The Judiciary Supporting Staff’s strike is turning into fifth week still yields nothing but only has amounted to police brutality, threats from Government to detain salaries.
The Judiciary staff are staging a sit in over housing allowance which government persists to call it illegal.
Minister of Finance and Economic Development Goodall Gondwe was the first to criticize the strike saying the housing allowance is no longer part of condition of service for Judiciary supporting staff.
However, Judiciary staff did not buy that but to continue with the strike until the court premises were invaded by police last week, to knock stubbornness out of them.
All these threats, torture failed to force the supporting staff to resume work, they do not want to quit the vow of meeting their demand.
The government seems also not to bow down to such demand, as in a statement released today, Chief Secretary to Government states that the demand for housing allowances is not supported by the law as it is not provided for in the conditions of service.
Following this government has directed the judiciary support staff to return to work immediately, failing which government shall withhold wages from all those who will continue with the illegal industrial action.
“In the meantime government is warning the support staff of the judiciary that it is illegal and an offence to block judicial premises and obstruct access to the courts. The members of the judiciary are therefore being directed to remove any object obstructing access to the courts,” part of statement reads.
Meanwhile, the leader of main opposition, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Lazarus Chakwera has condemned the actions which government employ for judiciary staff should return to work by threat
