HARARE - Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) president George Nkiwane has demanded that Lovemore Matombo, former president of ZCTU, returns assets and property of the labour movement to their offices.

Nkiwane told the Daily News that they have been asking Matombo to return ZCTU property he has in his possession namely; a vehicle Isuzu Twin Cab, laptop and a cell phone, since he is no longer the leader of ZCTU.

“Matombo is still holding on to our property and we expect him to return it, the matter is now being handled by our lawyers. Our former secretary-general Wellington Chibhebhe handed over the vehicle he had been using when he retired last year and we expect Matombo to do the same,” said Nkiwane.

Alec Muchadehama ZCTU’s lawyer confirmed the development and said he was chasing up the matter with Matombo who is refusing to hand over the property.

“We have a Supreme Court order which confirms that my clients are the legitimate ZCTU leaders. I have written several letters to Matombo for him to surrender the properties and we have not received any response from him. We are still pursuing the matter, because it is not his property. The vehicle was part of his working benefit but he must now return it to ZCTU,” said Muchadehama.

Contacted for comment, Raymond Majongwe, spokesperson for Matombo’s Concerned ZCTU Affiliates said they were not aware of the demand by Nkiwane.

“We are not aware about that demand but I know they are being petty. How can they claim a cellphone which costs $15? We have better issues concerning the plight of the workers to attend to rather than trying to settle personal scores. Nkiwane can have his property anytime rather than bothering Matombo who is recovering from his illness,” said Majongwe.

Matombo said the matter was being handled by his lawyers and he had no comment to make as it was a matter before the courts.

Last month, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by Matombo to recognise him as the legitimate leader of ZCTU.

Matombo had approached the Supreme Court seeking an order to overturn Justice Francis Bere’s ruling in November last year barring him from holding his elective congress and referring himself as president of ZCTU.

The court also stopped Matombo from using the ZCTU logo, name and properties and that he should stay away from the ZCTU offices and let sanity prevail in the labour organisation.

ZCTU had been split into two factions one led by Nkiwane and the other by Matombo since August 2011.

Nkiwane was elected ZCTU president in August last year at the ZCTU congress in Bulawayo but Matombo challenged it saying he was voted by bogus delegates.

Matombo organised his own congress which was held in December where he was elected president with Thabitha Khumalo as deputy president and Raymond Majongwe as secretary-general.

He has now formed his own faction called Concerned ZCTU Affiliates.