Zimbabwe Soldiers, Cops Can Demand a Wage Hike - At Their Peril

Zimbabwe's National Army Commander Lieutenant-General David Sigauke has reportedly sent junior soldiers on forced re-training as punishment for demanding a salary increase, ostensibly during a "no-holds-barred" meeting. Sigauke is said to have had a meeting with junior officers in Harare where he opened the floor to questions after his presentation, in which some of the officers allegedly confronted him on their low salaries and questioned why it was not being hiked while senior government officials were amassing wealth at an alarming rate.

All this comes at a time when President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration is dealing with reported unrest in army barracks where junior officers are said to be demanding salary hikes, to levels promised.

Meanwhile, some police officers who posted videos singing and mocking their paltry salaries, have been summoned by the law and order section in Harare and were told they committed a serious offence warranting dismissal.

In 2020, teachers rejected the government's 40% salary hike offer, describing it as a mockery, vowing not to return to work until their employer pays them meaningful salaries. Since the phased re-opening of schools began in September, 2020, after a long break due to the Covid-19 pandemic, most teachers have not yet reported for duty, declaring themselves incapacitated.