HARARE — A decision by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to significantly raise salaries for ZANU-PF party employees has sparked public outrage, coming at a time when most Zimbabweans are grappling with rising living costs, stagnant wages, and deteriorating public services.
According to party insiders, the new salary structure will see the lowest-paid ZANU-PF employees earning close to US$700 per month, while members of the powerful Politburo are set to take home more than US$3,500. The increases reportedly range from 50 percent to as much as 300 percent, making them among the most substantial pay adjustments in the country in recent years.
The ruling party has defended the move, saying the salary overhaul is intended to correct internal pay disparities, align remuneration with market rates, and retain skilled professionals within the party’s administrative structures. Supporters argue that the adjustment is consistent with Mnangagwa’s long-stated ambition of steering Zimbabwe towards upper-middle-income status by 2030.
However, the timing and scale of the increases have provoked sharp criticism from across the political and social spectrum. Critics say the move highlights a growing disconnect between the political elite and ordinary citizens, many of whom survive on informal trading incomes, erratic wages, or salaries that barely keep pace with inflation.
Zimbabwe continues to face persistent economic challenges, including high food prices, electricity shortages, strained health and education systems, and limited formal employment opportunities. Civil servants, teachers, nurses, and junior public sector workers have repeatedly raised concerns over low pay, often earning a fraction of what is now being allocated to party officials. Pensioners and social welfare beneficiaries remain among the hardest hit, with stipends that fall well below basic living costs.
Social media platforms were awash with criticism following reports of the salary increases, with many questioning how a political party can afford such remuneration while the broader economy remains under pressure. Some commentators described the move as “morally tone-deaf,” arguing that it undermines government appeals for austerity, patience, and shared sacrifice.
Political analysts note that while ZANU-PF is entitled to manage its internal affairs, the party’s close integration with the state makes such decisions politically sensitive. “In a context where the ruling party and the government are effectively intertwined, lavish internal salary adjustments inevitably become a public issue,” said one Harare-based economist. “They reinforce perceptions of elite insulation from economic pain.”
Party employees, however, have welcomed the changes, describing them as long overdue and necessary for motivation and professional stability. Insiders say morale within the party bureaucracy had been low, with skilled staff increasingly leaving for the private sector or opportunities abroad.
As Zimbabwe heads deeper into a difficult economic cycle marked by currency instability and declining real incomes, the salary overhaul is likely to remain a flashpoint—fueling broader debates about inequality, governance priorities, and who ultimately bears the cost of economic adjustment.
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