By Isaac Salima & Pemphero Malimba:

Some of the teachers that have been transferred to various districts have dared the government, saying they will not honour the transfers as they smell a rat.

The development comes after the government has transferred leaders of a group called Concerned Civil Servants, which was, last week, blocked from conducting planned peaceful demonstrations in Lilongwe.

The decision has been made, and reflected, in a letter from the Local Government Service Commission.

The commission’s executive secretary Edward Talota has signed the letter.

Some members of the group announced that they would conduct demonstrations to express their displeasure over the proposed 20 percent salary hike, which becomes effective on April 1 this year. Their planned demonstrations last week were disrupted by panga-wielding people who hacked some of the civil servants.

The Government Negotiating Team, Civil Servants Trade Union and Teachers Union of Malawi agreed on the hike after a series of talks on the matter.

The letter indicates that the Concerned Civil Servants leader Madalitso Banda has been transferred from Ntchisi to Mchinji District while vice chairperson Trouble Myaba has been transferred from Mzimba District to Ntcheu District.

The group’s secretary Gloria Kagona has been transferred from Blantyre to Nsanje district.

Other members—namely Bettie Mponda, Moses Zimba, Yona Chindamba, Rebecca Malizani, Jane Sandina, Yesaya Kaoza, George Mutanga, Alfred Piyo, Jane Mwale, Mengezi Mwalwanda Kamanga and Mphatso Banda—have also been transferred from their workstations to other districts.

In an interview, Myaba said the group was concerned with the transfers.

“We are very dismayed and have called for an emergency meeting to map the way forward. But I feel [like] we will be getting a court injunction soon,” he told The Daily Times.

Kagona also questioned the transfers.

“The ministry told us that it will only be accepting cross transfers. It told us that no transfers between districts will be allowed. So why move us from one district to another?” Kagona said.

The concerned teachers’ spokesperson Bettie Mponda said the transfers raised more questions than answers.

“We know that it is because of our recent association with those who have been organising the demos. Why only us, teachers? We will sit and discuss the matter,” she said.

On his part, education rights activist Benedicto Kondowe described the timing of the transfers as suspicious.

When contacted, Ministry of Education spokesperson Mphatso Nkuonera advised T