MDC statement on the scraping of civil servants bonuses

The MDC notes with utter dismay Zanu-PF government continued desire to strangulate Zimbabweans left, right and center, due to its tragic failure to manage the country's economy. The pronouncement on the scraping of civil servants bonuses is one such move which speaks volumes about this dismal failure.

Since its fraudulent return to power on 31 July 2013, the ZANU-PF government has failed to manifest any pro-poor decision and action; instead citizens have continued to be impoverished. It is self-evident that Robert Mugabe and his cronies in government care less about the welfare of the ordinary Zimbabwean and more about consolidating their power and maximizing on personal benefit.

 Patrick Chinamasa's announcement of the scrapping of civil servants bonuses for the next two years is shocking and a clear sign that the regime has completely run of ideas on how to turn around the economy. The announcement is shameful to say the least because civil servants are already underpaid and denying them bonuses is an insult and a sign of insensitivity of the part of the ZANU-PF government. It must be remembered that these are the same people that have continued to give a semblance of functionality in the civil service of this failed state against all odds.

This shocking announcement comes barely a week after the rogue regime made another startling announcement, the raising of ordinary level examination fees and the introduction of examination fees for Grade Sevens. This is clearly a violation of one of the fundamental rights of children – the right to education. The majority of our citizens is generally poor and cannot afford to pay tuition and examination fees currently and any increase only adds to the heavy burden.  These civil servants are among the parents who are expected to pay the said increases.

In a country faced with such severe economic crisis characterized by tight liquidity it is shocking for the Government to exhibit this level of insensitivity, adding salt to already bleeding economic wounds which is upon the common citizenry.

As we have pointed out before, if the objective is really to cut down on government expenditure, the government should look at curtailing top brass expenditure by cutting down on unnecessary foreign trips by President Mugabe and his ministers, luxurious vehicles and perks and holding self -serving by-elections.