Switch to Mnangagwa's Office creates confusion

There is confusion in government over the status of civil servants after President Emmerson Mnangagwa removed them from the Labour ministry to fall under his office, albeit without consulting them.

Labour and Social Welfare minister Petronella Kagonye yesterday told Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU) representatives at her offices in Harare that government workers were  not under her ministry's purview anymore.

"Initially I thought I represented all workers until I was given the clarification that only workers in the private and informal sectors are under my ministry because civil servants are now under the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC)," Kagonye said.

ZCTU president Peter Mutasa said the situation was confusing and government workers did not know were to go with their grievances.

"It is not clear who exactly we engage in the OPC and one of our affiliates, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) has already raised that concern.

"We were not consulted as a union when the decision was made and we did not even know until now that some of our members are no longer under this ministry," Mutasa said.
ZFTU secretary-general Kennias Shamuyarira said workers were so confused that he would want the media to get clarification on their behalf.

"What ought to be done is that you the media must find out from the OPC who exactly the workers must engage because as it is, nothing is clear," Shamuyarira said.