Teachers say GNU has failed to deliver

By Owen Chikari

MASVINGO – The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe PTUZ yesterday attacked the inclusive government saying it has failed to deliver, resulting in people losing faith in it.

Addressing journalists at a press club discussion organised by the Media Institute of Southern Africa here PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said Zimbabweans had never had  a government which has failed to deliver like the inclusive government.

Zhou, who described the inclusive government as a marriage of convenience between the two MDC parties and Zanu-PF, said the generality of Zimbabweans are still suffering while workers have been reduced to beggars.

“Never in the history of this country have we had a government which has failed to deliver like this one”, said Zhou.

“Workers are relying on allowances only which are not even enough to meet their basic needs while violence and suffering is continuing in the countryside”.

“Giving USD100 a month to professionals is a mockery and we are saying that they have failed to deliver”.

“The government cannot say it does not have money when it can afford to pay ghost workers like members of the national youth service”.

“We thought after 100 days in office the inclusive government should have been seen trying to improve the lives of the people but instead the living standards are deteriorating in the country”.

Zhou said political violence was continuing in the countryside with some teachers having fled their schools .

“As I speak now we have teachers who have been chased away from their schools by Zanu-PF supporters”.

He said parties in the inclusive government were pretending that all was well when people were still suffering.

The PTUZ boss said he had never met a minister who lacks basic public service knowledge like Professor Eliphas Mukonoweshuro.

Mukonoweshuro is the minister of public service who among other things should be responsible for the welfare of the entire civil service.

“I think the MDC-T should have given minister Mukonoweshuro a different ministry because he has failed to address the needs of the Zimbabwean workers”, said Zhou.

“In discussions we have had with minister Mukonoweshuro it appears he does not even know how the civil service operates”.

Mukonoweshuro could not be reached for comment yesterday. However the minister is on record as saying he will soon improve remuneration for government workers once the situation improves financially.

He also said that the government had embarked on an audit of civil servants in order not to continue to pay ghost workers

Irvin Dzingirai Zanu-PF legislator for Chivi south who also attended the discussion differed with Zhou saying that enough strides had been made by the inclusive government to ensure that there is peace in the country.

“What we need is peace and normalcy in the country and these have been achieved by the inclusive government,” said Dzingirai.

“We have a national healing process whereby the principals of the three parties in the inclusive government are determined to see Zimbabweans living in peace”.

The MDC issued a statement on Saturday to say Zanu-PF militia had gone on a rampage on Tuesday, beating up suspected MDC supporters in the Manoti area of Gokwe, in the Midlands.

“This wave of violence comes ahead of the 10th anniversary celebratory rally lined up for tomorrow in Midlands North at the Gokwe centre,” the statement said.

“MDC views this as an attempt by Zanu-PF to intimidate MDC supporters from attending the celebratory rally marking its 10th year in existence.” – Zimbabwe Times