News / Local
Zanu-PF hopes for a solution to UZ lecturers' crisis
23 hrs ago | Views
ZANU PF has expressed hope that the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and striking lecturers will soon find a peaceful resolution to their ongoing dispute, which threatens to derail academic activities and postpone this year's graduation.
The lecturers, represented by the Association of University Teachers, have been on strike demanding a salary increase, refusing to return to classrooms. The strike has plunged the country's oldest university into disarray, with students missing examinations and concerns mounting over potential disruptions to the wider academic calendar.
Speaking at the party's headquarters on Tuesday, ZANU PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa emphasised that the strike should not be seen as a government failure.
"Strikes happen in any country. There may be good reasons why the professors and lecturers are striking, but we cannot say that every strike that happens somewhere is a condemnation of the government," said Mutsvangwa.
He clarified that the dispute is fundamentally an employer-employee issue rather than a political matter. "There is nothing untoward about lecturers or any other Zimbabwean saying, ‘I am not happy with what my employer is doing.'"
The strike has been met with a firm response from UZ, which suspended five striking lecturers. Meanwhile, reports indicate that newly recruited adjunct lecturers are being paid as little as US$3 per hour, highlighting the financial constraints the institution faces.
Mutsvangwa called for constructive dialogue to avoid further chaos. "No, it is an expression of the democratic nature of Zimbabwean society. There is nothing wrong with striking, but hopefully, they will sit down together and assess each other's grievances and demands."
He stressed the importance of maintaining academic operations, saying, "There is no way we can be permanently without lecturers at such an important institution as the University of Zimbabwe. I am sure something good will come out of it."
As the impasse continues, the country watches closely, hoping that all parties involved can reach a compromise that safeguards the future of higher education in Zimbabwe.
The lecturers, represented by the Association of University Teachers, have been on strike demanding a salary increase, refusing to return to classrooms. The strike has plunged the country's oldest university into disarray, with students missing examinations and concerns mounting over potential disruptions to the wider academic calendar.
Speaking at the party's headquarters on Tuesday, ZANU PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa emphasised that the strike should not be seen as a government failure.
"Strikes happen in any country. There may be good reasons why the professors and lecturers are striking, but we cannot say that every strike that happens somewhere is a condemnation of the government," said Mutsvangwa.
The strike has been met with a firm response from UZ, which suspended five striking lecturers. Meanwhile, reports indicate that newly recruited adjunct lecturers are being paid as little as US$3 per hour, highlighting the financial constraints the institution faces.
Mutsvangwa called for constructive dialogue to avoid further chaos. "No, it is an expression of the democratic nature of Zimbabwean society. There is nothing wrong with striking, but hopefully, they will sit down together and assess each other's grievances and demands."
He stressed the importance of maintaining academic operations, saying, "There is no way we can be permanently without lecturers at such an important institution as the University of Zimbabwe. I am sure something good will come out of it."
As the impasse continues, the country watches closely, hoping that all parties involved can reach a compromise that safeguards the future of higher education in Zimbabwe.
Source - NewZimbabwe
