Source: Civil servants sidelined in voter registration process: PTUZ – NewsDay Zimbabwe September 21, 2017
THE Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has accused the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) of deliberately leaving out teachers in the recruitment of staff for the ongoing biometric voter registration (BVR) exercise because they were regarded as “politically incorrect”.
BY NIZBERT MOYO
PTUZ secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe told Southern Eye yesterday that they would soon file a formal complaint to Zec, claiming the snub was politically-motivated.
“They believe that teachers do not deserve it, whereas they themselves earn allowances for several trips they take to destinations outside the country and rural areas,” he said.
Majongwe said in the previous elections, the government engaged teachers as registration officers, adding PTUZ was worried at the latest development.
“The teachers have participated in several national initiatives such as census and referenda and their role in these issues must not be doubted,” he said.
Primary and Secondary Education ministry permanent secretary, Sylvia Utete-Masango recently announced that teachers would not be involved in the ongoing BVR exercise, amid claims the government had reportedly engaged Zanu PF youths.
“We will write to the ministry that we are not happy over decisions made outside the boardroom,” Majongwe said.
“Even Zec must come out clean on this.
“We feel this is a political attempt to bring in youth because we do not understand what the economic basis of this decision is.”
Zec chairperson, Rita Makarau said she was not aware that teachers had been left out of the exercise.
“Where is that coming from? We depend on civil servants and we go through the Civil Service Commission and get approval to engage civil servants in our processes,” she said.
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