ZIMBABWE
The Government of Zimbabwe is moving to enforce constitutional requirements that its Public Servants be apolitical.
Minister for Information, Monica Mutsvangwa (pictured) said the Minister for Public Service was working on a proposal to amend the current Public Services Act so it aligned with the Constitution.
“The amendments also provide a mechanism for the implementation of collective bargaining rights and provide for political neutrality of the Civil Service,” Ms Mutsvangwa said.
In the past, senior PS staff have been accused of dabbling in partisan politics, with many of them accused of favouring the ruling Zanu PF party.
The proposed law will also require senior PS employees to declare their assets.
Meanwhile, the Government’s announcement that it was awarding all PS employees a cost-of-living adjustment amounting to $400 in the Zimbabwean currency has outraged workers, who say the amount is worthless.
Secretary-General of the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, Raymond Majongwe warned the Government to stop taking workers for granted.
“As far as we are concerned, without giving us a 100 per cent salary increment, it is just a joke,” Mr Majongwe said.
“They are just talking and not tackling our problems.”
He said there was a very real possibility of strike action before the beginning of the new term.
Harare, 3 April 2019
