US embassy cable - 05HARARE617

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000617 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR BNEULING 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVELLE, D. TEITELBAUM 
USDOC FOR ROBERT TELCHIN, TREASURY FOR OREN WYCHE-SHAW, 
PASS USTR FOR FLORIZELLE LISER, STATE PASS USAID FOR 
MARJORIE COPSON, US MISSION GENEVA FOR JOHN CHAMBERLIN, 
USDOL FOR ROBERT YOUNG 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2009 
TAGS: ELAB, PGOV, ECON, ZI, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) 
SUBJECT: GOZ GOES AFTER ZCTU 
 
Classified By: Charge' de' affaires Eric T. Schultz a.i. for reason 1.5 
 d 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) Since the March 31 Parliamentary elections, the 
leaders of three unions have been pressing for a leadership 
change at the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). 
Among other charges, the three union leaders have alleged 
financial malfeasance.  However, the ZCTU leadership and many 
of the other union leaders see the hand of the GOZ in this 
leadership challenge, which even if unsuccessful could still 
result in a Labor Ministry investigation that could hamstring 
ZCTU activities.  End Summary. 
 
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ZCTU Leadership Under Attack 
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2. (C) Deputy General Secretary of Zimbabwe Construction and 
Allied Workers Union Mazarura, Associated Mine Workers of 
Zimbabwe General Secretary Midzi, and Zimbabwe Leather Shoes 
& Allied Workers Union President Mugeji told EconOff on April 
12 that they suspected financial malfeasance by the ZCTU 
leadership and that ZCTU President Lovemore Matombo and 1st 
Vice President Lucia Matibenga should resign given their lack 
of employment.  On April 19, the three union leaders went 
public with their allegations in a notice in the 
GOZ-controlled Herald.  The statement demanded that the ZCTU 
leadership cease to direct its affairs and that new 
representation be appointed for local, regional, and 
international fora. 
 
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Attacks GOZ-Inspired 
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3. (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador on April 14, Matombo 
and Chibebe claimed that the three unions were acting on 
orders from the GOZ.  They said President Mugabe had given up 
on replacing ZCTU with ZANU-PF,s phantom labor body, the 
Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU).  Instead, Mugabe 
now sought to engineer a leadership change within ZCTU that 
would end the union,s opposition to government policies. 
Matombo said Mugabe was disappointed that ZANU-PF had not 
fared better in urban constituencies in the March 31 
parliamentary elections and blamed his party,s poor showing 
on MDC,s strong backing from unionized workers.  Chibebe 
added that the GOZ might try to engineer a leadership change 
before the May 31-June 16 International Labor Organization 
(ILO) annual conference where ILO delegates were expected to 
pass a resolution condemning the GOZ. 
 
4. (C) In an April 19 meeting with Econoff, several union 
leaders agreed with Matombo and Chibebe that the GOZ was 
behind the crisis.  Most of the union leaders said the 
agitators, efforts would be futile without a majority of 
affiliates behind them.  However, Progressive Teachers Union 
of Zimbabwe General Secretary Majongwe said the individuals 
involved would not stop until they affected either a 
leadership change or a Labor Ministry investigation, which 
could amount to the same thing. 
 
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Legal Basis for Labor Ministry Investigation 
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5. (C) While the next ZCTU elections are scheduled for 2006, 
a successful General Council no-confidence vote (17 of 33 
affiliates) would force an early election.  Moreover, The 
Labor Act does provide for alternative methods to force new 
elections.  For example, under Section 120(1) the Labor 
Minister can investigate the ZCTU based upon a &reasonable 
cause8 of either misappropriation of financial assets or the 
leadership acting to the detriment to the interests of the 
members.  Also, under Section 120(3), the Minister can 
de-register and wind-up the ZCTU,s affairs or place it under 
receivership until a new leadership is elected.  Finally, 
under Section 51, the Labor Minister can supervise labor 
union elections, including the pre-election campaigning, when 
in the &national interest8. 
 
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Comment 
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6. (C) While many had hoped that ZANU-PF would loosen its 
grip after winning the elections, the opposite has occurred. 
It should be noted that former Minister for State Security 
Goche is now Minister for Public Service, Labour, and Social 
Welfare-- and he was put there for a reason.  ZCTU was the 
birthplace of the MDC and has been one of the backbones of 
political opposition to ZANU-PF.  For now, the ZCTU 
leadership may retain enough clout to withstand a 
no-confidence vote but the GOZ,s intent seems clear. 
Moreover, a Labor Ministry investigation in the near term 
cannot be ruled out and could also effectively neutralize 
ZCTU. 
SCHULTZ