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No shot, no work, says Zimbabwe

Kevin Samaita

Faced with surging coronavirus infections, Zimbabwe’s government says it will not allow unvaccinated public servants to report for work, drawing sharp criticism from labour unions.

Faced with surging coronavirus infections, Zimbabwe’s government says it will not allow unvaccinated public servants to report for work — a move that has drawn sharp criticism from labour unions.

In a statement late on Wednesday, head of public workers Jonathan Wutawunashe said unvaccinated employees will be barred from work and will not receive salaries. This is a result of a cabinet decision issued on September 14 in an effort to contain the spread of the virus within the public service. “In line with the cabinet decision, all civil servants should be vaccinated without delay and unvaccinated members shall not be allowed to report for duty and will not be deemed to be working,” he said.

Wutawunashe said heads of departments will make arrangements for public servants under their jurisdiction to be vaccinated. “All ministries are urged to co-operate as we remain alert to combating this pandemic, which would be certainly overcome through adherence to conduct and protocols prescribed by Zimbabwe health authorities, as guided by the World Health Organization.”

The largest labour federation, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, an amalgamation of 35 unions, said the government was infringing on the right of workers and it would contest forced vaccinations in court.

Teachers, who form one of the largest groups of government workers, said the move to bar unvaccinated staff from work is illegal. “The move by the government is unconstitutional and will be challenged politically and legally. The attempt to coerce workers will be radically resisted,” Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said.

The country already has stringent laws against citizens who are not vaccinated, barring them from restaurants, public events, markets and colleges.

With its public health system in a shambles, the government budgeted US$100m to purchase vaccines, predominantly from China, to inoculate its citizens.

Though Zimbabwe has one of the most efficient vaccination programmes on the continent, the bulk of its 15-million population has not been vaccinated as just more than 2.8-million have taken the shots.

The government aims to inoculate about 10-million people by December.

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2021-09-17T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-17T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://tisobg.pressreader.com/article/281612423533237

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