By Elizabeth Sitotombe

LAST week, Zimbabwe commemorated International Workers’ Day on May 1 along with the rest of the world.
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) organised their commemorations at Gwanzura Stadium in Highfield, but the event was, predictably, poorly attended.
However, what made the event intriguing were the events that unfolded on this chilly day.
The Chamisa camp, led by Gift

“Ostallos Siziba”, found themselves shell-shocked and on the brink of crumbling in a heap of humiliation after being jeered and booed during the Workers’ Day commemorations.
Ostallos was blocked from delivering a speech at the event by ZCTU officials, leading him to leave in a huff along with a sizeable group of supporters, resulting in nearly half of the attendees departing alongside him.

According to an inside source, the jeering was orchestrated by other members within the ‘Blue Movement’ who are opposed to Ostallos’s personalised approach to the party, leveraging on his proximity to Chamisa.
The source further revealed that the launch dates for the ‘Blue Movement’ have been repeatedly delayed due to sharp divisions within the party.
“It’s incredibly chaotic, I mustsay. There’s constant shouting and accusations among members, and many discussions end abruptly due to inability to reach a consensus,” said the source.

The upcoming ‘Blue Movement’ launch aims to proceed without individuals deemed as ‘sellouts’, prompting the compilation of a list of names for ejection from the party.
The ZCTU’s decision to ban a speech from the opposition CCC (Citizens’ Coalition for Change) raises questions about their previous partnership with opposition parties.
Chamisa delivered a speech at the ZCTU Workers’ Day commemorations in Dzivarasekwa the year before, demonstrating a noticeable shift in the organisation’s stance.
The deafening silence on the part of the ZCTU regarding opposition activities, including boycotting a rally in Gweru led by Chamisa before the elections, adds to the speculation.
According to some analysts, the ZCTU may be awaiting instructions from Western funders regarding political alignments or undergoing internal shifts of its own.
However, millions of workers hope that the recent developments reflect a genuine change of heart within the ZCTU.

According to a press statement, the ZCTU had decided not to allow members of any political party to speak at the event, a decision which Ostallos was made aware of.
However, Ostallos claimed to have left the stadium after the ZCTU president expressed support for ZANU PF with the mantra ‘nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’. In response, the ZCTU accused Ostallos of selectively quoting a part of the statement to advance his own political agenda,indicating underlying tensions within the organisation.
The history of the ZCTU dates back to independence in 1980 when six trade unions operated independently.

These unions — ACTU, NACTU, TUCZ, UTUZ, ZFL and ZTUC — came together on February 28, 1981, to form the ZCTU.
There there was a cordial relationship between the Government and the new workers’ umbrella body during the first five years of independence. However, after the union’s second congress in 1985, the ZCTU started adopting a confrontational stance against the Government.

This shift culminated in the formation of a political party, MDC (now CCC), following a National Working People’s Convention held from February 26 to 28 in 1999, with the party officially formed on September 11, 1999.
The ZCTU’s involvement in politics, particularly its role in the formation of the MDC, blurred the lines between the union’s bona fide activities as a workers’ representative body and political party in the making.
The MDC was seen as a party formed by white commercial farmers and white capital who opposed to the Land Reform Programme, leading to accusations that the ZCTU had become a Trojan horse.

This dual role of ZCTU officials acting as both union leaders and MDC officials eroded the credibility of the union a true representative of workers’ interests.
There were growing perceptions that the ZCTU prioritised political agendas over workers’ welfare, especially if it served as a platform to criticise the ruling ZANU PF Government. Many viewed the ZCTU’s actions, including participating in ill-advised strikes alongside nurses and teachers, as attempts to destabilise the Government rather than genuine efforts to address workers’ grievances.
The union’s countrywide demonstrations also faced challenges and failed to achieve significant impact over the years.
They also orchestrated the January 14-16 2019 violence that resulted in looting of shops and burning of properties after the former leader Peter Mutasa recorded a video together with opposition activist Evan Mawarire urging Zimbabweans
to go on a three-day stayaway that had unfortunate consequences on innocent civilians.
However, the influence of the ZCTU began to wane as workers started to see the union’s true colours.
This shift in perception coincided with changes in the economic environment, where a significant portion of workers transitioned to self-employment.
Consequently, the once formidable influence of the ZCTU gradually diminished.