Maravi

Tsvangirai sucked into ZCTU power struggle

Tsvangirai sucked into ZCTU power struggle
02/05/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has been sucked into an unseemly power struggle for the control of Zimbabwe’s biggest labour union. May Day celebrations on Tuesday dramatised a raging battle to control the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) – the union that catapulted Tsvangirai to the leadership of the MDC after over a decade as its secretary general.

Now the union is split into two camps: one led by former Tsvangirai ally, Lovemore Matombo, and the other by George Nkiwane, who now seems to enjoy Tsvangirai support. Nkiwane’s backers called a congress late last year and elected him leader. Matombo – whose term was up as per the ZCTU constitution – boycotted the congress and suggested it was illegally convened.

The two organisations held competing Workers’ Day celebrations, with Tsvangirai addressing more than a thousand workers who convened at Gwanzura Stadium under Nkiwane’s leadership.

Matombo, meanwhile, organised celebrations at the Harare Gardens which attracted some 300 workers and were attended by MDC leader Welshman Ncube and Mavambo-Kusile leader Simba Makoni.

Matombo warned Tsvangirai he risks alienating a large body of his traditional supporters in the workers’ movement by wading into the leadership dispute.

Raged Matombo: “If you are a father, and you make choices of which child you are going to support, then you cannot be regarded as the best father.”

Tsvangirai went to the Gwanzura celebrations with MDC-T secretary-general Tendai Biti, deputy chairman Morgan Komichi, organising secretary Nelson Chamisa, deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma and party spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora.

Matombo claimed the MDC-T leader had defied a party resolution that senior officials would not attend any of the commemorations so that they would not be seen to be taking sides in the dispute.

“Even if Tsvangirai did not like Matombo, he was not supposed to take sides because what he did is contrary to an MDC-T resolution made three weeks ago that they were not going to attend both meetings,” he said.

“The people who are going to suffer most are the workers because our agenda has been hijacked by the MDC-T and yet Tsvangirai is a former trade unionist who is being used by some MDC-T elements who want to settle scores and are using him to destroy the workers organisation which he formed.”

Tsvangirai deplored the divisions and called for an end to the factionalism, which he said were harming the country’s oldest and biggest labour body.

“I want to start by expressing my displeasure at the fact that there are two or more celebrations taking place today because labour has chosen to factionalise,” he said.

“Factions are in politics, not in labour unions and the working class cannot be divided on the basis of personalities. As labour, we have to unite and it is imperative to note that this day should unite us and not divide us, and so I want to appeal to the leaders to unite.”

Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, ZCTU

posted by MrK @ 5:02 PM