by Brightface Mutema

It did not come as a palatable piece of news when the old administration unceremoniously suspended full time study leaves for teachers but instead instructed them to make use of their accumulative leave days and holidays for such purposes.

Noone ever anticipated that the euphoria built could come into excitement one day. True to this, barely some months in office, the new dispensation has managed to bring tantalising smiles on the faces of the civil servants, with teachers in particular having cash in lieu for the days accrued.

Many teachers greeted with skeptiscism the government’s promise to pay them thousands of dollars in place of those days. But today many of them looked at their July payslips with disbelief as indeed there are some varying substantial amounts on their payslips.

A buoyant rural teacher who spoke to this publication, Mirriam Kajokoto could not hide her joy as her adrenaline was running all over her body with joy and excitement because of a handsome figure that showed on her payslip. She could not wait for next week when she will walk all the way to the bank to withdraw her money.

“This is totally unbelievable!” she said. “He is a man of action and not just politicking. We never took his promise seriously as we had for long been subjected to political antics by these politicians,” she added.

The government is effecting a 17,5% salary increment for the civil service in fulfilment of an agreement it reached with the civil servants at the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC).