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“Zanu-PF’s support for the small to medium enterprises has created hundreds of thousands of opportunities for self employment for Zimbabweans. The Zanu-PF initiated House Ownership Scheme has economically empowered the Zimbabwean worker who is now the property owner.
“Zanu-PF looks to the future with great hope for the Zimbabwean worker as the benefits of these and other economic initiatives are still to impact fully on the economy,” the department said.
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Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has aligned himself with the ZCTU faction led by Mr George Nkiwane whose gathering he will address at Gwanzura Stadium.
He snubbed the Lovemore Matombo-led faction that had invited him to officiate in the Harare Gardens.
PM Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Mr Luke Tamborinyoka confirmed yesterday that his boss will be at Gwanzura Stadium.
“The Prime Minister has always been committed to the fight for workers’ rights and we will attend celebrations at Gwanzura,” he said.
ZCTU split into two camps last year following a disputed elective congress characterised by infighting.
Mr Nkiwane said they invited the PM as ‘‘the head of government’’.
“We used to invite the Office of the President to the Workers Day and the Minister of Labour. Following the formation of the inclusive Government, we now invite the PM because according to the Global Political Agreement he is the Head of Government,” he said.
The PM is, however, not head of Government, but leads Government business in Parliament.
President Mugabe is the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
Mr Nkiwane said factionalism that rocked ZCTU was not affecting his organisation.
He said his organisation was elected by a well constituted congress and had no legitimacy problems.
“Workers know their representatives and you do not see us seeking relevance in newspapers. When we invited the PM we were not aware of what others were doing and we are just reading about his invitation by other organisations in the media,” he said.
Last Friday, Mr Matombo told journalists that they were expecting PM Tsvangirai to be at the Harare Gardens.
“We have sent an invitation to the Prime Minister, but he is yet to respond to our request. Only NCA chairman (Professor) Lovemore Madhuku and Munyaradzi Gwisai have confirmed their participation,” he said.
Mr Matombo challenged the inclusive Government to include workers in the indigenisation programme and increase pension payouts.
He said workers should benefit most from the 51 percent local shareholding advocated by Government.
Mr Matombo yesterday said it was unlikely that the PM would address the Nkiwane-led gathering.
He said the PM would not want to sow seeds of divisions in the labour movement.
“It is not the habit of Government leaders to choose a body to side with. It would be a travesty of justice if that happens.”
Mr Matombo said the Nkiwane faction was only using the PM’s name to lure workers.
He said if the PM attended the Nkiwane-led faction’s celebrations, his organisation would issue an appropriate statement.
Manufacturing and mining companies have since allotted workers and management shares under employee share ownership schemes as part of the indigenisation and economic empowerment drive.
Mr Matombo said they invited Progress Chipfumo, Dino Mudondo and Daiton Somanje to perform in the Harare Gardens.
He said his faction will celebrate the day under the theme: “Workers Unite, Restore Your Dignity and Fight for Poverty Datum Line Salaries.”
Mr Raymond Majongwe, secretary-general in the Matombo-led faction, took a swipe at unfair labour practices in the country.
“We blame the Government, MDC included, for its silence regarding serious labour law violations in the country. The Government is silent when foreigners are busy sexually abusing our women and killing our animals,” he said.
He said his organisation will advocate a National Incomes Policy to ensure every worker earned a salary above the Poverty Datum Line.
The Nkiwane-led faction will hold its celebrations under the theme: “By Words and Deeds We Are Proud to be ZCTU.”
ZFTU officials said they ended factionalism that rocked the union since August 2004 in preparation for the Workers Day commemorations.
ZFTU will mark the event at the Mbare Netball Complex together with a new union called Mushandimunhu Workers Federation.
ZFTU is now under an interim executive led by Mr Jacob Gwavava, while Mr Bernard Dhanda retains his secretary-general post.
“This year’s celebrations will be different since we now have one umbrella body and we are calling on workers to come in their numbers,” said Mr Dhanda.
ZFTU and Mushandimunhu Workers Federation will hold commemorations in other centres such as Bulawayo, Gweru, Kwekwe, Mutare, Masvingo, Chiredzi and Bindura.
Mr Dhanda said the main celebrations are slated for Chiredzi where the guest of honour is Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Cde Monica Mutsvangwa.
He said the occasion will also be graced by Zanu-PF secretary for Labour and Production Cde Dzikamai Mavhaire.
The two unions said in a joint statement that they were advocating an upward review of salaries for all workers.
“ZFTU and MWF are advocating the review of employee salaries across all the sectors and the participation of all employees in the share ownership schemes as they (the workers) are the driving force behind the economy,” they said.
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