National Assembly Workers Accept 24% Increment; To receive 18% in this budget year, outstanding arrear of 6% to be paid next budget year

National Assembly Workers Accept 24% Increment; To receive 18% in this budget year, outstanding arrear of 6% to be paid next budget year

The National Assembly workers have resumed work on Thursday having accepted 24% salary increment which part of it will be outstanding arrears to be paid in in the next budget year.

Government has put on table the demanded 24% salary increment which its full implementation shall be in the next budget year. In this 2014-2015 budget year effective October 2014 workers have accepted to receive 18% and the remaining 6% will be paid in arrears in the next budget year in July.

President for the Parliamentary Workers Union Leonard Tilingamawa said in an interview that they have accepted the offer on Wednesday evening when the official communication reached them at around 16:00 hours.

He said workers accepted to go back to work because there is a signed document of  assurance from government to pay 6% arrear in next budget year.

"We decided to accept the offer" he said, "the offer has not been made on principle, but we have a signed document by Deputy Chief Secretary Willie Samute assuring us that these arrears will indeed be paid"

National Assembly deliberations were halted for two sitting days due to the strike. 

Parliamentary Workers Declines 24% in Installments; As Govt Says Ready to pay 18%, remaining 6% i next budget Year.

Parliamentary Workers Declines 24% in Installments; As Govt Says Ready to pay 18%, remaining 6% i next budget Year.

The striking parliamentary workers have declined an offer that government has put on table as a way of listening to their 24% pay increment.

Government says is ready to offer them 24% increase as per their demands but will be paying in installments. 18% will be paid now and the raining 6% shall be paid in the next budget year in July as outstanding arrears.

Leonard Tilingamawa President for Parliamentary Workers Union in a telephone interview said the offer has been declined by the workers because this may cause uncertainty in future where the outstanding funds may not be paid.

"They have approved our 24% demand in principal but the implementation is that they will be paying us 18% now but in the next budget they will fully implement the 24% by including payment of the outstanding arrears of 6% in July" 

"In our Wednesday meeting as  Parliamentary staff we have stuck to our demands that the increase be in full" he said 

'In our calculations the six percent government say can not pay us at this moment translates close to K2.7 million per month for about 150 workers. We believe government cannot fail paying us this little money" he said. 

He added "If nothing happens then we are not going back to work"

The negotiations between government and parliamentary workers began following salary adjustment government made to various departments and Ministries effective October 2014.

Government maintains that workers from other departments and ministries have been receiving higher wages as compared to other workers of compared position and education level. And government has been explaining that the increment made to civil service was not salary increment but a salary harmonisation.

Namata, Kasamba restitutes K24.1 stolen from government

Namata, Kasamba restitutes K24.1 stolen from government 

The convicted cash gate Maxwell Namata and Luke Kasamba have restituted the K24.1 they defrauded from government.

In their appearance at the Lilongwe High Court on Wednesday before Justice Anabel Mtalimanja for sentence submissions one of the lawyers for the accused Raphael Kasambara told the court that Namata has made restitution of K14 million he is being accused of while Luke Kasamba has made a restitution of K4. 83 Million and a Truck worth K7 million. The vehicle will be sold and the proceeds will cover the real cash Kasamba got from government. But if the vehicle is sold and the proceeds does not reach K7 million then the accused will be forced to use other means to outsource the remaining amount.

The case has been adjourned to a date to be announced later.

Be Patient Access to Information Bill will be introduced in next sessions- Mutharika

Be Patient Access to Information Bill will be introduced in next sessions- Mutharika

President Professor Peter Mutharika says his government will introduce Access to Information Bill in the upcoming National Assembly Sessions because the current 3rd Meeting of National Assembly has already lined up other bills.

Mutharika was speaking to Journalist in Lilongwe at Kamuzu Palace upon return from AU summit.

He said it is not possible that current Meeting of National Assembly which is to sit for only three weeks to debate on all government proposed legislations in one session.

"We cannot introduce all the laws in one session of parliament. It also should be known that there are other four major bills lined up for debate

during the current sitting" he among them mentioned Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Bill of 2015, Trafficking in Persons Bill and the bill which is to regulate Sachets liquor.

Mutharika said "We will not be able to finish all those, if we don't we have another session. Next session there will be other bills. Access to information bill will be coming up" adding that journalist should be patient as his five years tenure of office his government pass lot of bills.

"I can assure you that we are committed to access to information, we are committed to freedom of press.." Adding that his government has also opened up the state broadcaster for everyone.

Pres Mutharika Pleads With Parliamentary Striking Workers; Back to Work Pending Ongoing Negotiations

Pres Mutharika Pleads With Parliamentary Striking Workers; Back to Work Pending Ongoing Negotiations

President Professor Peter Mutharika has expressed hope that the solution will soon be reached on the demands being made by the striking staff at the National Assembly.

National Assembly staff have began their strike on Tuesday morning demanding 24% pay increment as was approved by the Parliamentary Service Commission 

Speaking at a press conference held at Kamuzu Palace on Tuesday evening where he was informing the media about his trip to Addis Ababa, for the 24th Session of the Summit of the African Union, president Mutharika said as negotiations continue on the staff demands there is need for all workers to go back to work pending on going discussions.

President Mutharika said he is well informed that the Parliament workers were offered similar pay hike just like all other workers in civil service for example he said "a Clerk of Parliament would get similar salary just like any other PS (Principle Secretary)" in any other Government  Ministry is getting.

The President also indicated that in the morning of Tuesday he sent a message to the speaker that it is important that the workers go back to work as government and team from National Assembly continues with discussions. Mutharuka also expressed hope that the ongoing negotiations will be in good faith but repeated that just like all other workers in civil service, offer made previously by government to parliament workers was normal as government continue with the process of salary harmonisation.

However, President for the Parliamentary Staff Union Leonard Tilingamawa said they will end their strike only if the Treasury will bow to their demands.

Parliament At Standstill: Staff on Strike

Parliament At Standstill

All staff at Malawi National Assembly have began strike demanding government to honor their demand of 24% pay hike.

Workers are outside playing various games including football and many of them dressed in red clothing.

Loud music being played from the speakers outside the National Assembly.

President for the Parliamentary Staff Union Leonard Tilingamawa in an interview said "Government is not meeting our demands we submitted our conditions of services after an approval by Parliamentary Service Commission of 24% as an average. When that was submitted to Treasury there they said could not effect that and they gave us 10% so we refused that offer and on yesterday they came back with a proposal of 18% and we are saying we don't want the 18% they are offering us." He said

The situation has forced members of parliament to go back home. But it is not known of the National Assembly is to meet this afternoon.

All parliament doors including Ministers entrance are closed leaving only the main entrance into the national assembly but no one is allowed to enter into the Parliament.

"I've been in Parliament for 25 years I have never seen this embarrassment this shows that government ignores other arms of government and they don't care listen to demands by government staff." Said Uladi Mussa a Leader of Peoples Party in Parliament

No More Importation, Exportation of Round Wood

Stakeholders appearing before Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change have imposed a ban effective Monday 2nd February 2015 on Round Wood one of the endangered species.

The ban also suspends the licenses people used in importation and exportation of Round Wood from Zambia and from any other country.