Posted by The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has called for a general strike starting on Nov. 11 to press Zimbabwe’s political leaders to stop delaying the formation of a government of national unity.
“Zimbabweans are suffering, they are scavenging in bins for food, and they have an absolute right to demand a transitional government,” Lovemore Matombo, the president of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, today in a telephone interview from Harare, the capital.
President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF and two factions of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change signed an accord on Sept. 15 to form a coalition government. Since then, they have failed to agree on the allocation of Cabinet posts.
Former South African President Thabo Mbeki, who helped negotiate the agreement, has been trying to broker an end to the dispute. Leaders from the 15-nation Southern African Development Community will meet on Nov. 9 in South Africa to try to break the deadlock between Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai’s MDC won a majority in parliamentary elections in March. He withdrew from a June 27 presidential runoff vote, citing violence against his supporters, leaving Mugabe to extend his 28-year rule unchallenged. Tsvangirai is set to become prime minister under the agreement.
The United Nations estimated last month that more than 5 million Zimbabweans, or 45 percent of the population, may need emergency food rations by early next year. Zimbabwe has the world’s highest inflation rate, estimated at 231 million percent.
The National Constitutional Assembly, a Harare-based lobby group, said today that it would back the strike call by labor.
Transitional Authority
“We agreed with the ZCTU that Zimbabwe needs a transitional authority to govern the country for two years and restore the economy, write a new constitution and lead the people towards fresh elections,” Ernest Mudzengi, the NCA’s national director, said in a phone interview from Harare.
Calls for strike action in Zimbabwe have failed in recent years with workers citing lack of pay and fear of the police as the main reasons for continuing to work.
“This time I believe workers will heed the call to strike because things are so desperate, Matombo of the ZCTU said. “People are suffering in ways that can’t even be described,”
ZCTU is another batch of less thinking minds.Why strike on the 11th November ? What if the Sunday 9th meeting of SADC in Pretoria comes with results? These guys like unless threats.Its weekes of the GNU failure to take off.What credit does Matombo want? Does he eye any Ministry high position that MDC will get.Ok you gonna be Director of Labour wonder in which Ministry? Its only 20% working and sustaining the thread that hold the country and it not right time for right minds to call for strike.Instead mobilise the private educated guys to assist in the marking of examination papers.I wrote a letter to ZIMSEC willing to be an unpaid marker for Grade 7 upto A level,but now await responses.Talk process and not steps backwards!!!
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ZANU PF
shame on you. kusevenzesa mari inofanira kubatsira vanhu vanorarama neutachiona hweHIV and AIDS, TB neMalaria here kutengesa matarakita ekukambenesa? chokwadi hamuna tsitsi.
Kana gedeon gono ari murume anofanira kuresign nenyadzi.
And who ever wrote and article in the herald of 5/11/08 must be ashamed of their unprofessionalism. why want to make gono appear as though he did a good thing? SHAME ON YOU.
THIS IS THE TIME TO EXPOSE ALL **** HEADS IN zanu pf. maZAPU ari muzanu pf budai mikwire chitima cheCHANGE plz. Read the STORY OF MY LIFE by the true Hero of Zimbabwe J T Nkomo.
This is the time to fire gono.
This why the Ministry of finance and Home Affairs should go to the MDC-T.
To hell with zanu pf.
Gandanga guru
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Stupid Marufu. Why mobilise private guys to mark examinations? What happened to teachers? People are hungry they have all the right to strike if they feel its fit to do so, its their democratic right. Obvious if a solution comes on Sunday then there wont be any strike, common sense.Mugabe must sort the mess himself. i just wonder if Zanu fools listened to Obama’s speech, obviously not. There is cholera in Zim not even a single Zanu fool is talking about it.I wish they can leave it as it is till all perish coz that is what Zanu needs. Bush is gone Blair is gone now who are they going to blame? Obama has brains he wont associate himself with Zanu fools. as he pointed out that he is for peace and security. Something that does not exist in Zanu’s minds as they have pieces of Sadza instead of brains. they have degrees in violence.
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Lord when are Zimbabweans going to be elated, just like the Americans, last night? When is this government going to let us free from its grip? Why cant we have smooth elections with a result the following day? Tichazova riiniko??????
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Stop being puppets and you may also experience the same elation i experienced in 1980 and now in america. America is elated because – yes they can and they did without foreigners meddling in their elections.No one interfered or told Obama that unless Mccain wins the elections were not free and fair. Put the country first and you will live in piece forever.
Now it will need people like zuma to threaten our leaders to get talking and force a result. This is not democracy. I would rather have another election because a forced reesult will achieve nothing. Forcing Morgan down our throats will soon backfire…remember i told you.I blame the mdc for not resolving issues locally – hanging on for outside intervention. Well Zuma is now intervening and soon we will have a puppet gvt forced down our throats because it is obvious the mdc will get finance and home affairs…But be careful what you wish for because the police will be working full time.
A country relying on outside intervention is not a country. If you cant sit down and resolve your own issues then you will never be able to work together. It would be sweet to do it ourselves but unfortunately in zimbabwe their are many third parties involved.
Good luck on sunday.Mdc will get finance and home affairs . They will then be forced to denounce sanctions the following morning. Here is the change you wanted.
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that rapist here in sa is nw demanding that we shld b cohersed into an agreement with the mdc.i dnt kno who he think he is .i wish zanu negotiators cld put this new sa gvt in its place and tell them to shove it.luk at him here in sa the way they r labelling the shikota movement as snakes ,dogs and all the derogatory names.does he tok to them ,no.sa is nw a shadow of its former self,with these zealots of the anc in power.we kno this new anc has symphathy for the puppets in zim.i as a zanu and a registered voter here in sa will deliver my vote to shikota so we cn curtail this hooligans in the anc from gaining absolute power.this is the summit where we should send a low key team bt knowing pres as someone who does nt bow down ,he sure will b there to engage fools lk zuma.sa is facing enomous challenges lk crime ,unemployment,poverty,corruption of its own formation bcoz of this decay that has crept into the anc,they r fooling noone,they will have to confront these challenges and will find out that they have mountains to climb rather than issuing decrees to zimbabwe.wat did u say abt zctu,wat zctu,where zctu,which zctu,hw zctu,4 who zctu,when zctu,how zctu.
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Mdc will get finance and home affairs says Scarface. Lets hope so. They are right to hold out, giving in to that cantankerous old bastard will only encourage him to keep playing his old megolomaniac games.
Yes, who will all the tired old ‘liberation’ fighters blame for their mess now that the USA has a tolerant, African American as its President – what a contrast to the Zimbabwean incumbent. Good luck to all Zimbabweans.
Indeed, no one else should ‘meddle’ in your affairs. Incidentally, I am a UK taxpayer…. presumably ZANU wil not be wanting any of my money to help renew the economy they have so systematically trashed and pillaged?
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IF Sunday summit brings good results no strike will take place .but teachers are there to mark exams if they are rewarded dues, there is no need to look for exam markers whilst plenty teachers are busy BURNING US dollars ,selling fish,selling rice and flour in the streets.
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Whether you like it or not the Zim situation needs outside interference, on sunday SADC(Outsiders) will influence the outcome of zanu’s stubornness to accept defeat in the March elections.
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Rumor going the rounds is that Mugabe is unlikely to attend Sunday meeting.Khama has mobilised enough leaders against Mugabe and so there will be a show off which Bob is to avoid.Last night Morgan was invited by the new Zambian President for an undate.Yes he flew to Zambia,Tanzania and Malawi in Khama’s private jet.Forces will be on Bob. We all know this morning Morgan called Obama to congratulate him and it was a 20minute talk with Obama promising to phone some SADC leaders before Sunday.Zanu is planning to romp back Simba Makoni as Bob successor stupid.Munangagwa flew to DRC,Tanzania and Swaziland to gunner support.Sorry the Tanzania guy refused to meet him.So Sunday Summit i will be there in Pretoria and get the details first hand!!
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Zanu yawora vakomana I can’t wait for Sunday, it seems it will be interesting. Viva democracy. We cannot be taken ransom by fools. Enough is enough.
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Babson,what do u expect from Sunday’s meeting.Uri kurota Tsvangirai achinzi wava President,muka kuhope kwauri utarisane ne reality,the thing is His Excellency will remain the President of Zim,he will remail the head of gvt.This man without a passport will never rule i tell u.What ever is going to happen on Sunday.Ah before i forget uri duzv1,mbuya vako vanonzi Simon,musatanyoko.
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