Sacked army couple sues commanders

Source: Sacked army couple sues commanders – DailyNews Live

Tendai Kamhungira      17 May 2017

HARARE – A married military couple that was dismissed from the force after
the wife fell pregnant before serving her first three years has dragged
army commanders to the High Court challenging the sacking.

Nester Chidembo and Emmanuel Masendeke are suing Zimbabwe National Army
commander Philip Valerio Sibanda, Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander
Constantino Chiwenga and Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi.

The two were discharged from the force in February 2013, after Chidembo
fell pregnant in contravention of the army policy which forbids members to
marry or fall pregnant during the first three years of service.

Chidembo told the court that her contract of employment had been extended
to 2020 after pregnancy tests were conducted and that she had completed
her two-year probation period.

She said prior to the extension of the contract, she had married Masendeke
in compliance with Chapter 43 (3) (4) of the standing orders, which
allowed members to marry after attaining 18 years of age and to go for
maternity leave with pay after serving at least one year.

Chidembo said that when the amended law came into effect, she had already
signed her contract, under conditions which allowed one to fall pregnant
after completing one year in service.

“There is a presumption against retrospective application of the law. In
terms of Section 7 of Statutory Instrument 1989, when one is still under a
probationary period, one is supposed to be given one month’s notice before
being discharged. Such notice was not given.

“I was not heard before a decision which has a bearing on my legitimate
expectation, that is my career was made,” she said, urging the court to
reverse the dismissal.

On the other hand, Masendeke said that he should not have been dismissed,
because he had completed the initial three years of service.

“The law is actually discriminatory since an officer who is in the same
position with me is not discharged from the service if he impregnates his
wife.

“The first applicant (Chidembo) is my lawfully wedded wife and such
marriage was actually recognised and we were actually allocated married
people accommodation after filing the same at my work place,” he said.

However, the respondents said Chidembo and Masendeke have no basis to be
heard before the High Court, as they should have first exhausted internal
remedies.

“…matters on the suitability of Defence Forces members should be
appealed or reviewed by the Defence Forces Services Commission established
by Section 217 of the Constitution,” the respondents said, further urging
the court to dismiss the application.

“Applicants overlook that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces has a mammoth task
of protecting the gains of our liberation struggle and in so doing high
levels of discipline must prevail.

“The Zimbabwe Defence Forces is a sui generic (unique) organisation which
aspires to achieve its objectives gloriously, a pregnant army cannot
withstand the exigencies of a military struggle if the enemy was to strike
today.”

The matter will be heard on Thursday before the High Court.

Back to Home page