MARTIN MAWAYA
HARARE-The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has warned that the country’s failure to provide essential services and sustainable livelihoods opportunities has put national security at risk.
In an interview with The Midweek Watch, ZCTU acting secretary general Kudakwashe Munengiwa said the majority of the population is unable to earn a dollar a day, which he described as a “serious security threat.”
He characterized Zimbabwe as a helpless society, where the super-rich squander national resources without offering any hope to the impoverished.
“Zimbabwe has a society of the haves and the have-nots where the super-rich are squandering the country’s vast mineral resources without providing any hope for the poor. This is our concern, and we have communicated it directly to the government, emphasizing that it represents a security threat. We must provide hope and develop initiatives that allow people to sustain their livelihoods,” he said.
Munengiwa added that the disparities have led to an increase in drug and substance abuse, which society cannot afford to “perpetuate.”
The labor union leader said the ZCTU has a mandate from its general council to mobilize society and prosecute the objective of a fair society.
He emphasized the importance of the Tripartite Negotiation Forum as a platform to get the country “back on track.”
Munengiwa revealed that 60% of the population is dependent on food handouts, underscoring the need for deliberate efforts anchored on social dialogue and tripartism to unlock the country’s economic development potential.
“We need to see production in the country, and this can be achieved through deliberate policy initiatives,” he asserted.
The ZCTU has also called for labor inspections in Chinese, Arab, and Russian-owned companies to address issues of sexual abuse, slave labor, and non-disclosure of their activities and remittances to government agencies.
