Five Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) General Council (GC) members arrested earlier this week were released on Wednesday after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) declined to prosecute them, the country’s labour body has said.
The development comes amid a deepening leadership dispute within the ZCTU following last week’s suspension of Secretary-General Tirivanhu Marimo by the federation’s National Executive Committee (NEC) over unspecified misconduct allegations.
The five unionists, Marvelous Tawomhera, Blessing Nhende, Vulani Mhlanga, Mluleki Matobela and Anesu Runhare — were arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) on Monday while travelling to attend an Extraordinary General Council meeting convened to deliberate on the suspension of Marimo.
The General Council, the federation’s highest decision-making body between congresses, subsequently overturned Marimo’s suspension, ruling that the NEC had acted outside its constitutionally mandated powers.
In a statement, Marimo confirmed the release of the five officials.
“The ZCTU notes that the five GC members who were arrested during the convening of the Extraordinary General Council Meeting on 13 July 2026 have now been released after the National Prosecuting Authority declined to prosecute them,” he said.
The five were represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).
While welcoming their release, Marimo condemned the arrests, describing them as an unjustified intrusion into the affairs of an independent trade union.
He argued that the detention of elected General Council members prevented them from carrying out their constitutional responsibilities during one of the federation’s most important meetings.
“The Extraordinary General Council had been lawfully convened in terms of Clause 16.2.1 of the ZCTU Constitution upon the written requisition of more than fifty percent (50%) of the affiliated unions.
“It was therefore a lawful constitutional meeting of the highest governing authority of the Congress between General Conferences. The arrest of delegates attending such a meeting is a matter of profound concern to the trade union movement,” Marimo said.
He further argued that the arrests were inconsistent with Zimbabwe’s Constitution and violated international conventions protecting the rights to organise, assemble and associate.
Marimo also alleged that the police action was prompted by false information supplied by individuals pursuing personal interests within the labour movement.
According to him, there was credible information suggesting that some people had misrepresented to State authorities that the Extraordinary General Council meeting was intended to mobilise participation in an alleged demonstration planned for July 31, 2026.
He insisted the meeting’s sole purpose was to deliberate on the NEC’s suspension of the secretary-general, a decision that was later overturned by the General Council.
“That resolution was duly published and circulated to affiliates, stakeholders and the public. Any attempt to attribute an ulterior political purpose to the meeting was therefore a deliberate mischaracterisation of its lawful constitutional mandate and appears calculated to invite unwarranted intervention by State authorities in the internal affairs of ZCTU,” he added.
The leadership wrangle has exposed growing divisions within Zimbabwe’s main labour federation, with the General Council and the National Executive Committee now at odds over the governance and interpretation of the union’s constitution.
Black News 
