ZIMBABWE — Army barracks across the whole country have been put on high alert following mounting fears of a mutiny over pathetic salaries.

 

Zimdaily has established that restless army members recently communicated their displeasure to their leaders after getting this month's salaries worth for most of them only a loaf of bread.

 

 

Zimdaily has a copy of pay slip for a lowly ranked Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) member for this month, showing that he is earning a take home salaries of Z$240 in the new currency, which is equivalent to Z$2,4 trillion in the old currency.

 

A loaf of bread on the black market, where it is available in Harare was on Tuesday selling for Z$150 (Z$1,5 trillion).

 

Last week an unidentified group of army members at KG6 ZNA headquarters in Harare dropped a petition to their leaders warning them of "a highly likely failure of us to report for duty or take orders as required by the law".

 

Zimdaily saw a copy of the petition, which is very brief and was made into fliers thrown around the barracks.

 

"Avoid a situation that will be difficult to manage," a flier seen by Zimdaily states.

 

Robert Mugabe's military junta has moved in to tighten security and surveillance at army barracks whilst also monitoring movements of senior officials of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces as it fears a mutiny.

 

The junta's defence minister, Sydney Sekeramayi claimed he was not aware of the uncertainty. "I am not aware of that," he said when contacted for comment.

 

Individuals within the army that spoke to Zimdaily revealed that morale has hit rock bottom over the "silly" salaries.

 

"We are totally unhappy and most of us are considering either quitting the job or protesting. Indeed, it is very possible we might decide to turn against this regime because we have suffered for too long," one soldier said on condition of anonymity.

Defence forces were splashed with a massive salary increase at the beginning of the year as Mugabe sought to buy their loyalty ahead of the March harmonised elections.

 

However, massive hyperinflation has continued to wreck havoc and wash away the "windfall" that was cause for jubilation in February.

 

Meanwhile, teachers received their pay slips for this month starting Monday showing them earning as low as Z$200 (Z$2 trillion) pointing towards a highly-likely chaotic opening of the schools' third term next month.

 

Progressive Teachers Union secretary general Raymond Majongwe says there is no way teachers can go to work when they are earning "less than to commute to work for two days".

 

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