News / National
Mnangagwa backs Chiwenga for firing nurses
23 Apr 2018 at 22:17hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has stood by his deputy Constantino Chiwenga who has come under fire for his punitive decision last week to fire over 15,000 striking nurses, NewZimbabwe.com reported.
Chiwenga, leader of government's social services cluster, took the widely condemned stance to fire the nurses through a press statement which was later followed with dismissal letters.
President Mnangagwa was widely expected to intervene again, possibly in favour of the nurses, with signs the former military commander turned country's number two had overstepped his mandate in the summary dismissals.
But Mnangagwa has emerged to side with his deputy, putting paid to any hopes of the nurses unconditionally overturning their misfortune.
The President was speaking at a recent field day at a farm owned by Irvene Taguta of the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church.
Mnangagwa said striking nurses had been offered $17 million which was due to reflect in their individual bank accounts soon after the independence holidays.
He said it was difficult to understand they still refused to return to work even when guarantees had been made, forcing government to take the bold decision.
The President said nurses chose to prioritise their wages at the expense of patients who continued to die as a result of the job action.
Chiwenga, leader of government's social services cluster, took the widely condemned stance to fire the nurses through a press statement which was later followed with dismissal letters.
President Mnangagwa was widely expected to intervene again, possibly in favour of the nurses, with signs the former military commander turned country's number two had overstepped his mandate in the summary dismissals.
But Mnangagwa has emerged to side with his deputy, putting paid to any hopes of the nurses unconditionally overturning their misfortune.
Mnangagwa said striking nurses had been offered $17 million which was due to reflect in their individual bank accounts soon after the independence holidays.
He said it was difficult to understand they still refused to return to work even when guarantees had been made, forcing government to take the bold decision.
The President said nurses chose to prioritise their wages at the expense of patients who continued to die as a result of the job action.
Source - newzimbabwe
