By Cathy Maulidi & Brenda Kayo:
Some officers at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services have announced that they will go on strike from today if director general Brigadier Charles Kalumo (retired) is not fired.
The concerned officers have made their intention known in a letter, dated June 5 2024, addressed to officers and stakeholders.
They released the letter Wednesday.
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In the letter, the concerned officers state that they will go on an indefinite strike to force the government’s hand on the issue.
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Apart from addressing government officials, they have penned stakeholders such as Ethiopian Airlines, Malawi Airlines, Kenya Airlines, Transporters Association of Malawi and all travel agents.
In the letter, the officers warn thus: “The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services will commence industrial action on 6th June 2024, should the Ministry of Homeland Security fail to address the concerns raised by the department by close of business on 5th June 2024.
“You are, therefore, advised that there shall be no immigration services in all formations including and, importantly so, all airports. Take note that we shall not hesitate to advise resumption of services once our concerns are addressed.”
The officers claim that they have resorted to staging a strike after engaging officials from the Ministry of Homeland Security on the matter last week.
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During the meeting, which was held with Principal Secretary (PS) responsible for Administration Erica Maganga on Monday last week, the officers threatened to down tools if their demands were not met within 10 days.
“We have given the ministry 10 days to get back to us,” a representative of the officers, Inspector Charles Chisi, told journalists on the day.
The officers told the PS that they were not happy with treatment some officers were getting.
“Officers are being suspended, being sent to retirement before their retirement age and this is done verbally. Things don’t go that way in government. Some officers have been on suspension for over a year and they still do not know their fate,” Chisi said.
Information shared at the meeting with the PS further indicated that over 40 officers have been verbally suspended at the department.
“Things are not working at the Immigration [Department]. In the past, we had an Immigration [Department that was] issuing passports in the North and Southern regions but, now, passports are being issued only in Lilongwe. This has resulted in chaos at the department. People are sleeping along the road at the department. This is sad but the leadership is not giving a chance to officers who are willing to help to do so,” Chisi added.
Meanwhile, security expert Wilson Khembo has said if the threat materialises, it would have adverse impacts on service users, apart from generating wider social and economic impacts on Malawi and its economy.
“Besides the mentioned impacts, the security of our borders, which is critical to our prosperity as a nation, [will be affected],” he said.
On Monday, Human Rights Defenders Coalition Chairperson Gift Trapence urged President Lazarus Chakwera to intervene in the issue.
“President Chakwera must act decisively to uphold the rights and dignity of all Malawians in this critical situation,” Trapence said.
Presidential spokesperson Anthony Kasunda referred us to government spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu, who said Malawian citizens are at liberty to express themselves or reflect on how public institutions are performing.
He, however, said employment in the Department of Immigration is guided by the laws of the land, with contracts for people like the department’s director general being premised on conditions.
Terms of such contracts, he said, include how a vacancy shall arise in the office and the procedures to be followed when filling such a vacancy.
“Performance of all public institutions is continuously closely monitored to ensure that best services are provided to Malawians. Government’s primary interest is to see the passport issuance system fully functional in all regions and it remains government’s commitment to have the offices fully operational soon,” he said.
Kalumo was not available for a comment.
On his part, Homeland Security Minister Ken Zikhale Ng’oma condemned the move by the officers, saying they did not give the ministry enough time to look into the matter.
“We are open to dialogue but the approach they have taken is not good. They were supposed to give us enough time to deliberate on the matter. This is a security issue; they are not supposed to do that.
“It’s just last week when they brought their concerns to my ministry and, today, they are going on strike? No. This is unprocedural and the law shall take its course,” Zikhale Ng’oma said.
