Social movements Tajamuka and the National Vendors’ Union of Zimbabwe, have said they will join a planned protest march by civil servants in order to put pressure on the government to address the social and economic problems facing the country. Civil servants will on Monday next week embark on a strike over government’s failure to commit to paying them their 2016 bonuses.
Speaking to NewsDay, Promise Mkwananzi of Tajamuka/Sesjikile said that a national shutdown has long been overdue and questioned how the Zanu PF government can “spend millions on President Robert Mugabe’s senseless birthday when civil servants have not been paid”. National Vendors’ Union of Zimbabwe leader, Sten Zvorwadza said its members will stand in solidarity with colleagues from other sectors in order to pro-actively engage in governance issues rather than being passive citizens.
Patson Dzamara, brother of the abducted activist, Itai, said he will join the civil servants on their strike “against exploitative labour practices by their employer, the government of Zimbabwe.”
More: NewsDay