Nurses’ “Torn Undergarments” Spark Debate Over Civil Servants’ Salaries In Parliament

The government has said that nurses who demonstrated at several hospitals, including Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Sally Mugabe Central Hospital in Harare, have returned to work as their grievances are being addressed.

Scores of nurses staged protests late last week and earlier this week to demand higher salaries, as well as increased transport and housing allowances.

Some of the demonstrators carried placards highlighting their difficult circumstances, with some claiming they were struggling even to afford basic items such as undergarments.

In the National Assembly on Wednesday, 25 March 2026, Chiredzi Central Member of Parliament Blessing Makamure (CCC) asked the government what plans it has to resolve the nurses’ strike. Said Makamure:

“We saw nurses in government institutions going on strike or demonstrating that they are no longer able to buy themselves undergarments or go to work.

“What measures have been put in place by the government to ensure that those striking workers who were demonstrating about the low wages can go back to the institutions and carry out their work?”

Agriculture Minister Anxious Masuka, who is also the acting Minister of Health and Child Care, said the nurses have returned to work, although he described the demonstrations as unlawful. He said:

“From the 10th of March 2026 to date, I have been the Acting Minister of Health and Child Care.

“The nurses at Sally Mugabe Hospital took advantage to unlawfully demonstrate their unhappiness by going on strike, and they continued for some time.

“What we saw and what was written were things we would understand. They were of the view that their salaries were low, transport costs, and the number of days they work, but I did not see anything about their undergarments.

Masuka said that nurses from Chitungwiza Hospital and Bindura Hospital demonstrated for about 30 minutes on Monday, while others protested for two to three hours before returning to their workstations.

He added that all the nurses who staged demonstrations last week and this week are now back at their posts.

Masuka commended the nurses for returning to work to save lives, but stressed that they should raise their grievances while performing their duties.

He also said that between Wednesday and Thursday, civil servants will receive a living wage adjustment, which he described as adequate.