Zimbabwe's top trade unionist arrested

Solidarity with Zimbabwean trade unions

TUC protest letter

9 November 2009

This morning (Monday 9 November) the TUC learnt that the President of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Lovemore Matombo, had been arrested the previous day with two colleagues while addressing a ZCTU regional meeting near Victoria Falls.

The TUC has protested about this arrest, for which no reason has been given. The International Trade Union Confederation has also protested, and further action will be taken later today.

Here is the text of the TUC's protest to the Zimbabwean Ambassador to the UK.

HE Mr Gabriel Mharadze Machinga
Ambassador
Embassy of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe House
429 Strand
London WC2R 0JR

Dear Ambassador

Arrest of Lovemore Matombo, President of Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions

On behalf of the TUC General Council, I write to express our outrage over the arrest of Mr Lovemore Matombo, President, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Mr Michael Kandukutu and Mr Percy Mcijo, ZCTU office bearers, on 8 November 2009 in Victoria Falls.

Our information is that Mr Matombo was addressing the ZCTU District Executive when he and his colleagues were arrested and that they have been transferred to Huange Police Station.

As we have pointed out to you on numerous occasions in the past, the arrests of trade unionists over activities pertaining to the exercise of their legitimate rights and duties are a gross violation of the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Moreover, your country, which ratified Convention 98(1998) and Convention 87 (2003), is obliged to observe the workers' rights enshrined in them. Furthermore, these incidents constitute a clear breach of the assurances given by Mr Giles Mutsekwa, Co-Minister of Home Affairs, on meetings only a few months ago. They will, no doubt, tarnish the image of your country and further aggravate the current difficulties, making national dialogue and reconciliation even more difficult.

We urge you to pass on our deep concern over the colleagues concerned to your Government, and use your influence with the authorities to ensure that all Zimbabweans are allowed to exercise their democratic rights without interference from the State.

Yours sincerely

BRENDAN BARBER

General Secretary