News / National
Civil servants can now participate in politics by contesting in elections
07 Jun 2013 at 03:54hrs | Views
CIVIL servants will be allowed to contest the next election as councillors and Members of Parliament with the Public Service Commission (PSC) yesterday issuing guidelines for their participation.
In a notice yesterday, PSC secretary Mrs Pretty Sunguro said the participation of civil servants in politics was provided for in Section 23 of the Public Service Act (Chapter 16:04).
She said interested members should submit their applications to the commission through heads of their ministries.
"The member should apply to the PSC for authority through the head of the ministry. The commission would notify the member of the response in writing.
"The commission may grant permission to the member to seek election in local authority, rural district or provincial council," said Mrs Sunguro.
She said once the authority has been granted the member would cease to be a member of the public service.
"On that date of permission by the PSC, the member shall be deemed to have resigned from public service," said Mrs Sunguro.
"The member shall be deemed to have retired from public service if he has reached pensionable age."
On participation in the Parliamentary elections, she said a member would be deemed to have resigned from the service with effect from the date of acceptance of his or her nomination by the Nomination Court.
Civil servants bodies welcomed the development but expressed reservations on the requirement for them to resign from service before the outcome of the poll.
Reacting to the rules, College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe (Colaz) leader and Apex Council chairman Mr David Dzatsunga said there should be a guarantee for civil servants to retain their jobs if they lose the poll.
"We are very much disgruntled by the clause that requires us to resign once we express interest in politics. This is the most undemocratic clause because once one resigns there is no guarantee that the person will retain his job if he loses elections," said Mr Dzatsunga.
"The civil service is the biggest employer in this country and its members should be allowed to take part in politics without any restriction. As unions this is an issue we have to keep on fighting for."
Zimbabwe Teachers' Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu echoed the same sentiments.
"The problem is that after resigning one is not guaranteed of getting back to his job. We appreciate the need for separation of powers but the law should also ensure that after elections the member is not victimised," said Mr Ndlovu.
Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) Mr Raymond Majongwe said civil servants should be allowed to fight for their political space like all Zimbabweans.
"Something is wrong here. The PSC is not the right entity to tell us what to do under the new constitution. Civil servants must be allowed to contest the polls without anyone telling them to resign. We will not accept this situation," said Mr Majongwe.
Zimbabwe is geared to holding harmonised elections, which the Constitutional Court said should take, place not later than 31 July.
In a notice yesterday, PSC secretary Mrs Pretty Sunguro said the participation of civil servants in politics was provided for in Section 23 of the Public Service Act (Chapter 16:04).
She said interested members should submit their applications to the commission through heads of their ministries.
"The member should apply to the PSC for authority through the head of the ministry. The commission would notify the member of the response in writing.
"The commission may grant permission to the member to seek election in local authority, rural district or provincial council," said Mrs Sunguro.
She said once the authority has been granted the member would cease to be a member of the public service.
"On that date of permission by the PSC, the member shall be deemed to have resigned from public service," said Mrs Sunguro.
"The member shall be deemed to have retired from public service if he has reached pensionable age."
On participation in the Parliamentary elections, she said a member would be deemed to have resigned from the service with effect from the date of acceptance of his or her nomination by the Nomination Court.
Reacting to the rules, College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe (Colaz) leader and Apex Council chairman Mr David Dzatsunga said there should be a guarantee for civil servants to retain their jobs if they lose the poll.
"We are very much disgruntled by the clause that requires us to resign once we express interest in politics. This is the most undemocratic clause because once one resigns there is no guarantee that the person will retain his job if he loses elections," said Mr Dzatsunga.
"The civil service is the biggest employer in this country and its members should be allowed to take part in politics without any restriction. As unions this is an issue we have to keep on fighting for."
Zimbabwe Teachers' Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu echoed the same sentiments.
"The problem is that after resigning one is not guaranteed of getting back to his job. We appreciate the need for separation of powers but the law should also ensure that after elections the member is not victimised," said Mr Ndlovu.
Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) Mr Raymond Majongwe said civil servants should be allowed to fight for their political space like all Zimbabweans.
"Something is wrong here. The PSC is not the right entity to tell us what to do under the new constitution. Civil servants must be allowed to contest the polls without anyone telling them to resign. We will not accept this situation," said Mr Majongwe.
Zimbabwe is geared to holding harmonised elections, which the Constitutional Court said should take, place not later than 31 July.
Source - chronicle
