Govt fires Tsvangirai staff

via Govt fires Tsvangirai staff – NewsDay Zimbabwe by John Nyashanu October 7, 2013

GOVERNMENT has fired about 100 civil servants who served in former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s office during the inclusive government, it has been learnt.

Although no comment could be obtained from Secretary for Civil Service Commission Pretty Sunguro NewsDay has it on good authority that the commission had reportedly “retired” most of those that worked in Tsvangirai’s office.

Letters of termination of service dated September 27, 2013 in NewsDay’s possession were dispatched to the “unwanted” officials last week, advising them that they were being “retired” in line with government policy.

“. . . the (civil service) commission intends to retire you from the civil service in terms of section 18(4)e(2) of the Public Service Regulations, 2000.

The section provides for the commission to retire a member owing to the reduction in or adjustment of the organisation of a ministry or other division of the public service,” Sunguro wrote. “In terms of Section 18 (5) (i) and (ii) of the said regulations, you are hereby notified of the Commission’s intention to retire you and given the opportunity to make representations, in writing for the Commission’s consideration before it makes its decision on the matter. In the meantime, you have been placed on paid leave until the Commission makes its final decision.” Sunguro said the development was part of ongoing restructuring and re-organisation of the civil service. The office of the Prime Minister was abolished following the July 31 harmonised elections won by Zanu PF as it was not provided for in the new Constitution. However, according to one victim, the terminations were aimed at eliminating “bad apples” who served under MDC-T leader Tsvangirai.

“The entire project is blatantly discriminatory. They are sparing no one who worked under the (former) Prime Minister. Even those who were seconded from the President’s office at the formation of the unity government have been kicked out,” the source who preferred to remain anonymous told NewsDay yesterday. It is understood that some top officials who were forcibly “retired” had written to the commission protesting against the termination of their services.

“I do not understand the motive behind this whole thing. What I know is when a particular office has been closed down, civil servants are redeployed to other stations, which does not appear to be the case in this instance,” another source said.

It is understood that principal director for human resources and finance in Tsvangirai’s office Norman Sachikonye reportedly held a closed door meeting with Sunguro on Friday to resolve the impasse. But, yesterday Sachikonye refused to shed light on the matter.

“I am sorry I do not talk to the Press. The person you have to speak to is Mrs Sunguro from the Public (Civil) Service Commission. She should be able to furnish you with whatever information you need,” Sachikonye said. Repeated efforts to get comment from Sunguro were unsuccessful as her mobile phone went unanswered.

Scores of staffers, some of whom had been assigned by the MDC-T to work at the now defunct Prime Minister’s Office have since relocated to the party headquarters, Harvest House in Harare.