On Sunday evening, 8 November, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) President Lovemore Matombo and four other trade union leaders were arrested in the Victoria Falls region of their country, after they met with the regional ZCTU Executive there.

After four nights in jail, they were released late on Thursday, 12 November. They were arrested for violating Zimbabwe’s Public Order and Security Act (POSA), a Mugabe device meant to stifle freedom of association. Under the POSA, participants must get police permission before conducting a public meeting.

Besides Matombo, the other four ZCTU leaders jailed were Michael Kandukutu, Percy Mncijo, Dumisani Ncube, and Nhawu Ndlovu.

But despite police winning an initial court bid on 11 November to keep the five in a jail in Hwange, a Magistrate threw out the charges and ordered their release, stating that trade union activity is exempt under the POSA.

Last week’s illegal incarcerations brought prompt protest and severe condemnation from the International Congress of Trade Unions (ITUC), the European Union, and other labour bodies around the world.

Following release of the five, the ZCTU called for the resignations of the co-ministers of Home Affairs, including Giles Mutsekwa, representing the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, the partner in the failing power-sharing pact with Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party. Mutsekwa had been silent on the trade union arrests, and on other repressive crackdowns of late. It was Mutsekwa and the MDC that was to take the lead in internal affairs following last year’s formal power-sharing arrangement.

It was the second time in less than a year that Lovemore Matombo had been arrested. In early December 2008, he was grabbed by Zimbabwean police after delivering a petition of protest to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.