by Harare Post Reporter
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) has hit hard times following withdrawal of funding by its traditional benefactors who accuse the former for misappropriating donor funds, the Harare Post can reveal.
A contact within ZCTU said the trade union has failed to account for the funds it received from various donors.
“Donors have been complaining about the way we use their money. As a result, some of them have just silently withdrawn funding. We are currently in hot soup with the American Centre for International Labour Solidarity (ACILS) which is demanding proper accounting of the money it extended to us,” said the source without revealing the amount that ZCTU is failing to account for.
She said the funding challenges had seen them failing to hold a two day Political Committee workshop, which was set for 21-22 September. The contact further revealed that the funding challenges had also contributed to the flop of today’s planned demonstration.
The ZCTU had scheduled a demonstration today that was to coincide with the commemorations of the Day of Solidarity of Zimbabwean workers. Even though the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) funded the demonstrations, the contact said the money was not enough to sustain the protests.
The contact said ZCTU had, however engaged Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe (LEDRIZ) to play an intermediary role to address their emerging differences with ACILS.
This is not the first time that ZCTU is fingered in misappropriation of donor funds. Late last year, another stay away protest that was supposed to be done in July collapsed because the funds that were meant for those demonstrations allegedly disappeared.
According to a document entitled, The Labour Movement in Zimbabwe 1980-2012, corruption in ZCTU dates back to the early days of its formation in the early eighties.
“The early ZCTU was rife with ‘corruption, embezzlement, maladministration and authoritarianism’ leading to the eventual collapse of this labour centre,” states the document.
