COPPERBELT University (CBU) workers have gone on a protest demanding the nullification of appointment of Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

The workers staged a sit-in protest demanding that the two appointments should be nullified because procedure was not followed in making the recommendations.

On November 9, this year, the workers unions appealed to Government to nullify the recommendations made by the university council on the appointments of Vice-Chancellor Professor Naison Ngoma and his deputy Dr Shadreck Chama.

Copperbelt University Academics Union (CBUAU) and the Copperbelt University Allied Workers Union (CBUAWU) appealed to Government to direct that the council be reconvened within 14 days to receive the report from the search committee for the position of the vice chancellor.

Others are the Copperbelt University Senior Administrative and Technical Staff Union (CUSATSU) and the Copperbelt University Students Union (COBUSU).

They stated that the recommendations to appoint the Vice-Chancellor and his deputy were not done in a transparent manner.

They contended that the University Council chairperson had excluded some council members during the meeting held on November 07, this year.

CBUAWU general secretary Collins Mutonga on behalf of other unions said the group that made recommendations on the position of the Vice-Chancellor was "illegal" and did not constitute a full council or any committee of the council mandated to make decisions.

In a complaint letter to Education Minister, the unions claimed that the chairperson "deliberately and purposely" excluded some members on the basis that they were union and senate representatives.

But CBU registrar Allan Ilunga announced the appointment of Prof. Ngoma as Vice-Chancellor and Dr Chama as deputy vice-chancellor respectively.

Mr Ilunga said in a statement that Prof. Ngoma had served in various portfolios at CBU for over 30 years while Dr Chama had vast experience for 17 years.