By Shongedzai Mugwagwa

The Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe (LEDRIZ) Director, Godfrey Kanyenze, has strongly warned the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) against  dragging the labour body in the MDC politics, the Harare Post has learnt.

Addressing delegates at the ZCTU General Council meeting held in Harare on Saturday, Kanyenze strongly warned the members to be wary of being soiled by politicians seeking political recognition.

He advised that ZCTU should remain a labour body fully occupied with labour related issues and leave politics to politicians since it derails their core mandate.

The Harare Post can exclusively reveal that Kanyenze told the ZCTU members to initiate dialogue with Government towards social contract and avoid a confrontational approach to get Government’s attention.

Kanyenze was forced to warn the labour body after its Secretary General, Japhet Moyo had on so many intervals interjected the proceedings of the meeting arguing that the current Government was illegitimate which irked Kanyenze and other general council members.

ZCTU and its leadership were used by the MDC to front the violent January demonstration. The civil unrest occurred between 14 and 16 January and it was characterised by all acts of violence, arson, looting, vandalism and thievery activities.

Sentiments echoed by the General Council members during the meeting speaks to emerging cracks within the labour body as many responded negatively to Moyo’s “legitimacy crisis” mantra as they demanded to know what he meant by that.

To further point to an imminent crack in the labour body, proposals put forward by Moyo during the meeting were viciously shot down.

For instance, Moyo proposed that he uses the ZCTU Gorlon House title deeds as surety in his pending case at the Courts for unconstitutional attempting to overthrow Government in January 2019.

The members advised Moyo to use his personal properties for his Court issues and separate the labour body from politics.

Furthermore, a source within the ZCTU revealed that Moyo also proposed to initiate upward review of affiliate subscriptions from $0.35c to $1 which was viciously shot down again by the members.

The Harare Post can exclusively reveal that the emerging cracks in the ZCTU has two factions; Nicholas Mazarura, Thomas Masvingo and Kamurai Moyo whilst the other faction has the labour President Peter Mutasa and Japhet Moyo.