By Isaac Salima, Feston Malekezo & Cathy Maulidi:
Representatives of Malawi Judiciary Members of Staff Union and members of the Executive are expected to meet in Lilongwe today to discuss means of resolving differences that have culminated in an industrial strike.
Magistrates and judicial support staff Thursday started a nationwide sit-in as one way of forcing the Executive arm of the government to review their salaries and conditions of service.
They, therefore, downed tools nationwide, including in the cities of Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.
Publicity Secretary of Malawi Judiciary Members of Staff Union, Andy Haliwa, said that they will continue with the strike until their grievances are addressed.
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“We are pleased that the State House intervened by delegating Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Mr Ephraim Chivunde, who called for a roundtable where we also spoke with the Minister of Finance [Simplex Chithyola Banda] through the phone. We have agreed that we meet the Minister and other officials tomorrow [Friday] in Lilongwe,” Haliwa said.
In Blantyre, the sit-in started with members of staff shutting down the main entrance of the Judiciary headquarters with tree branches while chanting songs.
This was happening when, just metres away, President Lazarus Chakwera was expected to open this year’s trade fair at the Chichiri Trade Fair Grounds.
Some law enforcers, led by South West Region Commissioner Noel Kaira, rushed to control the situation.
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In Mzuzu and Lilongwe cities, no vehicle and unauthorised person were allowed entry into court premises as magistrates and support staff held the industrial strike.
They vowed not to relent until their concerns are addressed.
They said they have been moved to resort to that action because they want security allowances (for members of staff) and renumeration revision, which they said has not been done since 2021 (in arrears).
The workers said the last discussion on the issues was in 2022 and that, since then, the Executive has been coy on the issues.
The workers gathered at the main entrance of the court house, where they chanted songs, as some women were seen plaiting their hair.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Justice spokesperson Frank Namangale has said the sit-in has affected their operations.
“You know that we take cases to courts on daily basis and the sit-in has affected our operations. Authorities are addressing the issue,” he said.
Ministry of Finance spokesperson Williams Banda confirmed that the meeting is on today in Lilongwe.
He said negotiations on the issue have been ongoing and expressed hope that today’s roundtable will yield desired fruits.
