WORKERS’ unions have said the unending and worsening power struggles in Zanu PF have further increased the levels of insecurity on employees and citizens in the country.
By VENERANDA LANGA
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Peter Mutasa told NewsDay in an interview that the fights which resulted in the recent axing of former Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa had left workers and other suffering citizens in deep mud as government was concentrating on dealing with personalities than fixing the economy.
“We have over the years been noticing that government has been running away from its responsibilities about citizens and has instead been concerned about individuals who are the few elites that want to hold onto power,” Mutasa said.
“Nothing has changed since 1980, and all the bickering is happening at the expense of citizens and workers who have suffered economic hardships for a long time with their wages now cut by 60%, while a lot of other workers are working without pay.”
He said it would even be difficult for government to attract investors given their continuous bickering.
“If you look at foreign direct investment, even smaller economies get in excess of $2 billion per year, yet we have been getting about half a billion. Zimbabwe is isolated and everyone is afraid to interact with us because the current discourse in the ruling party is about personalities,” Mutasa said.
The ZCTU president said given the confusion in the ruling party, it was now time for workers and citizens to unite and end the anarchy.
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Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said it was sad that the Zanu PF government was busy chasing one another instead of rectifying things such as ensuring civil servants get better salaries.
“We are going into the fourth year of civil servants getting their salaries after Christmas, and we must be tough on government and make demands that they concentrate on real issues affecting the people. If the energy they are putting into fighting one another is exerted towards fighting for people’s issues, surely investors would be coming into the country,” Majongwe said.
He said what was more disappointing was that the opposition parties were failing to take advantage of the Zanu PF confusion and organise themselves to take over.
Majongwe said despite the confusion in the country civil servants should continue to push for what is due to them.
Norton MP Temba Mliswa said the bickering in Zanu PF would further shoo away investors, adding some of those were wooed by Mnangagwa when he was still in the Presidium.
“No investor will put their money in any business in this country when we have such confusion happening in government. The country has become very ungovernable,” Mliswa said.
