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7 September, 2011The General Secretary of the National Engineering Workers Union (NEWU) has been elected as the Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) at the 7th Congress that was held in Bulawayo on the 19th and 20th August 2011. Despite a tumultuous congress with contestations on several issues, Comrade Japhet Moyo enjoyed wide support to take this position.
ZIMBABWE: Comrade Japhet Moyo had been ZCTU's First Deputy General Secretary since its 2006 Congress. He has worked closely with Comrade the former ZCTU Secretary General Wellington Chibebe, acting on his behalf in his absence. Chibebe has left the ZCTU for the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ITUC) headquartered in Brussels, having been elected as their First Deputy Secretary Genera. After the ZCTU Congress, Chibebe expressed his confidence in Moyo saying that he has left the organisation in safe and capable hands.
NEWU fully supported Moyo in his candidacy and believes that Moyo's leadership, under which the union has grown from strength to strength, will be a great asset to the labour movement in Zimbabwe. NEWU's President Comrade Josiah Thwala said he was happy that Moyo got this great opportunity to be the Secretary General of the National Labour Centre but that Moyo would be greatly missed by NEWU.
The departure of Moyo from NEWU means that Comrade Lovemore Mazenge will take over as Acting General Secretary, in accordance with the union's constitution. Mazenge dismissed rumors that there were others vying for this post saying, "For now we will follow what the constitution says, any other person will have to wait until the next congress or until a decision has been taken by the National Council".
Commenting on Moyo's election, Mazenge said "It was a pleasure to have worked with Japhet. I worked with him for about 17 years and I learnt a lot in terms of administration of the organization." IMF is confident that Mazenge will keep up the good work of the union in representing metal and engineering workers in Zimbabwe and looks forward to working closely with in the future.
IMF wishes Moyo well in his new position. Moyo has been a great asset to the region, displaying sound values steering NEWU on the principles of worker democracy and committed to worker solidarity in the region and abroad. There is no doubt that his leadership of ZCTU will be beneficial to the workers of Zimbabwe.
Based on an article contributed by Miriam Chipunza, NEWU