Zimbabwean Government Says It's Concerned Over Misery-Type Life Of Retired Civil Servants

The Zimbabwean government has expressed deep concern over the prevailing “misery type of living” experienced by a significant number of retired civil servants. The government believes that this distressing situation is primarily attributable to the lack of knowledge and life skills among retirees, particularly regarding retirement planning.

According to an internal memorandum from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the government has recognised the urgent need to empower prospective retirees with essential retirement planning skills. The memorandum seen by Pindula News states that after conducting a pilot retirement planning program in collaboration with the Public Service Commission in November and December 2023, the Human Resources Department (HRD) is now requesting the names of civil servants who hold positions of Deputy Director Grade and below and are fifty years of age or older. Read the memorandum in part:

The Ministry intends to capacitate all the prospective retirees on retirement planning. This move is necessitated by a misery type of living by most members who were civil servants due to lack of knowledge and life skills after retirement. The government is concerned about life after retirement of its employees hence the need to capacitate its employees on retirement planning for better life after exiting the employment.

However, the memorandum fails to address other significant factors contributing to the difficulties faced by retired civil servants. These factors include extremely low wages during their active service, meagre pension payouts, and an economy plagued by corruption and mismanagement. After dedicating 30 or 40 years of service to the nation on meagre salaries, retired public sector workers receive pensions that are barely sufficient for their basic needs. Many struggle to afford even the most essential food items, as their monthly pension payouts can be as low as US$20, which is significantly less than their monthly contributions.

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Furthermore, the Zimbabwean dollar’s continuous devaluation over the years has severely eroded the value of pensions and salaries, exacerbating the challenges faced by retirees. Despite the government’s recognition of the need for retirement planning programs, it is crucial to address the underlying systemic issues such as low wages, insufficient pensions, and economic instability to ensure a more dignified and secure retirement for civil servants.

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