New bonus dates for civil servants set

Government yesterday promised to pay nurses and doctors bonuses next Wednesday following threats to down tools if the 13th cheque is not paid by Monday next week.

The swift move which was intended to stop the industrial strike will also include the rest of civil servants.

Acting minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Walter Mzembi said  yesterday that the health sector workers and the rest of the civil servants will get their bonuses next week and the subsequent week respectively.

He said government will honour its promises to prevent any inconveniences.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa, yesterday assured all civil servants that the government will start paying their outstanding bonuses on Wednesday, starting with the health sector, with all payments being cleared by month end.

Minister Chinamasa said in a statement that the government was staggering bonus payments and this was necessitated by challenges encountered in mobilising money.

"The government is committing itself to paying the bonus to the health sector on January 14, the rest of the civil service on January 23 and the grant-aided institutions on February 6," said Minister Chinamasa.

He said that payment date schedules for the normal January salaries remained unchanged.

The government has already paid bonuses to the uniformed forces and the education sector, raising anger from the rest of the civil servants who felt let down by their employer.