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Mugabe vows wage hike for state employees
Zimbabweans have suffered from the world's highest inflation - above 100,000 per cent a year - which has eroded incomes in the southern African country.
- Reuters
- Published: 00:48 March 13, 2008
Harare: Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, fighting a tough campaign for re-election this month, has promised big salary increases to restive government workers, state media reported on Wednesday.
Mugabe, 84, faces the greatest challenge to his 28-year hold on power. Two rivals accuse him of bringing about a severe economic crisis and one of them said yesterday he believed the opposition could win even though the vote would be rigged.
Zimbabweans have suffered from the world's highest inflation - above 100,000 per cent a year - which has eroded incomes in the southern African country. Some teachers, the bulk of state workers, are on strike. Doctors have threatened to.
Campaign rally
The state-controlled Herald newspaper said Mugabe, addressing a campaign rally on Tuesday ahead of the March 29 general election, had promised a huge increase for the government employees.
"Just yesterday, I was signing a new salary schedule of big salaries for teachers and civil servants," Mugabe said.
"I hope they will be happy, because we have worked out very good salaries."
He did not specify by how much the wages would be hiked, saying the ministers would give details later. Analysts say that while the veteran ruler faces a splintered opposition, his government's failure to arrest the sharp economic decline poses a serious threat to his bid to retain power.
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