ZCTU boss calls it quits

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

George Nkiwane, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president, has decided to quit the organisation.

He has presided over arguably the quietest ZCTU over two decades.

ZCTU used to keep government on its toes over labour-related issues and was known for being vocal and active in organising protests against President Robert Mugabe’s government.

It, however, fizzled out in recent years amid internal leadership squabbles and strategies.

Nkiwane is expected to step down during ZCTU’s three-day conference that started on Thursday and the local independent media is speculating that Peter Mutasa, the president of the Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers Union (ZIBAWU) is among those gunning for his post.

There will be a special general council meeting at the beginning of the conference where nominations for posts will be made and elections for the presidency will be held on Saturday.

ZCTU has been forced to take a moderate approach to its engagement with government by, among other things, dwindling resources.

Only eight of the 36 affiliate unions will attend the conference because the rest are not paid up due to shrinking revenue bases, with some having defaulted since 2009.

The affiliates’ membership bases dwindled due to the massive closure of companies over the years and ZCTU is saddled with a $1.4 million debt.

“I have had my time and I have served the institution very well as far as I am concerned. It’s time for someone else to take over,” Nkiwane told the Financial Gazette.

“I am leaving the position a very happy man. Zimbabwe must know that I am not running for another term. I am against this handiende (I won’t go anywhere) culture,” he added.

Part of the Nkiwane leadership unsuccessfully fought to have the ongoing conference postponed to June next year so as to allow more members to pay up affiliation fees and ensure that participation.

Several unions, among them ZIBAWU, the National Energy Workers’ Union and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority Trade Union challenged attempts to have the conference postponed at the High Court.

The court urged the fighting factions to settle their matter out of court and a meeting that subsequently took place resulted in Nkiwane agreeing to have the conference this year and stepping down too.

Nkiwane’s five-year term ended on 31 August and reports indicate that he initially wanted to continue in office but gave in to pressure from rival unions which are anxious for new leadership. Nehanda Radio