Zim’s civil service crippled by strikes

PUBLIC service strikes have characterised Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s first five months in power‚ providing a rallying point for the opposition.

While nurses have ended their two-week strike‚ a doctors’ strike has entered its fourth week.

And teachers asking for a 100% increment are threatening to down tools if their demand is not met.

They are planning to march to Mnangagwa’s office today.

Last week‚ a threat by the government to cut striking doctors’ salaries failed to break their strike‚ with Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga subsequently reversing the threat.

The strike is already affecting Mnangagwa’s presidential campaign.

First lady Auxillia Mnangagwa cancelled her planned tour of Chitungwiza General Hospital‚ where numerous women promised free cervical cancer screening were left stranded.

Health and Childcare Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa urged the government to act on the issue because it was compromising the country’s health security.

Mnangagwa said he was working round the clock to see if his government could address health workers’ concerns.

On the other hand‚ MDC Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa last week toured one of the country’s largest hospitals‚ Harare Central Hospital‚ where he expressed his solidarity with public health practitioners.

“Doctors have not been given what is due to them‚” he said.

While negotiations are under way‚ the government has sent army doctors to help.

Junior doctors earn a basic salary of $329 (R3 800) and their on-call allowances are pegged at $1.50 (R17.50) an hour.

Last year, the government failed to pay bonuses in December and promised to stagger them over three months.

Some have been paid, others are still awaited.

The last salary review for civil servants was effected in 2013 and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions says since then salaries have been eroded by 70%.