A Broke country. Civil servants protesting for salary hike. And suddenly, to silence everything else, comes up a report leak. Another whistle blowing. But this time, in Zimbabwe.
In one of the leaked World Bank report reveals that more than half of the civil servants in Zimbabwe are not qualified or are not working, BBC reports. The auditors from Ernst and Young India had also found out that one ministry had even appointed 7000 people ahead of the 2008 elections. During this period, Zimbabwe was going through a meltdown.
An inevitable winter of discontent had started building up in the first week of May in the country when the same civil servants had started protesting for hike in their salaries.
In fact, the trade unions have exposed that $15m state money is being invested on these civil servants, per year.
Though, there are still debates if the civil service in Zimbabwe is worth all the investment or are the state funds rapidly used for political benefits.
In the meantime, the civil servants had warned the government of crippling strike in the next months if their demand to increase the salary were not met.
‘Current Salary’
Right now, the civil servants in Zimbabwe are earning $200 per month and hence, demanding a 300% rise in their income.
Moreover, after the setting up of the power sharing government, an extra number of 40,000 government workers have been employed.
BBC also reports that currently, there are 70,000 staff workers who do not have the needed qualifications for the government job.
‘President’s assurance’
President Robert Mugabe has announced that he would introduce hefty increments in the salary of the government workers.
He said that this increase would be derived from the sale of gems obtained from the Marange diamond fields.
The production of diamonds from Marange is highly controversial because of continuous legal battles and government crackdowns.
‘Biti’s being accused’
Tendai Biti, the Finance Minister of Zimbabwe has been accused by the public workers for deliberately refusing the salary hikes.
The accusation also proves to be against the globetrotting of ministers especially when the country is facing economic crisis.
Biti had also stated that the government does not have the financial condition to support the rise in salaries.
Meanwhile, Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, the minister for Public Service stated that the government was broke right now.
‘Human Rights watch’s concern’
In the current situation, especially after the leak, the Human Rights Watch harbours the concern that President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party is using youth militia to control people in rural areas.
But this leaked World Bank report has been officially dismissed by the Zanu-PF party.
Credits: Photo from Reuters
shubhdachaudhary 