Off the wire
• Iran dismisses Merkel's missile remarks as "unconstructive"  • Belarus favors direct dialogue with NATO, rejecting mediation  • Top news items in major S. African media outlets  • Deployment of THAAD far exceeds Korean Peninsula's defense needs: Chinese FM  • Commentary: U.S. cold-war mentality not solution to South China Sea issue  • Kenya foils terror attack on police station in NE region  • 1st LD Writethru: Kenya foils terror attack on police station in NE region  • Chinese comedian makes debut at Carnegie Hall  • Xinhua China-related world news summary at 0900 GMT, July 9  • Feature: Bruneians open houses for joyful Hari Raya  
You are here: 　 Home

Roundup: Zimbabwe's Mugabe urges public patience after massive strike over pay

Xinhua, July 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has told restive civil servants who have suffered delays in the payment of their salaries that the challenges were only temporary, days after a massive job stayaway brought businesses in major cities to a standstill.

Addressing supporters of his ruling Zanu-PF party in Bindura late Friday, Mugabe said the challenges ranged from sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union to the El Nino-induced drought of 2015/16.

He said even though the country was exporting some goods, the Americans would withhold the remittances as they passed through their financial system and this resulted in the country becoming hard pressed for cash.

Civil servants, mainly junior doctors, nurses and teachers, went on strike last week after the government failed to pay them their June salaries on time.

The security sector, which usually gets paid mid-month ,was paid on June 27 while teachers got their salaries on July 7 and the remainder of the civil service will get theirs on July 14 instead of at the end of June.

Health workers' pay day was later brought forward by six days to July 8, resulting in them returning to work, while pensioners remain the last to be paid and will get their money 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.

Mugabe said the bond notes to be introduced by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in October to run at par with the U.S. dollar would address some of the problems currently being experienced.

He also urged government workers to make sacrifices as was the case during the struggle for the liberation of Zimbabwe when many people went with little pay.

The president, however, did not mention the crippling job boycott called by civil society on Wednesday that resulted in thousands of people staying at home and some skirmishes in Harare and Bulawayo.

At least three groups with no apparent link to any opposition party led the people in expressing discontent over the state of affairs in the country.

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