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Marimo elected ZCTU Secretary General
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The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has elected Tirivanhu Marimo as its new secretary general, signaling a potential revival of active, non-partisan trade unionism in the country. Marimo succeeds long-serving unionist Japhet Moyo, who retired last year.
Marimo secured a decisive victory during Saturday's polls, garnering 55 votes against his main contender Michael Kandukutu, who received 38 votes from the 93 eligible delegates.
A holder of a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and a Master's in Human Rights Litigation from Witwatersrand University, Marimo is a seasoned labour activist and human rights advocate. His involvement in Zimbabwe's labour movement spans years, including serving as chairperson of ZCTU's National Young Workers' Committee.
Before assuming the ZCTU leadership role, Marimo was active in the Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers' Union (ZIBAWU), holding positions from executive member to national organising secretary and legal manager. He has been an outspoken critic of human rights abuses, emphasizing the need for strategic litigation and advocacy to promote workers' rights.
Marimo highlighted the importance of non-partisan engagement in his acceptance speech, stressing that workers must form alliances based on common issues while maintaining the independence of the labour movement from political interference.
"Our movement grows stronger not in the absence of competition, but in the presence of unity after competition. Let us continue to walk this journey together, for our struggle is far greater than any one individual," Marimo said.
He pledged to safeguard the integrity of the ZCTU, strengthen the voice of every affiliate union, and ensure that no worker feels excluded from the collective fight for policies that uplift workers and defend their rights in workplaces, courts, and on the national stage.
Marimo also called for the support of Zimbabwe's working class and citizens, acknowledging that restoring the ZCTU to its former prominence will be challenging. "Comrades, we have sent a clear message today: ZCTU belongs to the workers — it is their shield, their voice, their weapon of justice! History shows that workers united cannot be defeated," he added.
Marimo secured a decisive victory during Saturday's polls, garnering 55 votes against his main contender Michael Kandukutu, who received 38 votes from the 93 eligible delegates.
A holder of a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and a Master's in Human Rights Litigation from Witwatersrand University, Marimo is a seasoned labour activist and human rights advocate. His involvement in Zimbabwe's labour movement spans years, including serving as chairperson of ZCTU's National Young Workers' Committee.
Before assuming the ZCTU leadership role, Marimo was active in the Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers' Union (ZIBAWU), holding positions from executive member to national organising secretary and legal manager. He has been an outspoken critic of human rights abuses, emphasizing the need for strategic litigation and advocacy to promote workers' rights.
Marimo highlighted the importance of non-partisan engagement in his acceptance speech, stressing that workers must form alliances based on common issues while maintaining the independence of the labour movement from political interference.
"Our movement grows stronger not in the absence of competition, but in the presence of unity after competition. Let us continue to walk this journey together, for our struggle is far greater than any one individual," Marimo said.
He pledged to safeguard the integrity of the ZCTU, strengthen the voice of every affiliate union, and ensure that no worker feels excluded from the collective fight for policies that uplift workers and defend their rights in workplaces, courts, and on the national stage.
Marimo also called for the support of Zimbabwe's working class and citizens, acknowledging that restoring the ZCTU to its former prominence will be challenging. "Comrades, we have sent a clear message today: ZCTU belongs to the workers — it is their shield, their voice, their weapon of justice! History shows that workers united cannot be defeated," he added.
Source - NewZimbabwe
