By ZiyahNews Reporter
Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has issued a scathing critique of the dire state of workers’ rights and conditions in Zimbabwe, describing the situation as akin to “slavery” and vowing to overhaul the country’s labour policies if elected into government.
Chamisa’s comments come as University of Zimbabwe (UZ) lecturers have embarked on a strike, protesting what they call humiliatingly low salaries. Reports reveal that a junior lecturer at UZ earns as little as US$230 per month, a figure far below the cost of living in Zimbabwe.
In a statement marking 2025 Workers Day, Chamisa said the plight of UZ lecturers highlights a broader crisis affecting workers nationwide.
“Workers have been plunged into slavery. Many are earning extremely low wages, rendering them working poor, basically putting them in the poverty bracket,” he said.
“Our teachers and nurses are suffering. Civil servants are struggling. University lecturers, who are currently on strike, are earning a paltry $228 per month.”
He criticized the erosion of pensions and the lack of labor protections, which have left many Zimbabweans facing bleak futures in retirement and forced into informal work with little security.
“Zimbabwean workers literally live, work and retire in poverty,” he lamented.
The strike at UZ is just the latest sign of mounting frustration among professionals in Zimbabwe, where many earn under US$300 per month despite soaring inflation and a weakening local currency. Chamisa accused the government of failing to protect workers’ rights, leading to widespread casualization of labor and the exodus of skilled professionals seeking better opportunities abroad.
He vowed that under his leadership referred to as “The Next Government” the country would prioritize worker welfare.
“We will focus on restoring the dignity of workers and strengthening genuine social dialogue to address the multiple challenges they face. Labour laws will be reformed to promote freedom of association, freedom of expression, and meaningful collective bargaining,” Chamisa stated.
Chamisa also pledged to rebuild the economy and public services, create employment for unemployed youth, end casualization, and prevent mass layoffs.
His remarks reflect growing calls for a fundamental rethink of Zimbabwe’s labor policies amid increasing discontent in the public sector and ongoing economic hardship.