Squabbling mine union leaders, Chewe, Chimfwembe reconcile

Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) president, Joseph Chewe, and Mine, Fact and Allied Workers General Secretary, Levi Chimfwembe, have reconciled.

Copperbelt Minister, Elisha Matambo, had called for unity of purpose among the unions to foster development.>

During a meeting facilitated by Matambo on Thursday in Ndola, the two who almost sized each other through fists revealed they had reconciled.

“I have decided to forgive my brother (Chewe), he is our Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) first vice president and I campaigned and voted for him, we have buried our differences,” Chimfwembe said.

Chewe also said: “The differences between me and my brother (Chimfwembe) no longer exist, we may differ but what is important is to reconcile because we serve one purpose.”

The Copperbelt Minister thanked the two for showing exemplary leadership.

“You have done well to shame the devil, this is leadership, when you differ, you get together and reconcile,” Matambo said.

He reassured union leaders that issues surrounding Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) and Chambishi Metals would in record time be resolved.

On Tuesday, Chewe reportedly stormed a meeting where five union leaders held a meeting resulting in a near punch up.

This was after the unions accused Chewe and his National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) and United Mineworkers Union of Zambia (UMUZ) counterparts, Saul Simujika and Wisdom Chansa, of being hypocrites and lacking integrity.

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