Pixie DustChange (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa’s close ally, Gift “Ostallos” Siziba, reportedly left while Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Florence Taruvinga was addressing workers at the Worker’s Day Commemorations at Gwanzura Stadium in Harare. ZiFM Stereo reported that Chamisa, invited as a speaker, did not attend and was represented by Siziba.
There are reports suggesting that Chamisa and his allies are wary of the current ZCTU leadership, particularly the president, believed to have close ties to “the system.” However, Ostallos denied claims of walking out on the ZCTU leadership at the worker’s day event, stating they didn’t expect the crowd to follow them upon completing their task at the event. Siziba mentioned they had to depart early from Gwanzura due to other commitments.
In July 2023, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) accused ZCTU of being influenced by the State after Obert Masaraure, president of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), was suspended. CiZC alleged that a small clique in the Congress leadership had been co-opted by the State as part of a project to establish a one-party dictatorship.
During the same period, ZCTU affiliates accused its leaders of misrepresenting Zimbabwe’s human rights record to the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Switzerland. They claimed the Congress informed ILO that Zimbabwe no longer had a poor human rights record, leading to Zimbabwe being removed from the list of 24 countries with a dismal human rights and labor injustice record.
Last month, Taruvinga and ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo flew with the government delegation led by Labor Minister Paul Mavima to Geneva for the ILO meeting.
