1. (U) THE ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS (ZCTU)
FIVE-YEAR CONGRESS, HELD ON FEBRUARY 23 AND 24, RESULTED
IN THE ELECTION OF A NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND AN
AFFIRMATION THAT THE FEDERATION IS NON-PARTISAN. ALL
INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE CONGRESS WENT SMOOTHLY, AND
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF AN OVERT EFFORT BY THE
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) AND ZANU-PF TO DIRECTLY
INFLUENCE EVENTS IN THE CONGRESS AND THE ELECTION OF THE
NEW LEADERSHIP. THE FEBRUARY 26 ISSUE OF THE GOZ-
CONTROLLED "THE HERALD" REPORTED THAT THE NEW PRESIDENT
OF THE ZCTU, LOVEMORE MATAMBO, PROCLAIMED THAT THE LABOR
FEDERATION WAS "NOT ALIGNED TO ANY POLITICAL PARTY" AND
"WILL WORK WITH ANY POLITICIANS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
WORKERS' WELFARE REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION."
THIS IS AFTER THE OUTGOING SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE
ZCTU, AND PRESIDENT OF THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR
DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC), MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, ADDRESSED
THE CONGRESS ON FEBRUARY 24 AND SAID THAT "ZCTU IS THE
SOUL OF THE MDC AND IF YOU REMOVE THE SOUL, THE PARTY
WILL DIE."
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2. (U) THE FOLLOWING WERE ELECTED TO KEY POSITIONS IN
THE ZCTU EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:

= WILLARD CHIBHEBHE - SECRETARY-GENERAL

= COLLEN GWIYO - FIRST DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL

= MIRIAM MUKUTUMA - SECOND SECRETARY-GENERAL

= LOVEMORE MATAMBO - PRESIDENT

= MATILDA CHEKUDA - TREASURER



3. (C) COMMENT: WHILE IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE
THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF THE CONGRESS ON THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ZCTU, THE MDC, AND ZANU-PF, OUR
EARLY READING IS THAT THE PRO-MDC ELEMENT IN THE ZCTU
WAS ABLE TO CARRY THE DAY. WILLARD CHIBHEBHE, WHO WAS
ELECTED SECRETARY-GENERAL, THE MOST POWERFUL POSITION IN
THE EXECUTIVE, WAS MENTIONED TO US BY PRO-MDC LABOR
LEADERS GIFT CHIMANIKIRE AND ISAAC MATONGO PRIOR TO THE
CONGRESS AS ONE OF THEIR PREFERRED CANDIDATES FOR THAT
POSITION. INDEED, ACCORDING TO SENIOR MDC ADVISOR GANDI
MUDZINGWA, CHIBHEBHE SERVED AS THE MDC'S SECRETARY OF
POLICY AND RESEARCH IN 1999 AND IS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR FORMULATING MANY OF THE PARTY'S CURRENT POLICIES.
HIS ELECTION IS THUS A GOOD SIGN FOR CONTINUED
COOPERATION OR AT LEAST IDEOLOGICAL SUPPORT BETWEEN THE
ZCTU AND THE MDC, REGARDLESS OF THE LABOR ORGANIZATION'S
PROCLAIMED NEUTRALITY. THE PREVIOUS ACTING SECRETARY-
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GENERAL, ISIDORE ZINDOGA, WHO WAS WIDELY BELIEVED TO BE
PRO-ZANU-PF, WAS DEFEATED AND NOW HOLDS NO LEADERSHIP
POSITION IN THE ZCTU. WE WILL BE MEETING IN THE NEAR
TERM WITH OUR LABOR CONTACTS TO GLEAN THE UNION AND
POLITICAL BACKGROUNDS OF THE NEW ZCTU EXECUTIVE. WE
WILL ALSO SEEK A CLEARER READOUT OF WHAT THE WEEKEND'S
VOTE MEANS FOR ZIMBABWE'S WORKERS, AND THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE ZCTU, THE OPPOSITION MDC, AND THE RULING
ZANU-PF. END COMMENT.

IRVING

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