Jobs must serve the nation, not party loyalty

By Newsday | May 21, 2026 | 3 Min read

Recent remarks by Stanley Sakupwanya calling for government jobs to be reserved for ruling party youths should alarm anyone who cares about professionalism, fairness and the future of Zimbabwe’s public institutions.

Speaking at a youth meeting attended by John Paradza, the Zanu PF deputy youth leader, Sakupwanya proposed that employment in sectors such as nursing, the police and the army should prioritise youths trained within the ruling party. His argument was that party-trained individuals are “disciplined” and, therefore, less likely to strike.

This reasoning is deeply flawed. A rumbling stomach does not recognise discipline — it demands action.

Nurses did not go on strike because they are unpatriotic, stubborn or intent on soiling the image of the so-called second republic, often portrayed by its most ardent supporters as having brought heaven on earth.

Rather, they downed tools because they wanted their employer to address their poor working conditions. They resorted to strike action only after repeated pleas fell on deaf ears. They want to feed their families, clothe them and send their children to school.

Hunger knows no political party.

Their protest also highlighted the deteriorating state of the country’s health institutions — hospitals that often lack basic sundries, essential drugs and even simple painkillers. They want hospitals to be properly equipped so that patients can walk through the doors confident they will receive treatment, not feel as though they have signed a death warrant.

The thinking advanced by Sakupwanya is dangerous and should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. Yet he is merely echoing the position of the party he represents — one that increasingly appears to treat government as a political extension of itself.

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At its annual conference last year, the ruling party resolved that positions in government should be reserved for those deemed “ideologically correct” — a thinly veiled reference to supporters of the party.

It was a troubling spectacle: a gathering that included veterans of the liberation struggle who fought for equality and justice now appear to be comfortable with the idea of exclusion and political patronage.

Sakupwanya’s flawed reasoning has no place in a modern democracy. Hiring people based on party allegiance throws meritocracy out the window and risks creating a system of “jobs for the boys” under the misguided belief that it is “our time to eat”.

Zimbabwe has seen the consequences of such thinking before. Several State enterprises collapsed under the weight of patronage, corruption and mismanagement after leadership positions were filled on the basis of political loyalty rather than competence.

Public sector jobs exist to serve citizens, not political parties. Hospitals, schools, the police and the army are national institutions funded by taxpayers. They should recruit the most qualified professionals available — not the most politically loyal.

Turning employment into a reward for party allegiance undermines merit, professionalism and public trust.

If there is to be a youth quota in employment, it must benefit every Zimbabwean — not members of a single political party. Zimbabwe needs its citizens pulling in the same direction. It does not need divisive rhetoric that creates a false “them and us”.

Zimbabwe is already grappling with a severe crisis in essential services. Nurses represented by the Zimbabwe Nurses Association have been striking over poor salaries and worsening working conditions. Major referral hospitals such as Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Sally Mugabe Central Hospital have struggled to maintain routine services.

These problems are not caused by a lack of “ideologically correct” workers. They stem from a struggling economy, poor remuneration and years of neglect in the public health system.

Politicising recruitment deepens national divisions and weakens already fragile institutions. It sends a dangerous message: that citizenship rights and career opportunities depend on party affiliation.

The Constitution promises equality of opportunity. Public jobs should, therefore, be filled through transparent, merit-based processes that reward skill, training and dedication to public service — not partisan loyalty, the midwife of corruption and mediocrity.

The country needs nurses who care for patients, teachers who educate children and police officers who protect communities. Their commitment should be to the nation, not to a party card.

Strong nations build professional institutions. Weak ones turn them into extensions of party machinery.

Zimbabwe cannot afford the latter.