Stories

Lucia Matibenga has been considered one of the most powerful women within the Movement for Democratic Change. She has only been eclipsed by Theresa Makone, wife of Prime Minister and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s special advisor Ian. But observers believe Matibenga has more grassroots support than Makone because of her trade union background. She led the biggest affiliate of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, the Commercial Workers Union, to which another powerful but more dignified Paurina Mpariwa belonged. There are 24 cables on Matibenga, currently Minister of the Public Services. Here they are.

(121 VIEWS)

The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front leadership in Masvingo was parcelling out the Save Valley conservancy ahead of the appointment of a Movement for Democratic Change governor.

(69 VIEWS)

Commercial Workers Union president Lucia Matibenga exaggerated the membership of her union to gain votes so that she could be elected first vice-president of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions in 2006.

(72 VIEWS)

Labour politics in Zimbabwe is dirty and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions’ current leadership is undemocratic, selfish and controlling.

(158 VIEWS)

The United States embassy in Harare which has always had a keen interest in the labour movement in Zimbabwe carried out a two-part analysis of the labour movement barely two months after the formation of the inclusive government.

(5611 VIEWS)

Movement for Democratic Change secretary general Tendai Biti, who was totally opposed to any inclusive government that included President Robert Mugabe, told United States embassy officials that a Karanga faction of the MDC had held talks with Emmerson Mnangagwa but he did not say what the talks were about.

(214 VIEWS)

Lucia Matibenga, the first vice-president of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, was elected to serve as one of 56 members of the governing body of the International Labour Organisation in 2008.

(135 VIEWS)

Many supporters of the Morgan Tsvangirai faction of the Movement for Democratic Change had become disenchanted by the splits within the party- the Mutambara breakaway in 2005 and the dismissal of Lucia Matibenga in 2007.

(106 VIEWS)

The case of Lucia Matibenga had continued to divide the main faction of the Movement for Democratic Change as the country prepared for national elections in 2008 because the damage caused had not been healed according to the United States embassy.

(46 VIEWS)

Movement for Democratic Change spokesman Nelson Chamisa felt that party leader Morgan Tsvangirai had blundered by removing Lucia Matibenga as chair of the Women’s League because her removal was potentially more destabilising than the rupture with the Arthur Mutambara faction.

(53 VIEWS)