Cash strapped government shifts soldiers’ pay date

Edgar Gweshe

The cash strapped government has shifted this month’s pay date for the uniformed forces from Tuesday to Friday.

Recently, nurses and doctors threatened to strike over their unpaid bonuses and finance minister, Patrick Chinamasa, was quick to reassure them that government would honour its obligation.

According to Chinamasa, medical staff will receive their bonuses Wednesday while the rest of the civil service that has not received their thirteenth cheque for 2014 will be paid on January 23 and grant aided institutions on February 6.

Chinamasa said the staggering of the payments was due to serious financial challenges that the government was facing.

Soldiers who spoke to The Zimbabwean on condition of anonymity said they failed to access their salaries Tuesday after which they were told at their various work stations that they would get their salaries on Friday.

No reason was given for the shift in their pay date.

“We were supposed to get our salaries today (Tuesday) while others were supposed to be paid tomorrow but we have been told to wait until Friday,” said one of the sources from the military.

Another soldier based at One Commando in Harare said: “We were told by our superiors that we would get our salaries on Friday but no reason was given to us for the delay. So we will just wait to see what transpires”.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Prisca Mupfmira’s number was not reachable while Finance Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, said he was in a meeting when contacted for comment.

He did not reply to a text message sent to him over the issue.

The development comes amid threats of a strike by civil servants over poor working conditions and the government’s reluctance to improve them. The Zimbabwean