THE Zimbabwe Congress (ZCTU) of Trade Unions has bemoaned rampant corruption on the back of concerns that the gap between the haves and have-nots continues to widen.
In her keynote address to mark the May 1 commemorations, ZCTU President Florence Taruvinga decried the hardships faced by the working class highlighting the just-ended drought will further complicate the situation.
The event was held under the theme; "Workers Demand an Inclusive Zimbabwe Free from Poverty, Corruption and Oppression" ARISE WORKERS ARISE!!! in line with the challenges bedevilling the country's working class.
"It is a war cry for battle. The battle for accountability in terms of our national resources, better remuneration and improved social security among others. Workers of Zimbabwe, we are now in a war situation and none but ourselves are our liberators," she said.
She said it is all doom and gloom for workers and ordinary citizens with the situation of the common man remaining pathetic despite years of promises that all would be well from the government.
Taruvinga said over the years the labour fraternity has not seen improvements in respect of labour rights, combating corruption, respect for the rule of law and the will of the people and restraint of plunder of natural resources.
As a result, the ZCTU leader contends that non-resolution to these matters is keeping the majority of citizens in bondage.
"The socio-economic divide between the haves and have-nots is widening by the day. This calls for serious introspection by the working class towards their common goal. We cannot have a situation where poverty is the common denominator for the majority while a chosen clique plunders the country," she said.
The ZCTU leader said workers have lost investments, savings and incomes in 2008's runaway inflation period and 2016 when the country introduced Bond Notes without recourse time and again over the years as the government introduced new monetary policies without adequate consultations.
"This results in non-acceptance of such policies by other stakeholders leading to their failure no matter how good they may be. Issues of trust and faith must not be downplayed. We moved from Bearer Cheques, Agro Cheques, RTGS and Bond notes without an improvement. We now have the ZIG and we still wait to see its effectiveness," added Taruvinga.
