Skip Navigation

January vol 30 2011, National News

Chibhebhe on the rise

By Radio VOP   Mon, Feb 21, 2011

Harare  – The secretary general of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) is leaving the labour body to take up a post with the Brussels-based International Trade Union Confederation (ITCU).

The ITUC General Council meeting in Brussels last week unanimously elected Chibebe to the position of Deputy General Secretary of the global trade union body.

ZCTU insiders said Chibebe, 47, will complete his current term as General Secretary of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and will join ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow and Deputy General Secretary Jaap Wienen as a full-time elected official after the ZCTU Congress later this year.

Chibebe confirmed to VOP on Thursday that he was leaving Harare for Brussels. “I will be moving to Brussels after being approached by the ITCU to take up the position of deputy secretary general,” said Chibebe.

He succeeded Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as the ZCTU’s head of secretariat after the premier quit to lead the labour-backed Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in 1999. Together with other ZCTU leaders, Chibebe was brutalised by police in September 2006 after he attempted to lead a protest in Harare against low wages by the government. He suffered broken limps and a fractured skull. He late sued the state over the heavy assault by the police.

By Radio VOP

Please login to post your comments.