TEACHERS are up in arms with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) over outstanding payments after the electoral body engaged them as election officers for the disputed August polls.
According to unions representing teachers, educators who participated in various election-related duties are being sent from one office to the next when they inquire about payment.
This is not the first time Zec has clashed with teachers over non-payment for election-related work.
Educators Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general, Tapedza Zhou, threatened court action against the electoral body over the matter.
“Last time, we warned Zec against engaging teachers without contracts as this opened doors to abuse,” Zhou said.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe leader, Obert Masaraure, accused Zec of taking teachers for granted.
“Zec has been contacted by individual teachers and the unions with regards to the payment but the electoral body has been pledging but without fulfilling the promise.”
Zec deputy chairperson, Rodney Kiwa, referred NewsDay to the chief elections officer Utloile Silaigwana when contacted for comment.
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He added: “I would advise the unions to approach Mr Silaigwana with the necessary documents which show that they were indeed employed and at which station.”
Efforts to obtain a comment from Silaigwana were fruitless.
He also did not respond to WhatsApp messages sent to him.
Zimbabwe National Teachers Union chief executive, Manuel Nyawo, however, blasted Zec for dishonesty.
"Such dishonest behaviour is uncalled for because it puts the name of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu PF into disrepute because Zec acted on the instructions of the Zanu PF government that was and is still in power,” Nyawo said.
“It's a miscarriage of justice to see teachers being abused to this extent considering that they are struggling to survive with the little earnings they are getting in the form of salaries.”
