ZCTU split imminent as fissures widen

an imminent split with a camp aligned to its president, Mr Lovemore Matombo, threatening dismissal of anyone who is going to attend the labour body’s Bulawayo congress this weekend.
Outgoing ZCTU secretary-general Mr Wellington Chibebe is reportedly backing Ms Lucia Matibenga for the presidency at the congress.

The Matombo faction, which is composed of eight ZCTU affiliates out of 33, has since filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court seeking an order to stop the congress.
The development comes amid indications that the ZCTU’s books of accounts have a US$720 000 deficit.
Yesterday, Mr Raymond Majongwe, who is in the Matombo camp told journalists in Harare that ZCTU members who attend the congress would have automatically expelled themselves.

ALSO SEE…

“Those who want to expel themselves from the ZCTU should go and partake at the congress,” he said.
Mr Majongwe took a swipe at Mr Chibebe accusing him of wishing to be the “Godfather” of trade unionism in Zimbabwe.
He also accused him of mismanaging the ZCTU.

“The reason of discord in the ZCTU is a result of certain personalities who believe that they own the ZCTU. We are saying the ZCTU is an institution created way back in 1981.
“We are not happy with the way Wellington Chibebe wants to run the ZCTU,” he said.
He claimed Mr Chibebe, who got a job in Brussels with the International Trade Union Confederation this year, should “pack his bags and go” to Belgium instead of destabilising the union.

“He is leaving the ZCTU with a deficit of US$720 000. He is leaving the ZCTU in chaos,” Mr Majongwe said.
Mr Majongwe also castigated Ms Matibenga saying she was planted in ZCTU by the MDC-T party.
He said the MDC-T should clear its name by explaining to the nation why it was interfering in labour issues.

Mr Majongwe claimed Ms Matibenga had an insatiable desire for power, citing her position in the MDC-T formation where she was the House of Assembly representative for Kuwadzana West and was earmarked to be governor for Masvingo at the formation of the inclusive Government.
Mr Majongwe said Mr Chibebe was manipulating the system to help his camp win positions at the Bulawayo congress.

He claimed Ms Matibenga’s Commercial Workers Union of Zimbabwe did not exist and it was surprising that it now claimed a membership of 41 000.
“As at January 2011 it had 41 000 members. In June it had 27 000 and as at July it had 19 000. It was not paying subscriptions (to the ZCTU) and only paid a lump sum at a later date,” he alleged.
Responding to the allegations yesterday, Mr Chibebe said only the ZCTU general council had the mandate to dismiss a member “and not people speaking from the mountains”.

“The GC is solely in charge of decisions as to who is admitted or dismissed from the ZCTU not a gathering of affiliates. They are violating the ZCTU constitution.
“The GC met on Saturday and approved unanimously that congress should go on. Until and unless the GC decides otherwise, we are going on with the congress,” he said.
Mr Chibebe claimed the Matombo camp attended the meeting and endorsed the decision.

He said it was shocking that they attended the general council meeting a day after they had filed an application at the High Court to stop the congress.
Mr Chibebe confirmed the deficit in the ZCTU’s books of accounts, but said it was around US$500 000.

The Chibebe camp was only served with copies of the application yesterday.
The deputy sheriff served Ms Matibenga with a copy of the application after she had initially refused to accept it.

The ZCTU is now expected to hold an urgent general council meeting this week to resolve the issues rocking the labour body.
The application by the eight unions at the High Court seeks an interim relief stopping the ZCTU from going ahead with congress set for this Friday and Saturday.

They are also seeking a final order declaring that Ms Matibenga is not entitled to represent the Commercial Workers Union of Zim-babwe.
The unions want the court to force the ZCTU to comply with its own constitution in the appointment and seconding of delegates to the congress.