No pay rise for cops, army – decrees Mugabe

opposition motion that was poised to be tabled in parliament to grant a massive pay rise to armed forces, contending it would be too costly and that members of the armed forces are already sufficiently compensated.
Mugabe unilaterally invoked his Presidential Powers, bypassing Parliament, and declaring that anyone who raised the salaries of their workers or prices of their merchandise would be jailed for six months.
The decree immediately touched a raw nerve among soldiers and police officers, who cannot feed their families and are leaving their posts in large numbers because of appalling government salaries. Mugabe argued the decree was aimed at taming rampaging hyperinflation, now officially pegged at a stratospheric 7,600 percent.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told thousands of party faithful at a rally at Epworth on Sunday, that the MDC strongly opposed Mugabe’s plan to cut defence spending at a time armed forces were taking home appalling pay packages.
Soldiers, police officers and CIO operatives were taking home salaries that were far below the Poverty Datum Line, now pegged at Z$9 million a month, said Chamisa.
New recruits currently make an average base salary of $3 million but are eligible for other allowances.
Chamisa said the MDC would continue its efforts to lobby Parliament to enact a larger raise for security forces, arguing that members of the armed forces and their families deserve annual pay raises higher than the private sector due to the hardships they are encountering in their line of duty.
But he was quick to add that security forces should desist from being used by the ruling Zanu (PF) party and should instead owe their allegiance to the Republic of Zimbabwe not a political party.
“We need to depoliticize the armed forces,” Chamisa said. “We salute the armed forces who continue to refuse to be used by Zanu (PF) to unleash terror on innocent citizens… In a new dispensation, hakuna mupurisa achapfeka bhutsu ine deya (no police officer would be allowed to wear worn out fatigues),” Chamisa said to applause.
Mugabe can ill afford weakening security forces as popular unrest is growing. Trade unions are considering calling a nationwide general strike, despite the beatings and torture meted out to labour leaders last September. – Chief Reporter