Zimbabwe’s Public Servants have been given an ultimatum — get vaccinated against COVID-19 or face dismissal.
Speaking during a pandemic assessment meeting with the heads of Government Departments, Minister for Justice, Ziyambi Ziyambi (pictured) said Public Servants had no choice other than to have the vaccine after signing State contracts which compelled them to work for the public.
“Public Servants who do not want to follow Public Service Commission rules on COVID-19 vaccinations are free to resign,” Mr Ziyambi said.
“When you get employed you cede some of the rights to say no to things like vaccinations,” he said.
“The Public Service Commission has regulations which you must comply with.”
“If you don’t want to comply with that you have a right to quit,” the Minister said.
President of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Peter Mutasa hit back, saying Mr Ziyambi’s remarks were unlawful.
“It’s unlawful because there is no law that supports discrimination against an employee that has not been vaccinated,” Mr Mutasa said.
“There is no scientific support that someone who has been vaccinated will not be infected,” he said.
However, Mr Ziyambi quickly doubled down on his remarks, saying that regulations put in place under the Public Health Act were clear “and we cannot go against them”.
According to the Ministry of Health, as at the beginning of July Zimbabwe had 52,663 confirmed cases of COVID-19; 39,568 recoveries; and 1,841 deaths.
To date, a total of 788,004 people had received at least one vaccination against the virus.
Harare, 6 July 2021
