More university lecturers boycott classes over poor salaries

By Nyashadzashe Ndoro

Midlands State University (MSU) lecturers have joined National University of Science, Technology (NUST) and Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) in downing tools citing incapacitation.

Last last week, lecturers at NUST in Bulawayo also stopped conducting lectures while ZOU lecturers are also reported to have informed university authorities about their incapacitation to come to work.

In a letter dated February 28, MSU lecturers informed the university’s Vice Chancellor, Victor Muzvidziwa, of their decision to suspend lectures due to incapacitation.

“We write to advise that we had a joint General Assembly meeting for both teaching and non-teaching staff today (Friday) in the Great Hall at the main campus.

“Members made and adopted the following resolution: That all employees at Midlands State University are incapacitated to come to work with immediate effect.

The lecturers resolved to come back to work once their welfare was looked at.

They demanded their salaries to be merged with other regional university lecturers.

“All members will be waiting for the employer to capacitate them so that they report for work.

“That all heads of departments should allow subordinates to receive capacitation before coming to report for duty and should not force or victimise them,” the letter reads.

Recently, government increased salaries for members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and promised to set up subsidised grocery shops in army barracks to cushion restive members of the uniformed forces from the rising cost of living.

Zimbabwe is facing its worst economic crisis in a decade, characterised by a critical shortage of hard currency triggering increases in prices of basic goods, shortages of medicine and fuel.

Hopes of economic recovery under President Emmerson Mnangagwa continue to fade amidst a spiralling political and economic crisis that has created biting poverty. Nehanda Radio