HARARE - Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) has endorsed the draft constitution saying it had been approved by the workers in the country.

ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo said the ZCTU supreme body, the general council approved the draft constitution arguing that it was a ‘better devil ‘as compared to the current constitution.’

He said that draft can be used to hold free and fair elections if approved at the referendum.

ZCTU is a strong labour and trade union movement with a membership of over one million countrywide.

Moyo said the ZCTU held their meeting on July 18 and gave thumps up to the draft.

“We have accepted that the draft constitution might have some flaws but it is a good document. We agreed to support it and we have to let the public know that workers have endorsed it. This why we are participating in some civic society discussing forums briefing the public about the decision of the workers in supporting the draft,” said Moyo.

In the past two weeks Moyo and ZCTU president George Nkiwane have been appearing among panelists of experts, academics, political parties and civic society representatives discussing the draft constitution and articulating the workers position on the draft.

ZCTU have joined the MDC formations in endorsing the draft constitution as Zanu PF has made several amendments in an attempt to rewrite the draft against the people’s wishes.

However, Raymond Majongwe spokesperson of Concerned ZCTU Affiliates said it was wrong for Moyo and Nkiwane to endorse draft without consulting the workers.

Concerned ZCTU Affiliates is a splinter group of ZCTU.

Majongwe disagreed with Moyo and Nkiwane’s support of the draft saying it was wrong to assert that the workers had accepted the draft.

“It took Zanu PF more than 50 hours to debate on the draft constitution and we now have these two colleagues claiming that the workers have accepted the draft,” said Majongwe.

Concerned ZCTU Affiliates president Lovemore Matombo supported Majongwe’s argument and said the two trade unionists were playing politics.

“The history of ZCTU is known and the constitution process started when I was still the President of a united ZCTU. I am not aware that the position has change. Moyo and Nkiwane are playing politics in endorsing the draft,” said Matombo.

In 2000 ZCTU was in partnership with the National Constitional Assembly (NCA) and MDC in campaigning for a no vote in the referendum for the draft constitution, which was rejected by people.