HARARE The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has written to President Robert Mugabe demanding the immediate release from police custody of trade union leaders arrested on Sunday.
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Lovemore Matombo and staff members Michael Kandukutu and Percy Mcijo were arrested in Victoria Falls while addressing members of the union for allegedly convening a political meeting without authority from the police as outlined by provisions of the draconian Public Order and Security Act.
Matambo, Kandukutu and Mcijo are expected to appear in court today. They were arrested on a tour of the country meeting ZCTU structures.
The three colleagues were carrying out a legitimate trade union activity, which is protected under International labour Organisation Convention 87 on freedom of association and protection of the right to organise, read the ITUC-Africa letter written by the confederations secretary general, Kwasi Adu-Amankwah on Monday. Given that the government of Zimbabwe has ratified this convention, it under the obligation to uphold it and refrain from any acts of interference in trade union affairs. The letter was also copied to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
ITUC-Africa is particularly alarmed at the arbitrary arrest and detention of the president of the ZCTU and the many recent incidents of trade union rights violations despite the on-going ILO Commission of Inquiry into violations of fundamental workers rights in Zimbabwe, Adu-Amankwah wrote.
ITUC-Africa strongly urges Mr President to authorise the immediate and unconditional release of Lovemore Matombo, Michael Kandukutu and Percy Mcijo and to prevail on the police to refrain from harassing trade unionists. The confederation said Mugabe should pay prompt attention on the matter. Wellington Chibebe, the ZCTU secretary-general, yesterday said police had deferred the appearance of the trio in court from yesterday (Tuesday) to today. They are now appearing in court tomorrow (Wednesday), Chibebe said. What is surprising is that we have showed the police two High Court orders to the effect that ZCTU as a professional body is not obliged by law to seek police clearance when holding its meetings, but they refused to release our people. We were told that they (police) dont get instructions from the courts. In recent weeks, there has been an upsurge in the arrest of human rights activists for holding meetings without police clearance.
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