MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU- The once militant Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has urged the government to promote import substitution and re-industrialization in sectors with the potential to spur economic recovery and growth.
The biggest labour union in the country said that import substitution and industrialization help to attain macro-economic balance and market adaptation as well as stimulate the production and competitiveness of domestic goods.
ZCTU added that the import substitution and industrialization is a catalyst for job creation, higher productivity and innovation.
It said there is a need to develop and implement inclusive broad based national policies that promotes effective worker participation and national wealth creation.
Addressing the media on the state of the economy and the plight of workers recently, ZCTU acting secretary general Kudakwashe Munengiwa said the country is facing multifaceted challenges due to poor macro-economic performance which resulted in de-industrialization and informalization of the economy.
He said 88% of the population is currently unemployed, hence the need to develop a cocktail of measures that can arrest the economic decay.
“On the state of the economy the ZCTU demands that the government should promote import substitution and re-industrialization based on the promotion of market linkages and value chains, focusing on the sectors with potential for autonomous recovery and growth such as agriculture, mining and tourism.
“Promote fiscal discipline, transparency, accountability and enhance fiscal space for sustainable human development” as well as working “ towards transition from informality to formality targeting productivity improvements in line with the International Labour Organisation Recommendation 204 of 2015,” he said.
Munengiwa called for the expansion and rehabilitation of the infrastructure such as roads, rail , energy and ICT to enable inclusive recovery, pro- poor growth and human development.
He added that the government should strengthen corporate governance to facilitate national development.
He urged the state to speed up the repealing of the draconian laws that are stifling workers rights.
“ With the continued deterioration of the Zimbabwe economy and rising decent work deficit, the ZCTU demands repeal of unprogressive and draconian laws and policies that are hindering attainment of decent work.
“Repeal draconian legislation such as the MOPA and the Criminal Codification Act and other laws that are on the table like PVO Bill should not be signed,” said Munengiwa.
He lamented the militarization of the negotiation processes and called for the alignment of collective job action to the Constitution as well as strengthening the labour courts to enforce it’s decisions and those of arbitrators.
The union added that the social protection in Zimbabwe faces a number of challenges due to “a general lack of political will and commitment to prioritize social protection in Zimbabwe as demonstrated by the budgetary allocations over the past years”.
Munengiwa bemoaned lack of transparency and accountability in the mining sector saying the country is losing billions of dollars as a result of elicit dealings.
“The country is losing billions of USD annually through smuggling, illegal dealing in gold and precious stones, corruption, fraud, tax evasion, and externalization among others,” said the acting secretary general.
In 2021 government gazetted SI89, to restrict the importation of vehicles to allow for local production of motor vehicles and components that’s leads to import substitution and great savings in foreign currency.
