The Regional Organisation of International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has elected the first female president Comrade Martha Tinny Molema.
Comrade Molema, until her election at the just concluded 5th ordinary Congress of ITUC- Africa held in Nairobi Kenya from 28 to 30 November 2023, was the President of the Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU).
Molema’s election as well as that of a pro-woman, the General Secretary of the ITUC-Africa Comrade Akhator Joel, who was at the forefront of campaigning for women’s emancipation, is a clear manifestation that women have taken their place in the African Trade Union movement.
Her election was a unanimous one and welcomed by the delegates.
Also, the Congress elected Comrade Rose Omamu of the Central Organisation of Trade Union Kenya (COTU-K) as one of the two Deputy Presidents of the organisation.
She was elected alongside Mamadou Soro of the Central Syndical De Humanism (CSH) as another Deputy President of ITUC-Africa.
Equally elected during the 5th Ordinary Congress were three internal auditors of the Africa Regional Organisation.
The internal auditors are Mr. Joy Beene, the General Secretary of the Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) Zambia.
Others are Mrs. TWAGIRAYEZU Sylvie Kevine of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (CESTRA), and Mr Jean Bernard Malouka of Confederation des Syndicata Libres et Autonomes du Congo (COSYLAC) the Republic of Congo. Me Jean Marie Ndi, President of the Confederation des Syndicats Autonomes du Cameroun (CSAC) was elected as one of the Vice President.
The other Vice Presidents are: Mr Takdjout Amar, the Secretary General of Union Generale des Travailleurs Algeriens (UGTA); Ms. Helena Isabel Generosa Day Silva Franca of Uniao Nacional dos Trabalhadores de Angola (UNTA-CS).
The Congress also elected the Deputy General Secretary of ITUC-Africa, Anselme Amossou of Central Syndical Autonome (CSA) Benin, who is currently the General Secretary of CSA.
