Zimbabwe Govt to Increase Lecturers’ Salaries Following Strike

Zimbabwe Govt Vows to Increase Lecturers’ Salaries After Strike

The Zimbabwean government has promised to increase lecturers’ salaries after the University of Zimbabwe Association of University Teachers (AUT) threatened to expand their strike to all 14 state universities. The lecturers have been protesting poor wages and demanding urgent action.

Zimbabwe Govt Vows to Increase Lecturers’ Salaries After Strike

On Monday, 28 April, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba, posting under his X alias “Jamwanda 2,” said the government is working on improving lecturers’ welfare. He revealed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is the Chancellor of all state universities, had already approved plans to improve salaries, but the recommendations had not yet been implemented.

He blamed bureaucratic delays and promised that the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) would push things forward quickly. Charamba wrote:

“YOU HAVE BEEN HEARD!!! Government is addressing the welfare of University Lecturers. Just as well they raised the matter publicly. It turns out the Chancellor, Dr E.D. Mnangagwa, had long approved recommendations which should have put this matter well behind us. Inertia gathered somewhere and OPC will cause movement. Thank you Comrades for acting responsibly!”

YOU HAVE BEEN HEARD!!! Government is addressing the welfare of University Lecturers. Just as well they raised the matter publicly. It turns out the Chancellor, Dr E.D. Mnangagwa, had long approved recommendations which should have put this matter well behind us. Inertia gathered… https://t.co/8TVzne4A0i

— Jamwanda (@Jamwanda2) April 28, 2025

His comments come after he recently admitted that the lecturers’ complaints were genuine. Charamba even pledged to personally step in and help resolve the crisis.

The AUT’s strike centres around their demand to restore salaries to pre-October 2018 levels. Back then, a junior lecturer earned around US$2,250 per month, compared to the roughly US$230 they earn today.

Despite the promises, it remains unclear whether the government will fully meet the lecturers’ salary demands.

Also read: Government Responds To The Ongoing UZ Lecturers Strike Over Low Salaries

Mixed Reactions From the Public

In the comments, several Zimbabweans commended Charamba for taking action while others criticised his claims as insincere. Here are some of the reactions:

@OkaPhusisa:

At least steps are finally being taken, and we appreciate the effort to address the matter as promised. However, the narrative suggesting that senior government offices were unaware of the lecturers’ plight is disingenuous — unless it is an admission that the parent ministry is led by incompetent officials. Sustainable solutions are needed, not sporadic presidential interventions. We cannot continue to rely on favours; there must be a lasting, institutional resolution to these systemic issues.

@snowballOfficia:

Good work, Mhofu. Thumbs up to Dr ED Mnangagwa

@maras_nuel:

I’ve paid over $2,000 to UZ for my younger brother this year, and I know many other parents have too. But now I find out the lecturers were on strike. Where is all this money going exactly?

@Takue_gondo:

If recommendations had been long approved by the Chancellor, why was there a delay in implementation? Why does the process take a long time? Why do we wait until something happens or until pressure is mounted? Why can’t they be proactive, not reactive?

@FungayiSnr:

Thank you, Comrade! That’s all we want. If genuine issues are raised, they need to be attended to, all in good faith!

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