The ZIMBABWE Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has implored the Zanu PF-led government to respect people\u2019s rights and stop using intimidation tactics and abductions ahead of next week\u2019s planned demonstrations.<\/p>\n
Civic groups allege that State agents had allegedly been deployed to intimidate and harass people indiscriminately, just like what happened during the January fuel protests where at least 17 people were shot dead, while hundreds others were injured in a crackdown against the demonstrations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we will unequivocally support and defend as an organisation is freedom of speech, assembly and association,\u201d ZCTU president Peter Mutasa said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe, therefore, hope the State will allow peaceful protests of labour or political parties and stop intimidation, abductions and killings of innocent
\ncitizens.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zimbabwe has come under spotlight over gross human rights violations in the past, with the Unite States slapping former Presidential Guard head Anselem
\nSanyatwe with sanctions over his role in the January disturbances.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the ZCTU said it would soon be announcing dates for its own action against the President Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have serious socio-economic disputes with the government over eroded salaries, pathetic social services delivery, high cost of living, corruption and
\nneoliberal policies that are hurting the poor,\u201d Mutasa said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are, therefore, going to protest against this as labour and the poor. We will be announcing dates of our protests soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
The labour body said its members were free to join the MDC demonstrations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The ZIMBABWE Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has implored the Zanu PF-led government to respect people\u2019s rights and stop using intimidation tactics and abductions ahead of next week\u2019s planned demonstrations. Civic groups allege that State agents had allegedly been deployed to intimidate and harass people indiscriminately, just like what happened during the January fuel protests […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[83,149,419,103],"class_list":{"0":"post-12224","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-community","9":"tag-economy","10":"tag-president","11":"tag-us","12":"tag-zctu"},"yoast_head":"\n