News / National
Reschedule your congress, ZCTU tells MDC-T
08 Apr 2011 at 04:43hrs | Views
Relations between the Movement for Democratic Change led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, ZCTU, are set to be tested as the party's congress will coinside with the globally recognised May Day or Workers' Day commemorations to be held on May 1.
The MDC T's Third National Congress will run from April 29 to May 1 in Bulawayo at Barbourfields Stadium while ZCTU has scheduled May Day celebrations to be held across town at White City Stadium.
According to a notice for the congress published by MDC T secretary general, the congress the purpose of the congress will include among other things, to receive political reports of the Party by the President, to receive the national executive and secretaries reports, to repeal or amend the constitution and to elect members of the national executive.
The MDC T, an offshoot of the ZCTU was formed in 1999 with the blessings of the ZCTU with Tsvangirai, the then secretary general and the late Gibson Sibanda who was ZCTU president assuming leadership of the party as President and Deputy President.
In a letter writtern by ZCTU secretary general, Wellington Chibebe to Biti, the ZCTU said: "We are reliably informed through the media and some individuals that the MDC congress dates have been decided and that the congress is going to be held on 28 April 2011 to 1 May 2011.
"Considering that MDCs background is supposed to be rooted in or driven by the working class agenda, we view the decision to have the congress on the said dates as a betrayal to the workers cause. This is more so considering that a number of workers who are MDC delegates to the congress are supposed to officiate at some of the May Day venues."
The ZCTU also demands that the MDC T should reschedule its congress.
"We request your good office to review the decision regarding the dates so that congress does not fall on the dates when workers are commemorating an internationally celebrated event- The May Day."
The MDC T's Third National Congress will run from April 29 to May 1 in Bulawayo at Barbourfields Stadium while ZCTU has scheduled May Day celebrations to be held across town at White City Stadium.
According to a notice for the congress published by MDC T secretary general, the congress the purpose of the congress will include among other things, to receive political reports of the Party by the President, to receive the national executive and secretaries reports, to repeal or amend the constitution and to elect members of the national executive.
The MDC T, an offshoot of the ZCTU was formed in 1999 with the blessings of the ZCTU with Tsvangirai, the then secretary general and the late Gibson Sibanda who was ZCTU president assuming leadership of the party as President and Deputy President.
In a letter writtern by ZCTU secretary general, Wellington Chibebe to Biti, the ZCTU said: "We are reliably informed through the media and some individuals that the MDC congress dates have been decided and that the congress is going to be held on 28 April 2011 to 1 May 2011.
"Considering that MDCs background is supposed to be rooted in or driven by the working class agenda, we view the decision to have the congress on the said dates as a betrayal to the workers cause. This is more so considering that a number of workers who are MDC delegates to the congress are supposed to officiate at some of the May Day venues."
The ZCTU also demands that the MDC T should reschedule its congress.
"We request your good office to review the decision regarding the dates so that congress does not fall on the dates when workers are commemorating an internationally celebrated event- The May Day."
Source - Zimbabwean
