ZUJ appoints Vice President

The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, ZUJ, National Executive, which met in Gweru on Friday last week appointed one of its executive committee members, Godfrey Mtimba, as First Vice President.

Mtimba, who is based in Masvingo, replaced Mkhululi Sibanda who has since been appointed Assistant Editor of Sunday News in Bulawayo.

ZUJ Constitution states that editors, deputy editors and assistant editors can not hold positions within the Union's structures.

This means ZUJ President Michael Chideme will now be deputised by Mtimba and the current Second Vice President, Emmanuel Mavata, who is based in the Mashonaland West town of Kadoma.

Mtimba, who was deployed by ZUJ to the ZCTU to represent young workers, is currently the ZCTU Secretary General for Young Workers' Council and an Executive Committee Member of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Youth Executive.

ITUC Youth Executive is the global body that represents young workers around the world and last held its congress in Berlin, Germany, two years ago.

ZUJ Secretary General Foster Dongozi - who is also an Executive Committee Member of the Federation of African Journalists, FAJ, and Advisor to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) - said he hoped Mtimba's elevation would contribute to the development of a culture of trade union development in the Union.

"We have President Chideme who is the President of the Southern Africa Journalists Association, SAJA, and now Cde Mtimba bringing his vast knowledge and experience from a young workers' perspective. This we hope will contribute to maintaining ZUJ as one of the strongest media trade unions in Africa," said Dongozi.