Dear Editor
In December 2014 your popular online paper published a story of how a Receptionist was made to act as Operations Manager at Mulungushi Village Complex despite not meeting the required qualifications for the job. The Receptionist by the name of Susan Kabwe has been having an affair with the Chief Executive Officer Mr. Bwalya Chilolo. When the story was published in your popular online newspaper the Board headed by Dr. Sylvester Mashamba guided management that the position be advertised and a suitable candidate be identified. The position was then advertised as guided by the Board in the three leading newspapers and over 150 candidates’ respondent to the advert. Mr. Chilolo Bwalya the Chief Executive Officer managed to sweet talk the Board Chair to ensure that Ms. Susan Kabwe was offered a job despite not meeting the qualifications of a degree and five years’ work experience. Ms. Kabwe is the holder of a Certificate in Front Office and currently in her first year at Liutbum University studying Hospitality Management. Despite with the full knowledge of the qualifications for the job the Board Chairperson who is compromised by the CEO approved the recruitment. In March this year the Board Chair and the CEO attended a workshop in German and together spent over K100,000. Mulungushi Village Complex is the company that is facing numerous problems such as 1. It has no kitchen and Conference Hall, 2. It has to build the Laundry and 3. Work on dilapidated Villas and roads. The compromised Board Chair and the CEO did not see the need to channel the funds in improving the projects at Mulungushi but instead chose to attend the workshop in Germany. Currently the CEO has sent two employees to China for over a week to collect quotations. Quotations can be collected from internet and we wonder why he decided to send employees physically to collect the quotations. We have information that he uses the company to buy items from China and use the company money to clear his personal properties. A matter that can fully be investigated.
When he appointed Ms. Kabwe as Operations Manager the CEO told employees that “Mango yakwa Susan yalipya”. So far he has terminated two contracts of employees who were a threat to Ms. Kabwe and transferred others to Kepa complex. The CEO has protections from the Board Chair and nothing can happen to correct the situation at Mulungushi. We as Union members we want to know what criteria did the Board use to shortlist the position of Operations Manager? How did they interview someone who is still studying and given the job at the expense of experienced candidates who applied for the job? We want to know how the Board resolved to award a competitive job to Ms. Susan Kabwe. We shall not rest until justice takes its rightful position. The position of Operations Manager required someone to have a degree and five years qualifications and how did the Board made a decision to offer the job to Ms. Susan Kabwe who is not qualified. We beg answers from the Board Chairperson. Can the Board with all the respect and dignity choose to take that route of giving the job to someone who is not qualified?
We also want answers from the Board over our colleagues whose jobs are being terminated on account of participating in the interviews. What sin did our friends commit? Already our two union members Ms. Yvonne Mumba and Ms. Muunga Shandavu have their contracts terminated on account of participating in the interviews. These two employees are both degree holders. The CEO told employees at one of the staff meetings that he wants to remove everyone in the Operations Department and employ new ones so that he creates an enabling environment for Ms. Susan Kabwe to work freely.
We unionized employees we shall not rest but fight these injustices at Mulungushi Village Complex. Mulungushi Village does not belong to Bwalya Chilolo, Sylvester Mashamba and Susan Kabwe but to the Government of the Republic of Zambia. The CEO has so far targeted certain individuals to be declared redundant who he thinks are not in good books with him.
Unionized Employees of Mulungushi Village Complex Limited