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Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent

Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) has joined workers in Zimbabwe and beyond in celebrating the International Workers’ Day, today.

The revolutionary party said the day is a clear demonstration of the resilience of the nation’s workers exhibited through productive hard work and sacrifices towards the attainment of vision 2030.

“On this day, as the revolutionary party, born out of the struggles of the masses of our people and the hard-working men and women, we celebrate the role that workers have played year in and year out, formally and informally to keep our nation going,” read the statement .

“We also on this day, pay gratitude to various workers’ movements that have remained steadfast in working with the Government and the party to advance workers’ rights and social justice. The day is equally a reminder of the many challenges that still confront working people and the masses of our nation which our Government is fighting to address despite the devastating socio-economic impact of illegal sanctions imposed by the hostile countries that have a history of oppressing workers and the poor.

“The sanctions have remained a big obstacle to the realisation of sustainable human development of our people. It is against this background that as we salute the workers of Zimbabwe for their continued solidarity with the party, leadership and Government, we unequivocally call for the workers to join H.E The President and First Secretary of the Party, Cde ED Mnangagwa in calling for the unconditional removal of the of these heinous sanctions which have crippled our economy and the efforts that his Government is putting to realise an upper middle income economy by 2030.”

The party said working class people have been the vanguard of the liberation struggle, social justice, non-racial and non-sexist philosophy towards national unity, peace and development.

It said it was from the workers where nationalism was born, hence the struggles of workers could never be separated from the struggles and the agenda of the ruling party and Government.

“We pride ourselves as the champion of the recognition of workers’ rights, being a party of workers ourselves under the stewardship of our visionary worker, President ED Mnangagwa,” read the statement .

“Indeed, workers’ rights, equality and social justice could not be achieved without national independence. As we celebrate our achievement of 40 years of Independence, we once again wish to reiterate the party’s commitment to the emancipation of workers and our resolve to maintain strong working and ideological relations with workers through our Tripartite Negotiating Forums to ensure a win-win situation between the employers and the employees.

Reinforcing its commitment to gender equality and women’s emancipation, the party paid tribute to the millions of workers who fought against colonial racial oppression of workers and so that everyone enjoys equal rights of citizenship.

ZANU PF also called upon the workers and workers’ unions to remain vigilant and resist attempts to be weaponsied by fly-by-night politicians and the nation’s detractors.

“Finally, we are aware that on a normal day, workers would have loved to celebrate and mark this day in style, but due to the circumstances created by this global disaster COVID 19, it is impossible to gather. We are, however, in solidarity with all our workers and their leaders here in Zimbabwe and globally. We salute the brave frontline health workers who are leading us in the fight against Covid-19, risking everything in order to ensure that our nation pulls through from this pandemic,” read the statement.