By Pemphero Malimba:
Disagreements between representatives of National Registration Bureau (NRB) interns have been blamed for the aborted sit-in that was slated for August 1 2024.
On July 31 2024, representatives of the interns wrote a letter in which they announced that they would embark on the sit-in as one way of forcing management to address their grievances.
Their grievances were premised on the high cost of living which, they said, forced them to live miserably as their K150,000 monthly stipend was not enough for them to meet their needs.
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In the letter, allegedly signed by the group’s chairperson Mickliss Samuel, vice chairperson Febronia Wallace and secretary Gregory Undertree, the interns indicated that they resolved to embark on the sit-in as the bureau was taking time to address their concerns per a communique released during a recent day-long meeting between representatives of the interns and the bureau’s management.
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“Be assured as the sit in is in progress [from August 1 that] we are still open and ready for a positive response that will help level up all the grievances,” the letter reads.
But Undertree told The Daily Times on Sunday that the sit-in was yet to start.
He said this was the case as there were divisions among representatives of the interns.
“At a recent meeting, we were promised that the bureau was going to address our concerns in early August.
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“However, we were not in agreement with the letter that was written about the sit-in as we are waiting for the bureau to fulfill its promise,” Undertree said.
He accused Samuel of writing the letter without his consent.
“We have since logged a complaint and are waiting for the progress of the matter,” he said.
Samuel, who is working under the bureau in Mchinji, confirmed that he has been sanctioned for questioning at Mchinji Police Station today (Monday).
He, however, dismissed reports that some of the signatories on the initial letter did not pend their signature on it.
“I can confirm that I will be appearing before police officers in Mchinji because they are questioning me on [the issue of me allegedly] inciting violence at the workstation and other issues.
“But the truth of the matter is that he [one of the signatories] sent me the signature via WhatsApp because he stays in Thyolo and I stay in Mchinji,” he said.
Mchinji Police Station spokesperson Limbani Mpinganjira promised to furnish us with details on the matter today (Monday).
“I cannot confirm if this is true or not. I will come back to you on Monday once I get the facts,” Mpinganjira said.
Speaking to The Daily Times last week, NRB Principal Secretary Mphatso Sambo questioned the wisdom of organising the strike, saying it may not reflect well on the interns and compromise their future employability chances.
“Management has spoken with them to explain that government processes require patience and cannot be rushed.
“Unfortunately, some interns demand payment in the field despite the standard practice of paying [people] after work is completed,” Sambo said.
The interns firstly wrote the bureau on July 8 2024 in which they asked for an increase of field allowances they get from K70,000 a month to K280,000 to be paid per phase (week).
Recently, social commentator Wonderful Mkhutche said the interns were not wrong to ask for the increase of the field allowance package.
“But the increment must be done in line with labour laws,” Mkhutche said.
