THE Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services officers in Mutare are up in arms with their seniors amid disclosures that they are being coerced to pay $36 each towards the building of a school at Mutare prison farm.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI OWN CORRESPONDENT
Officers who spoke on condition of anonymity said they would not cooperate with the directive as it was government’s responsibility to build the school.
ZPCS plans to build a school at Mutare prison farm to ease pressure on children who are ferried to different schools in town daily.
Repeated efforts to get a comment from ZPCS spokesperson in Manicaland Liberty Mhlanga hit a brick wall as he was reportedly said to be in a meeting. Sources said the directive was issued last November, but up to date the employees were resisting the move.
“We are being forced to pay $36 in a one-off payment to build a primary school at Mutare Farm Prison. Although it is a good idea to build a school near our homes we are not buying the idea of paying the money because of our meagre salaries,” one of the officers said.
“The unfortunate part is that some who are resisting the directive from our seniors are being threatened with transfers as a way of forcing payment. If the threats continue, we will try to reach out to the responsible ministry because in as much we want the school, it’s also not our duty to contribute the money,” the disgruntled officer added.
Others suggested that instead of forcing them to pay the money, ZPCS should seek for donations from the corporate world.
