SOCIAL movements have said they will join a planned protest march by civil servants in order to put pressure on the government to address the social and economic problems facing the country.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Civil servants will on Monday next week embark on a strike over government’s failure to commit to paying them their 2016 bonuses.
Already the cash-strapped government is looking into the possibility of paying civil servants with residential stands, a move workers unions were not comfortable with.
Social movements, who have been in hibernation since last year’s series of sporadic protests, have jumped to support the job action.
“A national shutdown has long been overdue. The Zanu PF government’s mis-prioritisation needs to be challenged. How can they spend millions on President Robert Mugabe’s senseless birthday when civil servants have not been paid? We are endorsing the strike and urging all progressive forces to support the strike. Mugabe must go as a matter of urgency and national security,” Promise Mkwananzi of Tajamuka/Sesjikile said.
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National Vendors’ Union of Zimbabwe leader, Sten Zvorwadza said its members will stand in solidarity with colleagues from other sectors in order to pro-actively engage in governance issues rather than being passive citizens.
“It is commendable to see groups of people coming together as citizens to demand their rights as it is mandated by the Constitution of Zimbabwe. It is a healthy culture that should be encouraged and exercised as a constitutional right without harassment or being brutalised by the enforcement agents,” he said.
Patson Dzamara, brother of the abducted activist, Itai, said: “I will join the civil servants on their strike against exploitative labour practices by their employer, the government of Zimbabwe. We must continue to stand against all forms of exploitation and repression and will identify with all sectors of society which resist evil and stand up for good.”
He said the crisis in Zimbabwe was multi-faceted, hence, the response to it has to be equally multi-dimensional.