Mugabe attacks civil servants over 'unwarranted' strike

President Robert Mugabe on Friday took a swipe at civil servants saying their strike was unwarranted because his failing administration did not refuse but just delayed paying them.

He went on to blast them saying they were ignorant of the challenges the country is facing.

Addressing Zanu PF supporters at a rally in Bindura last night, Mugabe also claimed that the civil servants who went on strike demanding their delayed salaries, were doing so because they had never been subjected to the suffering his generation went through to liberate the country.

Mugabe said there was nothing unusual about paying civil servants late.

"Those who go on strike, they do not understand our problems. It does not mean we are poor, but we are getting our money late because of sanctions. Businesses are not banking their money. This is where we take the money to pay our civil servants," Mugabe said.

"We will address it. It is temporary. Teachers, nurses and doctors go on strike when we only delayed their salaries, not that we will not pay them. It is because some of them do not understand how bad things are because they have never been in the liberation struggle. There was no money, but we sacrificed."

Mugabe said protesters and striking civil servants should understand that the country was under sanctions and its money was being intercepted.

He said the decision to print bond notes was to counter the challenges the country was facing as it could not print the United States currency.

The 92-year-old leader also claimed bond notes were real money and urged people to embrace them.


Newsday