Anti Corruption Bureau has powers to stop a strike -Nampota
Director of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), Alex Nampota has explained that the bureau has jurisdiction to stop an industrial strike.
ACB on Wednesday called off the strike by workers of Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom).
“ACB has powers under Section 21 to stop literally any transaction, any transaction, negotiation, contract so long as it affects investigations. So we have those powers to stop even a strike,” said the head of the frat-busting body.
Nampota said in remarks broadcast on Daybreak Malawi programme on Capital Radio, a closely held broadcaster.
He said the restriction notice against the strike was served on the ESCOM board chairman, Davis Katsonga, Chief Executive and the president of workers union.
“Any non compliance makes one liable to committal of a criminal offence in which punishment is 14 years imprisonment with hard labour,” said the ACB boss.
He said the strike by Escom workers strike has been affecting ACB probe on into the financial mismanagement that the parastatal spent K80 million on a Christmas party and gifts last Christmas.
“We mounted investigations and our investigation is established largely that there are problems of procurement in Escom. And part of the questions we have been raising how could management be approving parties and bonuses when the company is in red, when we have all these black-outs,” said Nampota.
“When we learnt about this strike, we got wary; we had to issue a restriction notice.”
The restriction notice ordered workers union and management of Escom not to transact or otherwise deal with pay out, hold negotiations or grant Christmas bonuses and Christmas parties to the employees without ACB boss consent.
Nampota said the strike has been affecting progress of the investigations because every time the bureau officers attempt to record ESCOM staffers statement, they are always reported to be engaged on strike talks.
“It’s affecting our investigations greatly, we want to move speedily. We are saying hand on, stop all these, let’s look into our investigations first to establish what is causing these shortages of finances in Escom. Who is responsible? Deal with those and then if you want your strike you can carry on later,” said Nampota.
But Malawi Congress of Trade Union (MCTU) General Secretary, Robert Mkwezalamba has said they are challenging the restriction notice.
Mkwezelamba said MCTU has instructed their lawyers to take up the matter.
Tagged with: ACB, Alex Nampota, Escom
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