Teachers in Zimbabwe are protesting against the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) due to unpaid wages for their work as election officers during the 23-24 August 2023 elections. The teachers, who were engaged by ZEC to carry out various election-related duties, claim that they are being sent from office to office when they inquire about their payments.
This is not the first time that ZEC has clashed with teachers over non-payment for election-related work. Tapedza Zhou, the secretary-general of the Educators Union of Zimbabwe, has threatened legal action against ZEC. He told NewsDay:
Last time, we warned ZEC against engaging teachers without contracts as this opened doors to abuse.
Obert Masaraure, the leader of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, accuses ZEC of taking teachers for granted, alleging that the electoral body has made promises but failed to fulfil them.
Manuel Nyawo, the chief executive of the Zimbabwe National Teachers Union, expressed his disappointment with ZEC’s “dishonesty”. He spoke to NewsDay:
Such dishonest behaviour is uncalled for because it puts the name of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF into disrepute because ZEC acted on the instructions of the ZANU PF government that was and is still in power.
It’s a miscarriage of justice to see teachers being abused to this extent considering that they are struggling to survive with the little earnings they are getting in the form of salaries.
ZEC frequently hires government workers as election officers. However, they are not paid in advance, which means they have to use their own money for expenses like food while carrying out their duties. Time is crucial, especially since election officers will receive their allowances in Zimbabwe dollars, which is constantly losing value.