The government has shot down demands by health workers to be paid in United States dollars citing the existing policy framework which it said does not allow payment of salaries and allowances in foreign currency.
Responding to the Zimbabwe Professional Nurses Union, Executive Director of the Health Service Board, Angelbert Mbengwa said basic salaries and allowances will only be paid in local Zimbabwean dollars.
“It is government policy that payment of basic salaries and allowances will only be in existing local currency,” read the letter.
Mbengwa told the nurses that the government is currently working on a cost of living adjustment framework to take effect in July 2022.
The Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube was recently at pains to answer parliamentarians who wanted to know the way forwards with civil servants’ salaries.
“We have pursued strategies for salaries. We have the Zimbabwean dollar component, and we have a United States dollar component for civil servants. As I speak, we are seized with discussions on matters pertaining to civil servants so that we agree on a roadmap and new packages for them.
“I am glad that you want the Zimbabwean dollar. As for their salaries, we are working on it. At the moment we have dual currency and if you decide that you want to use the US dollar, it’s up to you. We want to make sure that the Zimbabwean dollar is in circulation,” Ncube said also insisting that dollarisation caused unbearable inflation in the country and an increase in bad debts.
