The Zambia United Local Authority and Allied Workers Union (ZULAAWU) is facing a storm of controversy after its elective Quadrennial Conference at Mulungushi Conference Center ended in bitter dispute.
Monze Town Council Chairperson and presidential contender, Kanchele Kanchele, has outright rejected the results, branding the process a sham riddled with irregularities.
Kanchele, who vied for the presidency, accused the national executive of manipulating the vote and the Labour Commissioner of turning a blind eye to constitutional violations.
“This was not an election. It was a staged coronation. Delegates were smuggled in, rules were ignored, and the will of the members was trampled upon,” he said.
He said the allegations of electoral fraud can be noticed from the a number of issues which were noticed.
“Contestants were denied the constitutionally guaranteed five minutes to present their manifestos. Delegates were not properly vetted, with ineligible voters including promoted officials barred from voting allowed to cast ballots.”
We also have evidence of extra delegates, not sanctioned by the constitution, were allegedly brought in to tilt the outcome of course the moving nomination day which was abruptly shifted from Wednesday to Tuesday, disenfranchising some delegates.
Beyond the disputed vote, Kanchele highlighted deeper rot within the union. He revealed that members have not received financial reports for over a decade, despite repeated demands.
“The executive hides behind excuses, telling us to produce branch reports first. Meanwhile, ten years of national finances remain unaccounted for. This is not leadership it is impunity,” he charged.
He said Union members are hungry for reform and transparency but are instead met with an executive “forcing itself on the people,” eroding trust and destroying the union’s credibility.
The fallout from the Mulungushi conference has left ZULAAWU at a crossroads, with calls growing louder for independent scrutiny of the election and a return to constitutional order.
