By CHUSA SICHONE –
LUSAKA Boma local court magistrate Chansa Kalunga has vacated the Evelyn Hone College flat after being served with a 49-hour eviction notice, but is now demanding K6,000 repatriation from the institution.
But Evelyn Hone College human resource manager Mwelwa Mandona has questioned Mr Chansa’s motive by trying to resolve the matter through the media.
Mr Kalunga  told the Sunday Times in a walk-in interview last week that he vacated the Evelyn Hone College flat last Sunday following the 48 hours eviction notice he was served with by the institution on March 17, 2014.
Mr Kalunga, who is a former lecturer at the college, is now demanding to be paid K6,000 repatriation allowance by his former employer now that he has vacated the institution’s flat, besides any other terminal benefits due to him.
This is according to a letter availed to the Sunday Times dated March 20, 2014 addressed to the Evelyn Hone College principal signed by Mr Kalunga’s lawyer Lungu Simwanza and Company.
Mr Kalunga is demanding to be paid repatriation immediately, according to the payment criteria stipulated by former Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training Permanent Secretary Eva Jhala.
In a letter dated July 25, 2001 to the Evelyn Hone College, Mrs Jhala guided the institution to pay repatriation allowances to its former employees according to divisions, with division one where Mr Kalunga belonged, attracting a K6,000.
On gratuity, Mrs Jhala advised that the Evelyn Hone College pays its former employees on a contract for more than one year as per Cabinet Office Circular of February 26, 2001.
“I am requesting for my money, repatriation for now, using the guidelines by Eva Jhala written in 2001 to the principal of the Evelyn Hone College copied to the Evelyn Hone College management board chairperson,” Mr Kalunga said.
“Why are they failing to give me the repatriation of  K6,000? I left the institution on Sunday, March 23, 2014. And I have been following my gratuity, which is supposed to be paid instantly and my lawyer gave them these guidelines. Why are they failing to comply with the guidelines?” he asked.
Mr Kalunga charged that the Evelyn Hone College management needed to be summoned to Cabinet Office to explain why it was allegedly failing to comply with the circular number CO53/9/15 of February 26, 2001.
Mr Mandona said the institution through its lawyer had responded to Mr Chansa’s demands but wondered why the former employee was taking the matter to the media and why his legal representatives were communicating directly with the institution instead of through its lawyer.
“But Mr Kalunga, surely, should not be playing to the gallery. Is the money going to be paid through the Times of Zambia or rather through the media, surely? He’s got his lawyers,” he said.
“Our response to that letter has been that if there is any issue on this matter, it should be directed to our lawyer and then our response should be through our lawyer,” Mr Mandona said.
Mr Kalunga’s employment contract as a lecturer at Evelyn Hone College was terminated in 2007 after working for the institution since 1997.
He has been embroiled in a legal battle over his terminal benefits since then.