ZEC Fails To Pay Teachers For Voter Education
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has reportedly failed to pay some teachers for work done during the August 2023 general elections.
It is not clear why the elections management body paid some teachers and left out others despite them signing the same contracts.
Further, it is alleged that teachers who received their money were paid in RTGS (Zim dollars) instead of United States dollars as per their contracts.
ZEC engaged the teachers as voter educators and inspectors for the voters’ roll inspection between May and June 2023.
Speaking to NewsDay, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said ZEC treated teachers unfairly. Said Zhou:
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Some were paid, while others are yet to be paid. The delay of payment for teachers means that the value is different because of inflation in Zimbabwe. By the time we reach [2024], that money won’t be buying anything.
We hope that ZEC puts its house in order so that it does not abuse teachers.
They are so reluctant about the payment of the remaining teachers and we have tried to engage ZEC but it’s not forthcoming.
Educators Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general, Tapedza Zhou, told NewsDay that paid teachers were still owed about 20% of their dues.
ZEC deputy chairperson, Rodney Kiwa, said that he was not aware that the teachers were yet to be paid for electoral duties. He said:
About that, I wouldn’t know. We employ thousands of people during elections.
The teachers should provide their proof of employment, identification documents and so on.
Let them communicate with those people. That’s the only way I can help.
Kiwa then referred NewsDay to ZEC chief elections officer Utloile Silaigwana who has previously said he cannot discuss contractual issues between ZEC and those recruited for electoral duties.
State institutions and agencies, such as ZEC, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), and the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC), are notorious for paying contracted workers late.
The institutions usually contract civil servants, especially teachers for specific programmes such as during elections, to conduct the national census, or marking public examinations, whatever the case might be.
However, in most cases, those contracted complain about late payments, with the money coming as late as six months after they rendered their services.
More: Pindula News
