myself adequately, the respondent refused to do so in a bid to secure a verdict of guilty on my part," he contended.

Mr Chilufya alleged that it has been difficult to secure employment because the respondent's regional Director Nana Zulu has continued to defame him to potential employers in organisations that he was involved in fraudulent activities while at Hivos which allegations were not substantiated.

"I have suffered financially such that I am surviving under very difficult circumstances due to financial constraints caused by the unfair, wrongful and unlawful dismissal, I was expecting my contract to come to an end in July, 2025," he stated.