Mugabe's pay up 300 percent

Mugabe's pay up 300 percent

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By Mthulisi Mathuthu
26/03/04
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has awarded himself a shock 300 percent pay rise.

Mugabe’s salary will go up from $20,2 million to $73,3 million backdated to January this year, a notice in the government gazette published Friday said.

When put together with allowances, Mugabe’s annual salary will put back the Zimbabwean taxpayer a staggering $80 million.

Only last July, the government increased Mugabe’s salary by at least 600 percent, against rampant inflation of over 600 percent, fuel shortages and widespread poverty.

Mugabe will receive a Cabinet allowance of $2,8 million, a 100% increase from the previous $1,4 million. He will also get a $1,6 million general allowance – a massive improvement from the $840 000 awarded last July.

Although Mugabe lives at State House and the bill is picked up by the taxpayer, he will get a housing allowance of $3,024 million a year, up from $1,5 million and an annual gratuity equivalent to the monthly salary with effect from January.

There were no increases for MPs, Ministers or the Vice President this time.

Vice President Joseph Msika earns $18,4 million annually while Cabinet ministers’ salaries will remain pegged at $16,5 million. The Speaker of Parliament Emmerson Mnangagwa will continue earning $17,3 million a year.

Zimbabwe has seen a series of strikes for higher pay - the most recent by junior doctors - in the face of surging inflation - currently ranking among the highest rates in the world at 602%.

But struggling companies have failed to increase wages to match rising costs.
Zimbabwe is in the grips of a severe economic crisis, with 80% of the country's 11.6 million people estimated to be living in poverty.

Critics say Mugabe has ruined the economy through 24 years of mismanagement, leading to chronic food and foreign currency shortages.

More than 70% of Zimbabwe's workforce is unemployed.

President Mugabe denies responsibility for the country's economic problems - which he blames on domestic opponents and foreign sanctions over allegations of vote rigging in the 2002 elections.
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