No workers to celebrate May Day in Zimbabwe

By Tererai Karimakwenda
April 16, 2008

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) organised a number of events around the country in commemoration of May Day on Thursday, but there was nothing to celebrate. The main event was in Harare at Dzivarasekwa stadium, where some entertainment was planned to try and lift spirits that have been crushed by the harsh economic climate.

Our Harare correspondent Simon Muchmewa visited several high and low-density suburbs, speaking to people about this year’s celebrations. Many said they were feeling depressed because the only work available is in the informal sector, selling oranges or tomatoes.

Unemployment is over 80% , inflation is about 500,000%. Companies are shutting down and there is hardly any food.. Those who have jobs are working for poor salaries that cannot keep up with the hyperinflation. As a result many skilled workers have left the country seeking better opportunities.

The shortage of foreign currency has led to a shortage of fuel. Most workers cannot afford the cost of transportation to go to work. They are walking long distances in the mornings and evenings and are usually too tired to do much else in their free time.

A rival government-sponsored organisation, the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU), held their celebrations at Gwanzura Stadium. Muchemwa said ZFTU members are mostly civil servants who are afraid of losing their jobs. They are also forced to attend political functions organised by the ruling party, under the guise of being ‘war veterans’. Muchemwa was quite sure that there was not much celebrating at Gwanzura Stadium either.

The Youth Forum in Zimbabwe issued a Workers Day message that said: “There is a great need to resuscitate the dampened spirits of people following the illegitimate regime’s deliberate frustration of the majority of Zimbabweans after they unequivocally expressed their will on the 29th of March. We take this as both a de facto and de jure coup against the wish of Zimbabweans and therefore issues such as inflation, poor wages, unaffordability and unavailability of basic commodities, poverty, unemployment, poor health and education delivery systems, deterioration of infrastructure and other economic, social-political grievances have automatically become secondary, the primary issue being to pave way for the legitimate president Morgan Tsvangirai to start putting the house in order as mandated to him by the Zimbabweans on the 29th March harmonized elections.”