Munyenyembe: Labour relations legend

By ALEX NJOVU
THE LATE Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) president Oswell Munyenyembe was a friendly man but tough when it came to matters relating to miners’ welfare.
Mr Munyenyembe died last Tuesday in a road traffic accident on the Ndola – Kitwe dual carriageway. He was 59.
The soft-spoken industrial politician can best be described as a legend of labour relations because of his love for workers.
Mr Munyenyembe believed in teamwork in a bid to address the miners’ plight more effectively.
He urged leaders of the splinter unions to think twice and merge so that they could speak with one voice for the benefit of their members.
Mr Munyenyembe, who took the reigns of MUZ in November last year, was a courageous labour union leader who always put workers’ interests first.
He was instrumental in winning workers’ pay rise during the just-ended salary negotiations with mining companies.
Mr Munyenyembe was not the kind of labour leader who could easily compromise his calling as he always wanted the best for his members.
It was more so the reason why the general membership thought he was the right person for the hot seat after the MMD regime allegedly hounded the current sports deputy minister Rayford Mbulu out of his position.
During a supreme council meeting at Katilungu House in Kitwe in November last year, Mr Munyenyembe went through unopposed and took over the leadership of one of the oldest trade unions in southern Africa.
Born in 1954 in Muyombe in Mafinga district in Muchinga Province, Mr Munyenyembe went to Chirumba Secondary School in Malawi where he completed his senior secondary school.
Before 1975 Mr Munyenyembe returned to Zambia and enrolled at Zambia Institute of Technology where he did draftsmanship.
Despite being a strong believer in labour issues, the deceased was a commercial farmer.
Mr Munyenyembe is survived by five children to Zambia and enrolled at Zambia Institute of Technology where he did draftsmanship.
Despite being a strong believer in labour issues, the deceased was a commercial farmer.
Mr Munyenyembe is survived by five children Gondwe.
“Mr Munyenyembe began his trade union career as a shop steward at MUZ Butondo branch in Mufulira in 1988. He rose to the position of chief shop steward the same year,” MUZ general secretary Nkole Chishimba said
Mr Munyenyembe joined the then Roan Consolidated Mines (RCM) in September 1976 and rose through the ranks to the position of senior draughtsman stope planning until his secondment to MUZ on April 1, 2006.
Mr Munyenyembe was also an employee of Mopani Copper Mines who was seconded to MUZ.
He became branch secretary for MUZ Mufulira branch in 1987 where he diligently served miners well and in the next election in 1990 he was elected MUZ Mufulira branch chairman.
Mr Chishimba said at head office, Mr Munyenyembe served as MUZ deputy president from 2002 up to 2006 when he was elected MUZ general secretary.
He was elected to the position of MUZ president on November 4, 2011 by the supreme council in recognition of his massive experience.
“Mr Munyenyembe was a rare breed of brave and courageous trade unionists that spoke his mind and served miners to the best of his abilities. He recently presided over the successful negotiations of tough Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) and Maamba negotiations where his performance was exemplary,” Mr Chishimba said.
He played a key role in advocating change of governing from the MMD to the Patriotic Front (PF) government at great risk to his trade union career and life.
“He has left a gap at the helm of the Mineworkers Union of Zambia that is going to be very difficult to fill. Our thoughts are with the members who have lost a gallant fighter for workers’ rights and most importantly to the immediate family who have lost a figure head and breadwinner,” Mr Chishimba said.
Wusakile member of Parliament Richard Musukwa said Mr Munyenyembe was a good leader who worked hard to ensure that workers had a decent pay.
Mr Musukwa, who is also Deputy Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, said it is unfortunate that Mr Munyenyembe died at a time when his services were still needed by miners.
“I worked well with him when I was National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAWU) national treasurer. The big man had the heart for fellow human beings. I remember the past regime wanted him to contest a parliamentary seat in Mufulira in the last election but he refused because of his love for workers and the labour movement,” he said.
Mr Musukwa said Mr Munyenyembe was a humble leader who always wanted to serve others diligently.
He prayed that God will take care of his immediate family.
Mr Musukwa said Mr Munyenyembe worked towards uniting the mine unions in an effort to better the lives of miners.
He said Mr Munyenyembe was a friendly man who always worked well with others.
“Mr Munyenyembe was a true trade union leader; he was a good man who respected every person regardless of their status in society. Miners have lost a friend and a leader who was committed to uplifting their welfare,” Mr Musukwa said.
He said the deceased was against the divisions in the mine unions and that he was focused on uniting miners in the country. He said the labour movement has lost a gallant leader who worked hard to bettering the lives of workers.
He urged the labour movement to remain united and work towards accomplishing the tasks that the late MUZ president has left behind.
“We have negotiations going on, let us be united and ensure that we finish all the tasks that were left by our brother who met his untimely death on Tuesday in a road accident,” he said.
And Richard Phiri, a miner in Mufulira, described Mr Munyenyembe as a humble man who believed in the welfare of workers.
Mr Phiri said Mr Munyenyembe will be greatly missed because he interacted with everyone regardless of their status in society.
Another miner, Moses Zulu from Chingola, said miners have lost a man who managed the affairs of MUZ with integrity.
Mr Zulu, who wept while giving an interview, said it is sad that Mr Munyenyembe died at the time when miners needed his services.

Munyenyembe: Labour relations legend

MUZ leader Oswell Munyenyembe dies in road horror

By ALEX NJOVU

MINEWORKERS Union of Zambia (MUZ) president Oswell Munyenyembe died yesterday in a road traffic accident on the Ndola-Kitwe dual carriageway. He was 59.
Copperbelt commissioner of police Mary Tembo confirmed the death of Mr Munyenyembe in an interview.
Ms Tembo said the accident happened around 13:10 hours near Maposa sub-station.
She said Mr Munyenyembe, of house number 27 Funda Avenue in Mufulira, died on arrival at Wusakile Mine Hospital in Kitwe where he was rushed for treatment.
“I can confirm that Mr Munyenyembe was involved in an accident. He was being driven by Mr Davies Chibuta, 35, of Natwange township in Kitwe.
Mr Chibuta is still admitted to hospital,” she said.
Ms Tembo said Mr Chibuta was driving a Toyota Prado, registration ACP 873, when the accident occurred.
“The accident happened because of excessive speeding. He (Chibuta) was cruising, he lost control and the vehicle overturned,” Ms Tembo said.
And MUZ deputy president Charles Mukuka described Mr Munyenyembe’s death as shocking.
Mr Mukuka described Mr Munyenyembe as a courageous leader who performed well since his election to the top position in MUZ in November last year.
“We are saddened by the death of our president. We have lost a gallant leader who did a lot  for miners in Zambia,” he said.
And United Mine Workers Union of Zambia general secretary Wisdom Ngwira said miners have lost an experienced union leader.
“We have lost a brother who was experienced in union matters. We needed him around because he was a brave man. He stood for the rights of workers, he was always concerned about the welfare of miners in the country,” Mr Ngwira said.

Kalulushi man charged for 'dog sex'

By ALEX NJOVU

POLICE have slapped indecent assault and defilement charges on the man believed to have been forcing girls to have sex with his dog.
They have also named the man as Evrt jan Wolf, 68, a Dutch engineer.
In an interview in Kitwe yesterday, Copperbelt commissioner of police Mary Tembo said: “We have charged Mr Wolf with defilement and indecent assault because of the nature of the case.
“officers in Kalulushi gave him a lesser charge but since one of the girls was 15 years old at the time and the two others are aged 16, we decided to charge him with defilement and indecent assault too.”
But in a twist that has angered a Lusaka lawyer, police said they have released Mr jan Wolf on bond and he will appear in court soon, an appearance the lawyer doubts will happen since he has been on the run from October last year.
“You don’t give police bond to someone who has been eluding police for weeks or even months,” the lawyer said. “I doubt whether this suspect will appear for mention and I also doubt the police motive for the action but they know better I guess.”
Last year, angry Kalulushi residents ran riot and called for Mr jan Wolf’s arrest after a 16-year-old girl narrated her ordeal with his dog during a public meeting at the Kalulushi Mine Club.
Mr jan Wolf escaped the wrath of the residents and relocated to Lusaka before his capture.
In October, residents stormed Mr jan Wolf’s residence, shattered windows, looted household goods and partially set it ablaze.
The residents also thronged Kalulushi police station and accused the officers of corruption and allegedly intimidating key witnesses.
The residents engaged police in skirmishes and demanded the arrest of Mr jan Wolf, who had fled his home.
Police fired teargas canisters to disperse the crowd but the residents later regrouped and blocked roads with logs and stones.
The girl narrated how the man allegedly drugged her and forced her to have sex with his dog for over 45 minutes.
“I was at home cleaning plates when my friend asked me to escort her to see her boyfriend of European origin. When we arrived at his place, my friend introduced me to her boyfriend and offered me a drink which I took. A few minutes later, I started dosing and when I woke up, I found a dog having sex with me,” the girl said.
She accused police of allegedly tampering with evidence and claimed that her life is in danger because some police officers have issued death threats against her and her mother.
If he is found guilty of defilement, Mr jan Wolf may face up to 25 years in jail while the indecent assault case—a misdemeanour—will only earn him less than three years in jail if he is convicted.
And the Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) chairperson Beatrice Grillo has said government must urgently deal with sex offenders with the full force of the law.
Ms Grillo was speaking in an interview yesterday, in the wake of police arresting Mr jan Wolf.
“It is horrifying to have such a thing happening to our children. We appeal to the PF government to take drastic measures to put a stop to such degrading activities,” she said.
Ms Grillo said the man must not escape the law by any means.
She said such abominable acts must not be tolerated in the nation.
“We can’t have such things happening in our country and we just sit back, watching. This man must be caged,” Ms Grillo said.
She said the suspect was probably minting millions from selling the videos he was making of girls having sex with his dog.
And Ms Grillo said the country’s morals have declined drastically, resulting in some parents not questioning the activities of their children.
She said some parents are partially to blame for the moral decay in the country.
“Some children disappear from homes and come back with money and parents ask no questions. That is not right,” Mrs Grillo said.
She attributed the trend to growing poverty levels in the country.
She said commercial sex work involving young girls is an indicator that something is seriously wrong in the communities.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of police Martin Malama has called for concerted efforts by families and civil society to curb the escalating gender-based violence in the country.
In an interview yesterday, Dr Malama said the statistics recorded by the Victim Support Unit are alarming and require urgent attention from all stakeholders.
“The level of gender-based violence is worrying and  the Police is appealing to families, the Church and civil society organisations to intervene by way of counselling and other means, to help curb this growing social problem,” Dr Malama said.
Dr Malama said the Church and family members can make a big difference by counselling couples or reporting incidents of violence to the police in good time, to avoid senseless loss of life.
Dr Malama said the police are usually informed after a spouse has been murdered, which is too late.
He said timely intervention in family disputes by church and community leaders will not only save marriages but lives as well.
He said the Victim Support Unit and the Child Protection Unit of the Police Service are always available to deal with such matters.
“Spouses and children are being subjected to violence at home. The Church and community leaders are closer to families, so let them report to the police as soon as they observe abuse,” Dr Malama said.

Kalulushi dog sex man arrested

By ALEX NJOVU

A European man, believed to have been forcing girls to have sex with his dog, has been arrested.
The man has been on police wanted list since October last year but cannot be identified for now because there have been threats on his life since the story broke out.
Last year, irate Kalulushi residents ran riot and demanded the man’s arrest after a 16-year-old girl narrated her ordeal during a public meeting at the Kalulushi Mine Club.
The man evaded the wrath of the residents and relocated to an unknown destination before his capture.
In an interview in Kalulushi on Monday, Copperbelt commissioner of police Mary Tembo confirmed the arrest.
“We arrested the man in Ndola and he will be appearing in court in the first week of February,” Ms Tembo said.
She said police in Ndola have taken over the investigations from their Kalulushi counterparts.
In October residents stormed the man’s residence, shattered windows, looted household goods and partially set the house ablaze.
The residents also thronged Kalulushi police station and accused the officers of corruption and allegedly intimidating key witnesses.
The residents engaged police in skirmishes and demanded the arrest of the suspect, who had fled his home.
Police fired tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd, but the residents later regrouped and blocked roads with logs and stones.
The girl narrated how the man allegedly drugged her and forced her to have sex with his dog for over 45 minutes.
“I was at home cleaning plates when my friend asked me to escort her to see her boyfriend of European origin. When we arrived at his place, my friend introduced me to him and I was offered a drink, which I took. A few minutes later, I started dozing and when I woke up, I found a dog having sex with me,” the girl said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
She accused police of allegedly tampering with evidence and that her life was in danger because some police officers allegedly issued death threats against her and her mother.