Zimpapers Logo

Raymond Majongwe

Nyemudzai Kakore Herald Reporter
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Mr Raymond Majongwe yesterday blamed the inclusive Government for the problems the country is facing.

This was after MDC-T Hatfield Member of Parliament Dr Tapiwa Mashakada spoke at a joint press conference on civil servants’ bonuses where he accused the ruling Zanu-PF party of creating economic problems in the country.

Mr Majongwe told Dr Mashakada that he was being hypocritical by attacking Zanu-PF and trying to shift the blame on the revolutionary party when he knew fully well that the inclusive Government played a role in creating problems facing the country.

The inclusive Government was born out of the 2008 harmonised elections and was made up of members of Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations.

It was disbanded in 2013 following a resounding win by the revolutionary party in the July 31 harmonised elections.

Speaking at a discussion whose topic was: “Real issues behind the confusion over civil servants bonuses”, Dr Mashakada shifted the economic problems and those relating to civil servants’ bonuses on Zanu-PF.

But Mr Majongwe blasted the MDC-T and said both parties should take full responsibility.

“As civil servants we have serious problems with the way the MDC-T handled our issues, it cannot extricate itself from this mess,” he said.

“It’s not new that the MDC-T brought in their own people into Government. So, they are equally charged, guilty of inflating the civil service.”

Mr Majongwe welcomed President Mugabe’s move to reverse a freeze on civil servants’ bonuses that had been announced by Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa recently.

Rural Teachers Union president Mr Obert Masaraure said Government should cut its expenditure rather than retrench civil servants.

Social commentator Takura Zhangazha said civil servants should negotiate their value for the public to understand why they deserve a bonus.