Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The headmaster of Nyaradza Primary School in Gokwe is still working as a civil servant despite being elected Ward 19 councillor on a ZANU PF ticket.
Enock Chevedza is reportedly bullying teachers and threatening villagers, telling them that they will not receive food aid and agricultural inputs if ZANU PF loses in elections.
Section 200(4) of the Constitution prohibits civil servants from occupying a political office.
Chevedza should have resigned when he was elected councillor in 2018 yet, he is still a school head four years later.
A villager from Ward 19 who refused to be named told NewsDay that Chevedza was using his ZANU PF post to bully teachers. Said the villager:
The Nyaradza Primary School headmaster was elected ward 19 councillor on a ZANU PF ticket.
He is victimising teachers using his political position. Every teacher is now afraid of him, and some are resigning.
Chivedza allegedly uses the school premises as a venue to host ZANU PF rallies and meetings and other party-related events.
Meanwhile, a teacher at the school Timothy Sibanda, who is also the Midlands chairperson for the Educators Union of Zimbabwe blamed Chevedza for the cessation of his salary. Said Sibanda:
I have gone for more than a year without a salary. The councillor is unfairly treating teachers who are not aligned with him.
I had my salary ceased last April after he used his political muscle to block due processes.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) president Obert Masaraure said civil servants are supposed to resign as soon as they are elected to a political office. Said Masaraure:
Civil servants are cleared by the Public Service Commission to contest elections and are expected to resign when they secure victory.
Partisan civil servants have a track record of abusing their authority and they have discriminatory tendencies.
Civil servants are allowed to enjoy the right to vote and be voted for but must resign as soon as they secure partisan office.
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