The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) has come out guns blazing and lashed out at government for extravagant spending despite its coffers running dry.
The government is currently battling against civil servants unrest over low salaries.
In a statement released on Friday (today), ZIMCODD accused government for prioritizing cars for traditional leaders while nurses were being paid “peanuts”.
“Zimbabwe is currently facing a health crisis with sporadic cholera outbreaks in various localities. In addition to public resources management issues, leadership crisis, the country is also manifesting a policy prioritization problem.
“The claim of insufficient funds to meet the demands of the civil servants becomes questionable in the face of extravagant spending by the same government.
“Two weeks ago the Mnangagwa led administration allegedly blew a whopping US$2.3 million (plus other VIP allowances) on a trip China by hiring a luxurious private jet owned by Switzerland-based aviation management company, Comlux.
“The same administration also considered a priority to splash brand new double cab trucks for traditional chiefs,” noted ZIMCODD.
They also dismissed the idea of recalling retired nurses saying it is tantamount to risking the life of patients.
“The government is not showing gratitude to the sacrificial service rendered by the nurses most of whom have loyally served in the public sector for a long period of time shunning available opportunities to work in the diaspora like their fellow colleagues.
“Risking of people’s lives in the hands of inexperienced and retired nursing staff. Some of the nurses being called to replace the dismissed workers have not had clinical experience for over 5 years. Like any other field of practice, technology and knowledge evolves from time to time and these replacements are surely not acquainted enough,”they said.
General nurses in Zimbabwe earn a basic salary of $284 (before allowances) which is less than half the Poverty Datum Lime (PDL) estimate at around $600.
