Reports have emerged suggesting that ZANU PF, through its government workers affiliates, including the Teachers for Economic Development (ED) and Nurses for ED, may be involved in the hijacking of civil service recruitment processes.
As reported by NewsDay, ZANU PF affiliates have set up centres in various provinces. These centres shortlist government job seekers who are also party members.
The shortlisted members’ names are then taken to the Public Service Commission (PSC). Government officials are allegedly pressured to prioritize these ZANU PF-affiliated candidates for employment or training.
The recruitment process is overseen by ZANU PF district and provincial party chairpersons, as well as party legislators and affiliate leaders.
Jobseekers are required to provide evidence of their links to ZANU PF, such as party membership cards or participation in party events.
For instance, in Chikomba District, ZANU PF Chikomba West legislator and ICT minister Tatenda Mavetera is leading the recruitment efforts.
A communiqué sent to party members seen by NewsDay reads:
Chikomba West Constituency Teachers for Economic Development Update: All teachers who completed their course not employed go and register to MP’s [member of Parliament] office next to N Richards Chivhu.
MP [Tatenda] Mavetera is a true leader who leads by example. That’s finalisation of second phase. Ngatifonerei vanhu vane madetails ari pazasi (Let’s contact the people with details below). #Famba Zanu PF Famba #Famba Mavetera Famba (Forward Zanu PF, Forward Mavetera).
However, PSC secretary, Tsitsi Choruma, professed ignorance on the matter, saying “I have never seen the ZANU PF recommendation letters”.
ZANU PF director of information, Farai Marapira told NewsDay that the recruitment programme did not originate from the party. He said:
As the economy is starting to recover and expanding, more jobs are opening up and we want these jobs to be taken up by Zimbabweans, so we conscientise the nation on the jobs that are coming up so that people fill up these spaces.
The affiliates, in their autonomy have the right to behave as they do, but this is not a ZANU programme and ZANU PF does not look for jobs for people, but if it is the wish of the affiliates to do so, I believe it is within their mandate because I believe they are independent juristic independent institutions. But we encourage Zimbabweans to take up the new jobs as our economy is expanding.
ZANU PF activists have, at times, been associated with incidents of misconduct, such as hijacking government initiatives like food aid distribution and misappropriating presidential agricultural inputs.
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