News / Local
Matombo faces unceremonious exit from CASWUZ
13 Apr 2016 at 06:25hrs | Views
Former Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) P r e s i d e n t L o v emo r e Matombo faces the boot from the Communications and Allied Services Workers' Union (CASWUZ) after a vote of no confidence was passed against him by union structures.
The Worker reported that the union's branches have ganged up against Matombo accussing him of overstaying in power beyond retirement age.
Matombo 68, had been granted a three month extension at the helm of the union after pleading with congress to allow him to finalise his court case in which he challenged the legitimacy of the 2011 ZCTU congress which he lost with costs.
In a letter to the Ministry of Labour and Social Services Registrar earlier this year a vote of no confidence was because the constitution prohibits members who
are approaching retirement age of 65 to run for office.
"After the lapse of the three months, members pushed for a special congress in which Matombo changed goal posts and indicated that a special congress was going to be held in December 2015.
In breach of his promise, Matombo refused, failed and neglected to pronounce the date for the special congress despite numerous demands from the
members," reads part of the letter.
Matombo also stands accused of abusing union funds in connivance with some executive members. He is accused of purchasing a vehicle, a Toyota Corona vehicle which, he registered in his name and later swopped it with another vehicle.
Further accusations are that the executive converted to personal use union commission from TelOne (Pvt) Ltd amounting to US$31 000.
An interim executive headed by Taurai Mereki has been put in place to run the affairs of the union.
Biggie Antonio, the interim executive first vice president, said Matombo's conduct was anti-union and degrading to what he had spent his whole life fighting for.
"We are talking about a 68-year old chap who is seasoned in matters of democracy and succession.
Matombo begged the union members at the previous congress on the pretext that he could not step down from his post because he had a pending court case against the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions. We do not want to give him a
chance to destabilise CASWUZ the way he did when he lost the ZCTU elections. The courts have since cleared the issue and it is time for our long serving cadre to use the exit door," said Antonio.
Matombo said: "Such matters are dealt with when we hold the elective congress. However, there are some members who declined to accept the congress position. I will not comment further on the issue."
The Worker reported that the union's branches have ganged up against Matombo accussing him of overstaying in power beyond retirement age.
Matombo 68, had been granted a three month extension at the helm of the union after pleading with congress to allow him to finalise his court case in which he challenged the legitimacy of the 2011 ZCTU congress which he lost with costs.
In a letter to the Ministry of Labour and Social Services Registrar earlier this year a vote of no confidence was because the constitution prohibits members who
are approaching retirement age of 65 to run for office.
"After the lapse of the three months, members pushed for a special congress in which Matombo changed goal posts and indicated that a special congress was going to be held in December 2015.
In breach of his promise, Matombo refused, failed and neglected to pronounce the date for the special congress despite numerous demands from the
members," reads part of the letter.
Matombo also stands accused of abusing union funds in connivance with some executive members. He is accused of purchasing a vehicle, a Toyota Corona vehicle which, he registered in his name and later swopped it with another vehicle.
Further accusations are that the executive converted to personal use union commission from TelOne (Pvt) Ltd amounting to US$31 000.
An interim executive headed by Taurai Mereki has been put in place to run the affairs of the union.
Biggie Antonio, the interim executive first vice president, said Matombo's conduct was anti-union and degrading to what he had spent his whole life fighting for.
"We are talking about a 68-year old chap who is seasoned in matters of democracy and succession.
Matombo begged the union members at the previous congress on the pretext that he could not step down from his post because he had a pending court case against the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions. We do not want to give him a
chance to destabilise CASWUZ the way he did when he lost the ZCTU elections. The courts have since cleared the issue and it is time for our long serving cadre to use the exit door," said Antonio.
Matombo said: "Such matters are dealt with when we hold the elective congress. However, there are some members who declined to accept the congress position. I will not comment further on the issue."
Source - The Worker
