ZCTU: Political Elite Enriching Themselves While Majority Live In Poverty

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has accused the country’s political elite of enriching themselves from the country’s resources while the majority of Zimbabweans endure poverty, low wages and poor living conditions.

ZCTU secretary general Tirivanhu Marimo has questioned whether Zimbabwe had achieved the aspirations for which thousands of liberation war heroes and heroines sacrificed their lives.

He said the prevailing socio-economic conditions, characterised by high levels of informality, poor salaries and widespread poverty, contradicted the objectives of the liberation struggle.

Marimo argued that the war of liberation was not fought simply to change the identity of those exercising political power, but to establish a society where political freedom, economic justice, equality, human dignity and control over national resources would benefit every Zimbabwean.

“It is a painful contradiction that, more than four decades after independence, many of the very heroes and heroines who sacrificed for this country continue to live in poverty and indignity,” said Marimo in a statement marking the 46th Heroes Day.

“Some struggle to access adequate healthcare, decent housing, food and social security. Their circumstances are an indictment of a nation whose freedom was purchased at such an enormous human cost.”

He said Zimbabwe’s vast mineral and agricultural wealth had failed to translate into improved living standards for the majority, despite the country being endowed with various mineral resources.

Instead, Zimbabwe continues to experience high levels of poverty, unemployment, low wages, inadequate social protection and extreme inequality.

“A country cannot legitimately celebrate its mineral wealth while its workers cannot afford basic necessities, pensioners live in deprivation, communities surrounding mineral deposits remain impoverished and public services remain chronically underfunded,” he said.

Marimo said natural resources must be managed in the public interest and used to improve the lives of current and future generations.

“ZCTU firmly maintains that natural resources must be managed in the public interest and for the benefit of present and future generations,” he said.

“Mineral wealth must translate into decent jobs, decent wages, universal social protection, quality healthcare, education, housing, infrastructure and sustainable community development.”