By Own Correspondent

THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) conferred medals of honour to victims who suffered the wrath of police brutality during a worker’s demonstration 18 years ago.

The incident which took place on September 13 2006 when 15 activists and protesters were arrested and brutally assaulted at Matapi Police Station left lasting impressions on the labour movement and has been commemorated annually since then.

According to the ZCTU, the 15 labour leaders and activists were taken into a police cell where five police officers who were waiting severely tortured them for 20 minutes and thereafter other victims were ordered into the cells two at a time for further beatings.

Speaking at the commemorations, ZCTU secretary general, Japhet Moyo said the day has been set aside to reflect on the hardships endured by fellow labour leaders in the struggle for a pro-poor economy.

He underscored that most of the issues demonstrated for then, remain relevant to date.

“What our comrades were fighting for remains more relevant today, 18 years later. Workers in Zimbabwe are earning way, way below the PDL; inflation is ravaging the economy despite claims by the authorities that they have tamed it.

“The government has once again restarted the talk about imposing a compulsory National Health Insurance Scheme that will probably be administered by the National Social Security Authority (NSSA). Our query was NSSA is not administering the current scheme properly and to our satisfaction, why then give them extra responsibility if they are not competent with the current scheme?”

Moyo called upon all workers and trade unions in Zimbabwe to unite while taking a cue from these comrades of 2006 who worked together despite their political differences.

He said the workers who gathered on 13 September 2006 around the country took part in the ZCTU-organized demonstration against poverty afflicting 80% of Zimbabweans demanding wages that were linked to the Poverty Datum Line (PDL) and the Government’s commitment to fight inflation.

The ZCTU leader said they also wanted to benefit from the HIV and AIDS fund through the free distribution of anti-retroviral drugs and demanded a stop to the implementation of the compulsory National Health Insurance Scheme.

In response to the beatings, former late President Robert Mugabe told those who were gathered at the Zimbabwe Mission in Cairo where he was visiting that: “If you want an excuse for being killed, be my guest, go into the streets and demonstrate. The police were right in dealing sternly with Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions leaders during their demonstration … ..because the trade unionists wanted to become a law unto them. We cannot have a situation where people decide to sit in places not allowed and when the police remove them, they say no. We can’t have that, that is a revolt against the system. Vamwe vaakuchema kuti tarohwa, ehe unodashurwa. When the police say move, move. If you don’t move, you invite the police to use force”.

Meanwhile, during the commemorations, survivors of the incident gave harrowing testimonies of the incident.

Trade unionists who were conferred with medals of honour are Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) Raymond Majongwe, Toendepi Shonhe, Todini Todini, Moses Ngondo, Tonderai Nhahunzvi, Dennis Chiwara and the late Lovemore Matombo.

Others include Tichaona Basket, Lucia Mtibenga, Ian Makone, Stephen Mutasa, the late Rwatipedza Chigwagwa, George Nkiwane, Nqobizitha Khumalo and James Gumbi.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Director for Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and COMESA, Wellington Chibebe who was the ZCTU secretary-general in 2006 was also among the honoured victims.