This is to bring to your attention that the General Secretary of the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa www.ituc-africa.org), Comrade Kwasi Adu-Amankwah (a Ghanaian) has been forcefully taken from Jameson Hotel where he checked into upon arrival in Zimbabwe this morning 26th February 2019 by men of the Department of Immigration of Zimbabwe.
Dear Mr President,
Maltreatment and detention of an African Trade Union Leader: A call for swift intervention from the Office of the President of Zimbabwe
We are further informed that he has now been detained at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare. We fear he is being processed for deportation. We, nevertheless, sincerely hope that this will not be the case.
Comrade Adu-Amankwah travelled to Zimbabwe to conduct solidarity meeting with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) one of the 105 affiliates of the ITUC-Africa across 52 of the 55 African countries. During his visit, he is supposed to hold a meeting with the Ministry of Labour, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and also the Employers’ Association of Zimbabwe.
Mr. President, we ask that your government take the necessary steps to ensure that comrade Kwasi Adu-Amankwah is released and allowed to continue with his mission. The least appropriate thing will be that the Zimbabwean Department of Immigration will tender an unreserved apology for this action and take genuine efforts to prevent future reoccurrence.
As we count on Mr. President’s swift and appropriate interventions to successfully resolve and normalize this situation, we present the assurances of our high regards to your person and office, please.
Yours faithfully
Adrien Akouete
Deputy General Secretary
For and on behalf of the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa)