President Mugabe Pleads with Teachers to End Strike

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday pleaded with striking teachers to return to work and pledged his government’s commitment to revive the fortunes of what was once a model African education system.

Addressing thousands of supporters of his party in Mutawatawa, about 150 kilometers north-east of the capital Harare, the 84-year-old leader asked the teachers to give ongoing salary negotiations a chance.

Teachers have not reported for duty since Friday in protest at Mugabe’s decision last month to award hefty increases to members of the security forces.

The strike has affected the country’s education system, forcing most children from government-owned schools to stay at home.

On a campaign trail to garner support for his party, ZANU PF, Mugabe is desperate to sway public opinion about the effectiveness of his policies after almost 28 years in power.

Critics accuse the veteran leader of ruining the Zimbabwean economy and of human rights abuses against his people.

Faced with world record inflation of more than 100,000 percent, most Zimbabwean workers struggle to survive on their meager salaries, with the average earnings barely enough to take an employee through a week.

Mugabe blames the country’s woes on economic saboteurs led by Britain and other Western countries that he claims were angered by his decision to expropriate land from white farmers in 2000.

He told supporters that the hyper-inflationary environment was being fed by unjustified price increases by the business sector at the instigation of Western countries.

Source African Press Agency

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