Zimbabwe police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri has warned that President Robert Mugabe’s government faces revolt by disgruntled junior security officers following the awarding by Harare of hefty salaries to youths from a controversial national-service training programme.
In a confidential memo dated November 22, a copy of which was seen by independent news service ZimOnline at the weekend, Chihuri said morale in the security services has hit rock bottom as the salary discrepancies have caused serious division between the security forces and the youths.
The five-page memo, entitled ”Salary discrepancies need urgent attention”, was addressed to Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi and was copied to State Security Minister Didymus Mutasa.
”The salaries they earn [national-service youths] are more than 20 times what trained junior members of the uniformed forces who pay tax are being given per month and this has not only killed the morale of our members, but also made them more rebellious against the government.
”It is also worrying to note that these youths … earn more than three times a senior assistant commissioner of the ZRP [Zimbabwe Republic Police],” reads part of the memo.
The youths, blamed by human rights groups and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for unleashing terror on government opponents, are said to be earning untaxed monthly salaries of Z$600 000. A junior officer in the army and police earns a basic monthly salary of Z$27 000, way below the food basket of more than Z$104 000.
Mugabe’s government has since last November been deploying youths from the national-service programme in cities and towns to monitor and enforce price controls on selected goods.
There have, however, been reports that the youths have unleashed a reign of terror around the country as they beat up and harass businessmen and informal traders whom they accuse of inflating prices in a bid to sabotage the government.
In the hard-hitting memo, Chihuri warned that if the matter is not addressed urgently, it could see the junior officers engage ”in active rebellion against the government”, which they already blame for triggering the economic crisis.
Zimbabwe is in its seventh year of a bitter economic recession that has spawned an inflation rate of more than 1 000% and shortages of basic commodities.
‘Violent revolt’
In an ominous warning highlighting that all is not well within the security forces, Chihuri said the two ministers should warn Mugabe of the possibility of a ”violent revolt” by junior officers who ”feel abandoned”.
”Senior officers have benefited and continue to benefit … in various ways, but the juniors, who make up the bulk of the security forces and who are active on the ground, are considering themselves as abandoned beings.
”They will not take time to revolt as they already suspect that the government does not trust them as much as it does the youths. It is your duty as ministers responsible for security to convince the president on the urgency of this matter. I hope you will play your part,” says the memorandum.
Some junior members of the security forces who spoke to ZimOnline at the weekend confirmed that the salary discrepancies have caused serious division between security forces and the youths.
”We work harder than them [youths] but at the end of the day they earn more money than we do. I tell you, most junior members will be leaving in their droves next year because of this, ” said a junior member of the army.
Contacted for comment on Sunday, Mohadi confirmed receiving the memorandum but refused to divulge any information, saying it was a ”top secret” document not suitable for the press.
”I cannot discuss the contents of such a document with the press because it is a national security issue. All I can tell you is that the government knows that the security forces need a huge salary hike and they will get it in January,” he said.
Mutasa could not be reached for comment on the matter on Sunday night. — ZimOnline