Africa News
Thousands Of Striking Nurses Sacked By Zimbabwean Government
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Sacks Thousands of Nurses On Strike
Zimbabwe’s government has sacked more than 10,000 nurses who went on strike on Monday, in an apparently hard-line attempt to put an end to labour unrest.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said the nurses had refused to return to work after $17m (£12m) was released to increase their pay. He chided them for not going back “in the interest of saving lives”. Chiwenga, also accused the strikers of being “politically motivated”.
“Government has decided in the interest of patients and of saving lives to discharge all the striking nurses with immediate effect,” Chiwenga said in a statement. He said unemployed and retired nurses would be hired to replace those fired.
Chiwenga was the military general who led the ousting of Robert Mugabe in November when the army briefly took control and ushered Emmerson Mnangagwa into the presidency, Naija News understands.
Zimbabwe’s nurses association said they “noted” Chiwenga’s statement but added that they remained on strike.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association has responded to the firing of its members by government. @matigary @ZimMediaReview pic.twitter.com/DIxdQXTeBz
— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) 18 April 2018
