Clutch lever movement

I have the transmission out of my Mazda 323 GTX to replace the clutch. The clutch lever (fork?) that the clutch slave cylinder presses against is very hard to move. I cannot move it by hand but it will move with a pry bar or hammer to tap it in the direction it would go to release the clutch. 

Am I wrong in thinking that this is too stiff? All the other transmissions I have worked on have a clutch fork with one pivot that is easy to move. This has a shaft going down into the bellhousing with two bushings that it pivots on. Should I take those off and clean everything up and lube it? The clutch pedal did return slowly when I drove it. 

it looks like a bolt in pivot to me.  i would pull it apart and lube it.  i cant see why in good working order it would be still

No, you're right.  That needs to move extremely freely.

Stiff clutch lever pivots was a huge problem on Subarus with pull type clutches.  It was the normal reason for the clutches to slip, since they'd prevent full release, and it doesn't take long for that to turn into a smoked clutch.  (Remember when Bob Poling lost his clutch at a rallycross?  That was why)

In reply to Knurled. :

That would explain why the bellhousing was full of clutch dust.