Zimbabwe’s ex-army commander fires 15,000 nurses

HARARE-Zimbabwe’s former army chief Constantino Chiwenga has fired more than 15,000 nurses who went on strike to demand better wages.

Mr Chiwenga led the military takeover last November that resulted in the overthrow of President Robert Mugabe – and is now vice-president.

According to BBC, in a statement, he said money had been released to the health ministry to pay outstanding allowances to the striking nurse on Monday, but they had not returned to work.

“While this demonstrates good faith in the part of government, the prompt transfers which have been effected against demonstrable economic challenges facing the country, has not quite surprisingly persuaded the striking nurses to go back to their stations in the interest of saving lives and helping helpless patients under their care.

The government now regards this lack of remorse as politically motivated and thus as going beyond concerns of conditions of service and worker welfare.”

The decision to fire them had been taken “in the interest of patients and of saving lives”, the vice-president said.

According to Zimbabwe’s Independent Online new site, this strike comes after the government gave in to doctors’ demands and increased their salaries and allowances following a month-long strike that had crippled the health sector.

Lloyd M’bwana

I’m a Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR)’s Environmental Science graduate (Malawi) and UK’s ICM Journalism and Media studies scholar. Also University of Malawi (UNIMA) Library Science Scholar. I have been The Malawi Country Manager and duty editor for the Maravi Post since 2019. My duty editor’s job is to ensure that the news is covered properly, that it is delivered on time, and that it is created to the standards set out in the editorial guidelines of the Maravi Post.