ZCTU leader assaulted and then arrested at roadblock

By Lance Guma
16 August 2006

The Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Wellington Chibhebhe was assaulted by police at a roadblock Tuesday evening and was then arrested. According to ZCTU spokesman Mlamleli Sibanda the union leader was travelling from Masvingo to Harare over the Heroes holiday before being stopped at a roadblock manned by police searching for ‘large sums of cash.’ Chibhebhe is said to have challenged the legality of the currency searches before the police slapped him twice in the face in front of his wife and children.

The state media however quickly went on the defensive with ZBC Radio reporting that Chibhebhe had been arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer and refusing to co-operate at a roadblock. By Wednesday evening the union chief was still locked up, marking his second day in custody. Sibanda says the assault is part of a well orchestrated plan to harass the ZCTU leadership following previous weeks in which Chibhebhe and other officials had to report to police for questioning over alleged illegal foreign currency deals.

Under a new monetary regime dubbed ‘project sunrise’ by the Reserve Bank, three zero’s were slashed from the country’s currency and limits placed on the amount of money people can have in their possession. Police have set up roadblocks countrywide to seize money from people accused of hoarding large sums of cash. Human rights groups have slammed the currency searches and seizures as illegal and are planning to launch a court challenge.