BUSINESSMAN and Bindura North MP Kenneth Musanhi (Zanu PF) last week reportedly caused the arrest of five workers at his firm AVM Africa after they allegedly held their managers hostage in December over a salary dispute.
by Christopher Mahove
The five — Felix Shuva, Plascida Mafume, Ngoni Matamisa, Admore Maya and Phares Chirawu — were detained at Rhodesville Police Station, Harare, on April 29 this year and appeared at the Rotten Row Magistrates’ Court the following day facing public violence charges.
The State alleges that on December 12 last year, about 130 workers picketed at the company’s offices demanding their outstanding 14 months’ salaries.
However, the company’s management summoned workers’ committee chairman Shakem Mukarati and ordered him to address the workers, advising them that there was no money to pay them. This allegedly angered the workers who then turned rowdy, forcing the managers to lock themselves in their offices, only to come out after the intervention of the police at around 10pm.
A meeting between the police and the workers failed to yield anything, resulting in the workers sleeping at the company premises.
The following morning, the workers were addressed by Musanhi’s younger brother, only identified as Nira, who promised to pay them on December 18.
When the workers returned on the agreed date they were given $200 each as part payment and have not been paid anything to date. When the workers raised the issue this month, Musanhi ordered the arrest of the five, who are members of the workers’ committee, for the December fracas.
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The five have since sought legal representation from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
The employees were granted
$30 bail each and remanded to May 14 for trial.
