ZCTU Commemorates Police Brutality Day Amid Reports of Disrupted Events

By Staff Reporter

HARARE-The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Harare Region on Saturday held commemorations to remember trade unionists who were assaulted by police during a protest in September 2006. The event took place amid reports that similar commemorations in Masvingo, Mutare and Chinhoyi had been disrupted by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). The annual commemorations honour 147 trade unionists who were arrested, tortured or assaulted on September 13, 2006, after gathering to demand better wages and improved social and economic conditions.

Several of the workers sustained serious injuries, some of which reportedly resulted in permanent disabilities. Historical accounts by human rights organisations and trade union bodies document arrests and assaults in several Zimbabwean towns, including Harare, Masvingo, Mutare and Chinhoyi.

Speaking at the 2026 commemorations, ZCTU secretary-general Tirivanhu Marimo said the 2006 events represented an assault on workers’ rights to organise, assemble, express themselves and advocate for improved conditions. He also criticised the reported disruption of this year’s events in Masvingo, Mutare and Chinhoyi, saying it suggested that trade unionists continued to face restrictions when exercising their rights.

“On this solemn occasion, we remember the workers and trade union leaders who endured unimaginable suffering,” Marimo said. He recalled the arrests and alleged mistreatment of senior ZCTU officials, including former union leaders Lovemore Matombo, Wellington Chibebe and Lucia Matibenga at Matapi Police Station in Harare.

Injuries suffered by union leaders

Marimo highlighted the injuries suffered by Chibebe, who was ZCTU secretary-general at the time. He said Chibebe sustained fractures to his wrist and hand, a scalp laceration and extensive bruising, with some of the injuries reportedly causing lasting damage. Historical accounts by Amnesty International and international trade union organisations record that Chibebe suffered serious head injuries and fractures, while Matombo and Matibenga also sustained significant injuries during the 2006 crackdown.

Marimo said Chibebe later required surgery and continued to experience limited use of his left hand. Chibebe now serves as director of the International Labour Organisation country office in Lusaka, covering Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique, and as the ILO’s special representative to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. Marimo also recalled that Matombo suffered a broken arm and finger, while Matibenga sustained injuries that included whip marks, lacerations and damage to her ears.

Other trade unionists remembered during the event included Moses Ngondo, Denis Chiwara, James Gumbi and George Nkiwani, who reportedly sustained various fractures and other serious injuries. “These were trade unionists whose crime was participating in organised labour action,” Marimo said. “We remember comrades who were beaten on the soles of their feet and left with lasting disabilities. We remember all those whose physical and psychological wounds were carried long after the headlines disappeared.”

Concerns over later crackdowns

Marimo said the ZCTU’s concerns about police conduct did not end with the events of 2006.

He cited the arrests of ZCTU leaders, including Peter Mutasa and Japhet Moyo, during protests against economic and fiscal measures in October 2018. He also referred to the national stay-away called by the ZCTU in January 2019 following a sharp increase in fuel prices.

According to Marimo, the subsequent crackdown resulted in deaths, arrests and injuries, including gunshot wounds. Human rights organisations documented serious abuses during the January 2019 unrest, although accounts of responsibility and the circumstances surrounding individual incidents have been contested. The ZCTU has continued to call for the protection of trade union rights, including freedom of association, assembly and collective action.

The union’s 2026 commemorations were intended to honour those affected by the 2006 violence while drawing attention to continuing concerns over the treatment of workers and labour organisations in Zimbabwe.

ZCTU Police Brutality Day 2026