By Blessing Vava
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| They left an indelible mark-former ZCTU leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and the late Gibson Sibanda |
In 1999 two historic processes
occurred in Zimbabwe’s political landscape that shaped the political discourse
of the country. The processes, namely
the first National Working Peoples Convention in 1999, as well as the first
People’s Constitutional Convention. The two
processes led to the formation of a strong opposition political party the MDC,
with the latter leading to resolutions that rejected the Presidential appointed
Chidyausiku Commission draft constitution in 2000. All these processes were as
a result of a strong, coordinated, principled labour union that massively
contributed to blocking attempts by politicians to force a constitution on the
people of Zimbabwe. The trade union then
was under the tutelage of Morgan Tsvangirai and Gibson Sibanda who fought
fearlessly for a new constitution as a result of the flawed Lancaster House
Constitution that was being systematically used to suppress the working class
people and the vulnerable sectors of society. Hats off to that generation of
trade union leaders for putting that much needed pressure, forging alliances
with the students and peasants in bringing the constitutional debate on the
political arena.
The working class people who
gathered in Chitungwiza were fully cognisant that the writing of the new
constitution should not and never be a prerogative of politicians. That is why
they agreed that the process should be led by an independent constitutional commission defined by and
accountable to a conference of representatives of elected, civil and other
social groups.
This is one of the principled
as well as progressive stances that has always been associated with the workers
of Zimbabwe in particular the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). With
the economic scourge that closed down the industries and depleted the working
class people, still the ZCTU had remained a critical voice in as far as the
plight of the working class people, the economic and democratic revolution is
concerned. That is why the ZCTU, continued being part of other revolutionary democratic
processes that were to follow namely the 2nd Peoples Convention of
February 2008 that authored the Zimbabwe Peoples Charter. The Zimbabwe Peoples
Charter is a social democratic document that aims for a social democratic
state. It has a bias towards the working class people and above all it clearly
spelt out and re-affirmed what the working class people said in 1999 advocating
for a genuine people driven constitution for Zimbabwe. It was not surprising
that the ZCTU again joined the students and the NCA in July 2009 in resisting
the politician driven process by COPAC and that meeting called for the
abandonment of COPAC because the framework as enunciated through Article V1 of
the GPA deviated from all these historical processes. The Chitungwiza Convention
which the ZCTU leadership was part of agreed to this, ‘’If the inclusive
government and/or parliament do not heed our call to cease forthwith the
constitutional reform process as outlined in Article VI of the Global Political
Agreement (GPA), we will actively seek a rejection of any draft constitution
produced by the same process through campaigning for a No vote should that draft be brought to a
referendum,’’and one wonders
what has changed now.
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| The working class people clamoring for better remuneration |
However as the processes unfold, with
leadership renewal, infighting, factionalism and bankruptcy of the ZCTU, the
labour movement has suddenly made a U-turn.
The once vibrant, principled labour union seems to have backed down on their
earlier position of resisting a politician constitution and they have since
endorsed the COPAC draft. Such inconsistency in application of principle has
left me wondering what has really happened to the once principled ZCTU? Some
media reports have it on authority that the union received a ‘paltry’ $US87 000
funding from a European donor organisation called 3Fs, the handout, which we
are told was conditionally disbursed on condition that the ZCTU endorses the
COPAC draft. If the truth be told without fear or favour
and without a pinch of doubt the ZCTU leadership is out of touch with its
membership which did not participate in the COPAC process. This is a clear case
of personal interest overriding principle.
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| ZCTU secretary general Japhet Moyo seating 3rd in the front row, President George Nkiwane standing 4th from left |
The ZCTU leadership should be
reminded that the workers of Zimbabwe are not dunderheads, they are not
lifeless bodies, they are neither robots nor toys, they are breadwinners,
fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers and family heads of many households and they
are aware that this draft was fraudulently produced without their input, and
does not carry their aspirations. Only two unashamed individuals, George Nkiwane
and Japhet Moyo want to force their unpopular position on the working class
people of Zimbabwe. It is very clear that the position to support the draft is not
shared collectively by the working class people but rather it is a position of
these two individuals, and their drinking partners disguising themselves as a
ZCTU general council. These two individuals have clearly sacrificed principle
on the altar of political convenience and cheap pieces of silver. The real
workers want a people driven process; they said it in 1999, 2000, 2008 and they
said it again in 2009, and there is absolutely nothing in that draft that will
lift the aspirations of the working class people.
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| Minister and unionist in one-Lucy Matibenga |
Its an open secret that the
ZCTU is a now beleaguered union, led by career unionists who
are now serving interests of political parties especially the MDC-t at the
expense of its membership, the workers. The ZCTU has lost ground and does not
represent workers; hence they only shout from their air conditioned offices at
Chester House when workers are wallowing in poverty. It is now an empty shell
of its former self in that like any empty vessels making a lot of uncoordinated
noise aimed at massaging the egos of factional politics. They are busy bringing
commissions to investigate internal feuds in the MDC-t and paying lip-service
to collective bargaining. Spending time eating cakes and drinking tea with the
minister of labour and that of public service while forgetting the bona-fide
workers who are chasing after the blood of the same. What sort of a workers
union that endorses a process where MPs were grossing $100 a day at a time when majority of its membership are
getting salaries way below $250 a month. A process, in which they never
participated and still will be participating on the peripheries and still
declaring to vote YES. A constitution that does not clearly carry the aspirations
of the working class people. Shockingly in their leadership, still is Minister
of Public Service Lucia Matibenga, as one of their Deputy Presidents. Talk of corporate incest, this is what exactly
they are doing. How does she act the boss and the servant at the same time? It
doesn’t work. She has to be clear on what she wants and relinquish one of her
posts. What is clear is that the workers are lacking leadership as exhibited by
the guys at the helm of the ZCTU, whose ambitions for positions in an MDC-T led
government should the party wins the next elections is now open. The workers
union has to re-invent itself and rising above personal and egoistic interests
and strive for the uplifting of the
livelihoods of the working class people. Zvazviri!
Blessing 'Vuvuzela' Vava is a blogger
from Chipinge. He writes here in his personal capacity, the views expressed in
this article are entirely his and not in any way views of an organisation. He can
be contacted on blessingvava@gmail.com
