Mugabe urged to fire Chinamasa

The Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU), which is widely believed to be aligned to the ruling Zanu-PF party, has described Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa as a pseudo-revolutionary and called for his immediate expulsion from government following his "mishandling of the civil servants bonus issue".

The call was made by ZFTU secretary-general Kenias Shamuyarira while addressing journalists at the launch of the Zimbabwe Diamond Mine Workers' Union at Hotsprings in Mutare on Saturday.

"People like Chinamasa should not make such reckless announcements. He doesn't know how the civil servants are suffering. He should have done research before making such callous announcements," Shamuyarira said.

His comments came after Chinamasa recently announced that government had suspended payment of civil service bonuses until 2017.

Chinamasa's statements were, however, later dismissed by President Robert Mugabe who declared that the decision had not been approved by Cabinet.

In suspending the bonuses, Chinamasa had argued that the decision was taken in light of dwindling government revenues and Treasury's failure to meet its financial obligations.