OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Friday 7.45pm.
ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe has shocked the coutry by awarding himself and his cabinet of 55 a 20% pay hike.
The pay increases come at a time when Zimbabwe is strapped for cash, and coping with economic difficulties. A month ago Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa announced that the government could miss its budget target to the end of this year due to an unexpected additional $3-billion in expenditures. These include the military intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo and civil service salary increases.
The politicians’ hikes, which were gazetted by government on Friday and back-dated to July 1998, will see President Robert Mugabe’s salary going up by 20% to $307 200 per annum, the independet newspaper The Standard reported at the weekend. His total annual pay and benefit package will now shoot to $507000 from $456000. The two vice presidents will see their packages going up by nearly $100000 to $370000 per annum from $280800, while the country’s ministers will now be getting a pay package of $275600 a year. In addition to their pay, the president and ministers receive housing allowances, which the Zimbabwean public feel is unwarranted since they live in state houses.
“This country is reeling under difficult economic conditions, but …the leaders cannot discipline themselves. True they need an increase like everyone else, but the timing is wrong,” a Harare businessman said.
Tendai Biti, a Harare lawyer, was less diplomatic. “People should accept pay increases when they think they are doing a good job. Do they believe they are doing a good job?”
Professor Heneri Dzi-notyiwei, the chairman of the Zimbabwe Integrated Programme said: “The notion of housing allowances for the president and the cabinet sends wrong signals to the nation. The president and his ministers are not staying in mortgaged houses.”
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