Zimbabwe to pay most December salaries in January 2017

Zimbabwe’s government has released pay dates for civil servants with a large section of workers to be paid in 2017, the state owned Herald newspaper reports.

The government has for months now been paying workers in turns with the security services always being the first to be paid. That trend continues for December, they will be joined by teachers who for the first time since May will be paid within the month.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police, the army, prisons service, air force and nurses are scheduled to receive their salaries four days to Christmas. Teachers will receive theirs three days after Christmas on December 28.

The rest of the civil service will be paid on January 3 while pensioners are to expect their portion on January 6.

Minister of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare Prisca Mupfumira, is quoted to have said government was committed to sticking to the December pay plan despite low revenue inflows.

‘‘We have managed to bring most of the workers to December 21 and we know most of them wanted to be paid before Christmas but this is the best the employer could do considering revenue challenges being faced,’‘ she said.

‘‘We have managed to pay teachers within the month worked and it is our hope that in the next few months everything will be back to normal,’‘ she added.

The country has been hit by an acute drought worsened by an economic crisis that has led to currency shortage. The government recently introduced local bond notes equivalent to the US dollars to solve the currency situation.

The country is also suffering from a series of protests. Some demanding electoral reforms ahead of the next elections. Others against the introduction of the bond notes with others targeted at the high unemployment and worsening economic situation in the country.