Roundup: Life back to normal in Zimbabwe day after massive strike

Normalcy returned to Harare and other parts of Zimbabwe Thursday after a job boycott on Wednesday when civil society led the people in expressing discontent over the state of affairs in the country.

The hustle and bustle that characterizes Harare's Central Business during any other working day returned as shops reopened, vendors returned to the streets and vehicular traffic increased.

Thousands of workers heeded calls by civil leaders of shadowy organizations using social media to express themselves against the government and stayed at home to show that they were not happy with prevailing economic conditions and perceived corruption in the public sector.

The stay away coincided with a strike by civil servants who were protesting delays in the payment of their June salaries.

The security sector which usually gets paid mid-month was paid on June 27 while teachers got their salaries yesterday instead of the early 20s of the month, and the remainder of the civil service will get theirs on July 14 instead of at the end of June.

Pensioners remain the hardest hit with the government shifting their pay dates willy nilly, and will this time get theirs on July 19.

The government which has for a long time been running on a cash budget began deferring workers' salaries in March last year.

Teachers got their salaries on Thursday and lessons were scheduled to resume Friday but some who were interviewed by Xinhua said they would only return to their stations after accession all their money.

A teacher from Mashonaland Central Province said they would return to school after accessing all their money.

"The salaries are in the bank and not in our pockets. We are supposed to return to work but banks are giving only 100 U.S. dollars per day. So we will be queuing for four days," he said.

A health worker at the country's biggest referral center Parirenyatwa Hospital said junior doctors who had gone on strike last week had also returned to work after government announced that they would now be paid Friday instead of July 14 as had earlier been announced.

"We trust the government to live up to its promise and give us our salaries tomorrow," he said.

There were isolated skirmishes during Wednesday's stay away with the police arresting nearly 40 people, among them a Belgian, according to state media.

Home Affairs Minister and secretary for administration in the ruling Zanu-PF party Ignatius Chombo alleged interference by some western governments and said the party would not be moved by their actions and those of failed political parties.

"Zanu-PF is focused on what it wants to do and cannot be shaken by these activities. We are the ruling party, and we will not accept anything short of law and order," he told The Herald newspaper.

Chombo said the security organs were working round the clock and had the situation under control and those found on the wrong side of the law would be dealt with severely.

Among the leaders of Wednesday's stay away is Evan Mawarire, a pastor who has taken social media by storm and called for the fight against corruption and perceived government ineptitude.

He has started a movement called #ThisFlag which now commands a huge following with flag vendors making brisk business selling them to Zimbabweans identifying themselves with his cause.

Another group of youths calling itself #tajamuka (slang for we are protesting) and another fronted by a medical doctor whose political activist brother was allegedly kidnapped by state agents last year and has not been heard of since also participated, while opposition parties said they supported them. Endit