HARARE – For thousands of Zimbabwean public sector workers, this festive season has been far from merry. Months-long delays in salary deductions have left civil servants struggling to pay bills, support families, and even buy basic necessities, exposing the government’s chronic mismanagement.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion admitted that remittances to banks and microfinance institutions had been suspended for the past four months. The Treasury claims the interruptions were a “deliberate intervention” to investigate lenders charging exorbitant interest rates and flouting financial regulations.
The reality, however, has been harsh: some workers reportedly had all or more of their take-home pay consumed by loan deductions, leaving them effectively penniless. For many, this has turned what should be a joyful season into a bleak Christmas of financial hardship and anxiety.
Treasury insists the temporary suspension was necessary to enforce compliance with the Moneylending and Rates of Interest Act [Chapter 14:14] and the Microfinance Act [Chapter 24:29], and that most institutions have now resumed remittances. Yet critics argue that this bureaucratic delay highlights the government’s failure to protect ordinary workers, who were forced to endure months of uncertainty and deprivation.
Civil servant unions and opposition voices are condemning the government’s approach. “It is unacceptable that public employees face hunger and unpaid bills while the Treasury conducts audits,” a union spokesperson said.
“This Christmas has been bleak for many families because of government inaction and mismanagement.”
Treasury further pledged ongoing oversight of lenders and collaboration with the Reserve Bank and other regulatory bodies. But for thousands of Zimbabweans living from pay cheque to pay cheque, the assurances come too late, leaving a festive season overshadowed by hardship and frustration.
