Govt slaps Teachers Union of Malawi with court injunction over strike

April 8, 2021 Owen Khamula - Nyasa Times 86 Comments

Government has slapped obtained Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) with a court injunction to force teachers back in class.

YAS programmes manager Amos Simwela (c) addressing a news conference in Mzuzu

This has thrown the on-going negotiations between the government and TUM in disarray.

Willy Malimba the TUM president has confirmed that the union was served with the injunction immediately the leadership came out of the meeting it had with government representatives.

According to Malimba, TUM is surprised that government was at the court busy with the injunction when the meeting they arranged was still in progress.

Malimba said that the meeting they had with government representative on Thursday went well and they agreed to meet again tFriday for final stances.

But Malimba has said with the injunction, the meeting will no longer take place.

Meanwhile, Gospel Kazako, government spokesperson has asked for more time before he can comment on the matter.

Youth and Society (YAS) programmes manager Amos Simwela had warned that if the impasse is not resolved by Friday, it will engage its legal team to map the best way forward and hold nationwide protests next Tuesday.

“Government and TUM’s disagreements should never degenerate to the level of affecting the right to education of learners in public schools,” said Simwela.

Last year, schools were closed for five months due to Covid-19, and early this year, schools were also closed for five weeks following the second wave of the pandemic.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Follow us in Twitter

86 replies on “Govt slaps Teachers Union of Malawi with court injunction over strike”

  1. Tili kuma stand kuno kumvera tose alliance. Kwakhalaku mungotula pasi udindowo mr president .pa ma president ose alamulira malawi ndikoyamba kumva kuti xool akungotseka ngati kwadimaki kwadzaza 👣

  4. An injunction to stop people from striking… ha ha ha kuthedwa nzeru Tonse alliance of fools.

  5. Ife tili ku mastand kuonera tili pheeee! Mfana oganiza bhooo uja ali kuti? Zipani 9 kukanika kupeza yankho? Zomvetsa chisoni

  7. Which country in the world is giving teachers Covid allowance. Our teachers are welcome to go there and work. In as far as things are concerned the strike illegal because government has not flouted any agreement with its teacher to necessitate an industrial action. Government has never said that it will offer Covid allowance to teacher. If teachers want a job that offers such allowance they can quit teaching and apply for nursing

    1. Countries are giving PPEs to teachers yet Malawi doesnt. 2 buckets and 100 disposable masks pr school are a joke, hence all teachers are asking for is the equivalent in cash since PPEs have not been provided. Where is the problem with that

  8. Vaccine wabwera, all teachers to get the jab. Uyu cadet Malimba is bringing politics in this issue, lets wait and see who will win at the end

    1. Thats nonsense! do you mean people should not voice out their concerns on the pretext that they may be thought being in opposition? Do you mean to say if Tonse alliance is going astray people should be just watch? Thats total foolishness

  9. Is someone sure that an injunction will force a teacher to teach. it might force them to go to their place of work but will it force them to work effectively? Isn’t a horse being forced to go to a river to drink? How will they make the horse drink the water? This is becoming more nasty

    1. Those not willing to work should be fired. There are thousands looking for jobs. People are scrambling for what we inferior jobs like police officer, prison warders, teaching etc. Even to find a job as an undertaker is not easy.

      1. They cant be fired my friend its a right for every malawian and more importantly a civil servant has the right to industrial strike. We can not be intimidated by Tonse govt after all anatithetsa kale mantha kodi siwomwewa timakakumana nawo kumsewu pokamatcha ndiye lero zayipapati? Be careful with your comments! And Chilima once said on a rally in zomba that as long as the flag of malawi is green, red and black he was ready to die for justice so is the same now we are even ready to die for our rights! Avoid your stupidity when making comments otherwise better choose to close your mouth.

    1. Thats a very big mistake Tonse alliance is making and this will lower the standards at all cost! a teacher will go into class and waulawaula ana thats all so at the end who is the loser? Becoz zowaula zomwezo ndi zomwe mphunzitsi adzafunse pa mayeso a inu powona kuti ana akhoza will start celebrating that things are going on well in class but in the long term the consequencies will be unbearable bcoz ana aja adzakhala mbuli. Boma likwaniritse zomwe linawauza kuti awapatsa not kuwanamiza like makanda

      1. Why should people keep quite? Why should teachers be given Allowances? for what?

        Give us examples of Governments that are giving its teaches COVID allowances.
        what about other proffesions who also meet people,…. like courts staff, extension workers, Lands officers…. etc.. etc

  11. Good move and the government is simply following the law under the Labour Relations Act and it clearly states the involvement of the industrial Relations Court where parties don’t agree. No issues here basi Malimba apite Kwa mbuye wake APM.

  13. Teachers should noy be goven allowance. What is it for? Are they health workers? Akawapasa tgen it means all civil servants will demand the same, like police immigration, road traffic and alk departments coz they also work with the public. This is stupit idea by TUM. Doctors wirk with patients and they are at high risk.

    1. Boma wokha wokha made the pledge to give money to teachers. Secondly dont you see that its ridiculous to ask a teacher to teacher pupils to sew masks and yet monies were allocated to buy masks from suppliers? Where is this money? Thirdly, is it on that a teacher be K1,500 instead of K15,000 where was the other K13,500 going? So the teacher needs answers from all these. Yense who ate K13,500 must pay back the money to those teachers who were engaged in such trainings is simple like that

  14. I just fail to understand whether the Catholic Church still exist with their Pastoral letters. How about CCJP and PAC. Sometimes we listen to these bodies not knowing that they are satanic. Once they achieve their satanic movements, they stay quiet and celebrate their achievements. Let us be careful!!!

    2. Don’t attack the Catholic Church. It’s leadership uses it’s Brains. What are you doing with your own Brain, follow the leader Basi?

      1. Alekeni nkhutukumve ngati izi sindinaziwonepo! some said kuti andale amakhala anzeru when they are in opposition but once in power uuuuuh shaaaaaaaaaaaame!!!!!

    4. They are quite because this is not political. Had it been political you would have seen them

  15. This shows that we are back to one party system of government. You don’t need court injunction to stop your children who are crying to government for help. The issue is simple. The teachers are saying, in this Covid 19 situation Government is ready to buy Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) so as to prevent teachers from contracting Covid 19. The teachers are saying we don’t want to labour you government to go around the shops look for quotations and buy PPEs, then distribute them to various schools. Just take the same money and deposit it to teachers account and teachers will buy the PPEs by themselves and government agreed. It was put on paper and signed. Why is the government then going to court to seek injunction? This shows that there is an agreement between our Judges and government. How can a learned Judge give an injunction to such a clear case? And one wonders why the same courts are sitting on other injunctions that were applied by locals but have stayed for quite a long time without issuing an injunction. Yet fresh injunctions from high calibre people are receiving responses immediately. Malawians, are you sure there is nobody to interviene in these court issues? Are the Judges final?? This is giving us headache.

    1. This opinion is nonsense. Who told you that teachers will go buy PPE? Is this a banana republic where government do not assume the responsibility of sort. It is like you are saying, “government should not buy chalk or crayons, just give the teachers teaching materials allowance and they will go to the grocery store and buy.” I mean, how stupid is that.

  16. Chakwerayu ndi boma lake ndi anthu ankhaza kwambiri paja mumati boma lokomera wonse tu. Kukatenga chiletso kuti mufinyike musapange matukutuku. Put you at the corner. Pure of MCP government. Komanso paja ma Lawyer onse nga tonse alayansi. Pano wolamurira boma ndi ma lawyer. President wopanda mphamvu. Zinayamba zapangikanso kodi kuti boma lapanga chiretso choti ma nurse kapena adziphunzitsi atengetedwa chiretso. Tsono ife tisavutike nao nafe tiyeni achoke basi apange step down madermo. Pa nseu dziko lonse lidziwe ngati timaxhitira boma la Pita. Mutu wake Chakwera Must step down. Tiyeni tichite zoti nzako akuti konzu nawe umuti kunzu. Wakufinyani koopsa pamenapa kulibenao kutakasuka. Koma MUST STEP DOWN ndiye mutu wake poyamba paja mumati achoke achoke. Uyu. Comedian Must step down.

    1. We have had injunctions before on similar issues. In fact we were wondering why the government is taking time to do that. Mwinanso ife makolo tikanalowerera ndipo ngati mupite kuti mukachotse parents will join as Friends of court. Covid-19 allowances should not be a tool to trample on the childrens right to education which is paramount in the constitution.

      1. So your children’s right to education is ranked higher than the teachers right to life?. Give the teachers their damn PPEs or employ robots

      2. Maybe you parents should just purchase the PPEs for the teachers since government won’t do it.

      4. Kupondere za first come first saved ndiye justice yake yakuti imeneyi. Kodi ku Malawi kuno kuli Ivestiigation police independent directorate? Palibe chilungamo pamenepo ya chiwiriyo it’s out of order.

  17. Very good development…teachers must not get allowances
    Let them just get vaccine.
    Every civil servant&citizen is on risk so what’s special with teachers.
    Health personnels deserve allowances,they have a touch/taste me job and not tuwasambizi.
    Am extremely glad for the injection,it must last long…
    Monday,they must from today start preparing their lesson plans to teach from Monday.
    Very good development from Government.
    Regards,
    DURBAN
    KwaZulu NaTaL

    +27724922299

  20. FOSEKI
    These teachers are just looking for easy money. They were being paid salaries during lock down. Most of them live in houses wh they don’t even pay rent. These houses were built by parents of children they don’t want to teach.

  21. Government should have waited for the outcome of the negotiation. As he pees pictures of frustrated angry . So we do not expect the teachers to do their work well. In the end it is the pupils that will suffer.

  22. Chief Justice Nyirenda and the courts helped you to get into government, you want them again to help you run the government? Tili ku stand tikuonela the top joker and comedian wa Malawi Reveland Pastor Dr Lazalas Chakwela, the Court State President of Malawi.

    1. mwina soon a dpp azawavundukulila a malawi kumuonesa malimba kuti asankha kukhala presdent wa wa opposition.
      mwinatu nanga mnjunju naanga ofula agaluwu eh bwanji

  24. There’s one senior in government who is behind all this to frustrate the current regime
    Your guess is as good as mine

    1. Exactly what was in my mind!
      Will they force the teachers to teach? I doubt!!! So, this move by the government is ill-advised. They just want to save face that schools are in progress when in actual sense learners will still not be learning. I don’t think teachers will commit their effort to teach while their grievances are unresolved.

      1. Ndiye makolo tidzingoyang’anira ana athu asakuphunzira mphunzitsi ali pompo. Aziphunzitsi enatu mupezeka mwatumizidwa malo amene simumafuna. Do you know that the government has powers to transfer teachers. You recieve public money and the public has a say on your actions. Every school has PTA and that cannot just watch a teacher loitering around while receiving salaries. Wait until the end of the year.

  26. The problem here is that Chakwera was put in power by the courts and now he looks to the same to run the country for him. You can’t take an injunction to force teachers to teach, the students will be taught drivel.

    Grow some balls Mr preacherman! Fire your minister of education she is an idiot who only knows how to speak good English.

    1. Sizikugwilizana,
      These teachers are selfish, alot of people lost their jobs due to the covid 19 epidemic, but them for over a year they never worked but they were paid full salaries, if they Don’t want let them resign and go to the private sector,
      Tatola nawo, people lost jobs, but they’re busy shunning work, useless

    2. Wrong, Chakwera was not put into power by the courts, rather, voted into power by 50+1%. The thought of DPP ruling this country again makes me puke.

  27. So teachers want to receive allowances from someone they tippexed in the APM organised-elections? You teachers are a disgrace. You should have gone further studying. You deserve what you get monthly. It befits your previous hard work in school. You cry too much as if you are the only civil servants. That’s why you are used like condoms…..you helped rig elections when Malawians wanted change from idiocracy to prosperity from which you would have benefited by now. You delayed your own emancipation. You are at it again helping your TUM leadership become rich out of your ignorance. Upgrade chondeeeee for better reasoning. Are you the only civil servants interacting with the general public? Which section of the service works in vacuum? Every public officer interacts with people and become susceptible to contracting the virus!! You’re not very special because even in hospital, only frontline workers get those allowances! Umphawi osachita kupusa nawo chonchi. Covid money is for PPEs not allowances. Period!!! The dunderheadedness of your TUM leadership must fall.

  28. Tsopano a YAS mumafuna kupanga ziinetsero ziti akambilane mofulumila kapena kupanga force boma kuti likambirane ndi TUMU mofulumila. Chifukwa nanunso a YAS stage yanu ya protest siikumveka bwino. Mukunena kuti kunali holide ya 5 months yes ana ndi amene anapwetekedwa aphumzitsi amanjoyan kulandila ndrama ali pa holide apa tsopano akufuna azingokhala. Nchifukwa chake mafumu naonso aganiza ziti amphunzitsi akapanga stay away apangenso stay awayn mmanyumba apasukulupo chifukwa siao komanso nyumbazo sizaMalimba.

  29. I said it that you are dealing with certified crooks. They cheated you that they will give the allowances only to backtrack. Even the way they won the elections was full of trucks and treachery. They cheated Malawians with false promises which they knew they would not fulfill look at their president joker who makes promises that he never fulfills. This president is not only a joker but a certified crook and liar. Above all he is stupid and a dunserhead

  30. Force the teachers back in class no problem koma akakakuphunzitsirani ana ufiti mmalo mwa Maths osadzalira. Don’t say I didn’t warn you

    1. Game on now! If teachers continue being on strike with the injunction over TUM’s heads, Govt will have the right to fire defiant teachers who can’t respect the advice of experts like the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19.

      This TUM is very arrogant and being led by a cadet

    3. Osawapusitsa aziphunzitsi. Instead of buying PPE, pano azisonkhelana to pay a lawyer with court costs after they lose the case

  32. So you mean one person in TUM can order teachers to go on strike? You are a dreamer bentby. This strike is supported by the teachers. That’s why it’s taking place. The injunction won’t work. Let the courts go to schools and supervise the teachers while teaching and doing educational activities. Keep dreaming you Dunderheads.

    2. Same courts were heroes when they called for a presidential rerun. Today they are villains? Sounds daft.

    1. The truth is that teachers are at risk. And this clueless accidental government is downplaying this. Why treating teachers like this? Teachers do not be intimidated by this kwantere government and their captured judiciary. More fire! Labour disputes are not sorted through injunctions.

      1. You never never utter the words “…clueless accidental government ….” when we had one, in dpp. So you are not competent to say something sensible about government. Perhaps you should keep those ideas to yourself.

  35. the govt or teachers ain’t problem, the real problem is TUM, its is used by dpp to disturb govt. last time the vice of TUM agreed to go back to work and all teachers were set to resume their duties only to be stopped by malimba. this guy is politically compromised and he got nothing good for this country.

    2. For how long will teachers be treated like trash? Who is breaking the agreed deal here? TUM or kwantere? And you blame DPP? You must be too dull in your head.

    3. Every time this govt fails at something, out comes it’s surrogate blaming DPP for its failures. It’s embarrassing, if you don’t know how to govt just say so.
      Reminds me of Trump, everytime he was in trouble, it was “but Hillary..” for over four years

    4. Correct but not fully…you conveniently left out the fact that TUM kept to the agreement whilst the government never did!!! Teachers went back to class yet the agreed money never was paid. IS IT DPP THAT TOLD THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO STICK TO ITS AGREEMENT?????

    1. It’s not oppression, the govt has right to go court like everyone. If you say that then the. judge is the oppressor.
      Injunctions have been going on for years.

      1. But why go to court while you have representatives having discussions with the teachers????
        They dont have an inch of honor or self respect

    2. That’s the way to go, One man can’t hold this country on ransom , Malimba is being mislead by DPP , If they don’t report for duties it will be contempt of Court , just tell your representative to go for vaccine ,

    3. Spelling ya ” oppression ” salemba choncho kkkkkkkk. Who is oppressing who? This is misunderstanding between Employer & Employees. It is normal up until they come to a common ground. Are teachers at risk with COVID-19? My answer is yes. The problem is that the COVID-19 money is being siphoned at Government’s watch that’s why the likes of teachers are doing all this BUT resolve this amicably not injuctions cos then it will be a sit in going back to classes but kumakangokawawula ana.

      1. Covid allowances is given to villages through mpamba airtel transfers why not teachers?

Comments are closed.