ZCTU President arrested

ZCTU President Lovemore Matombo and five other people were arrested by police. Also picked up were Michael Kandukutu, Percy Mcijo, Dumisani Ncube and Nawu Ndlovu who are still behind bars.

On Sunday night, five members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), including Matombo, were arrested in Victoria Falls.

Matombo was meeting with the ZCTU executive for the area, on the first leg of a countrywide tour of the union federation’s structures, when they were all arrested.

The group was set to spend yet another night behind bars on Monday night, and are expected in court Tuesday to face charges relating to the contravention the Public Order and Security Act (POSA).

Indications are that they are going to be charged with contravening POSA – holding a meeting without notifying the police. They are likely to apend the night behind bars again and appear in court tomorrow.
 
Meanwhile, more than 15 ZCTU activists who were arrested in December 2008 at the height of cash shortages during a peaceful demonstration organised by the ZCTU have been summoned to appear in court tomorrow (10 November).

However, according to law the summons are supposed to be issued 14 days before appearance in court but they were only served with the summons today late morning.
 
It would seem that cases against ZCTU that were considered closed are being revived as also the case that the ZCTU leadership and some staffers were being accused of misapproppriating foreign currency is set for court on 23 November 2009. The case had been thrown out for lack of evidence but the matter is now being revived.
 
We will keep you updated of further developments.
 
 
ZCTU Information Department