Mugabe buys loyalty

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BY GIFT PHIRI

HARARE – Government has raised salaries of military personnel - the front-line enforcers of President Robert Mugabe’s brutal regime - by up to 150 per cent.
The increase, coming amid opposition threats to roll out mass protests, has drawn accusations that Mugabe was paying off key groups with a critical role in the wider effort to keep Zanu (PF) in power.
Zimbabwe’s security chiefs have over the past few months been agitating for a 10-fold increase in the salaries of the armed forces to ensure their loyalty against public protests.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Sunday vowed to press ahead with the demonstrations, which Mugabe has said would be ruthlessly crushed
Sources in the Army Data Capture Unit at the KG6 Barracks told The Zimbabwean that they had already completed working on the soldiers’ payslips.
“They are getting a 130 percent increase across the board,” the source said. “I understand there is likely to be another increase soon.”
A private in the 40,000 strong army earns $27,000 a month, a captain $42,000 and a major $58,000. After this increase a private will see his salary shoot up to $57,000. These figures exclude other allowances such as transport and housing.
The increase follows seething discontent among soldiers over poor salaries and working conditions. Military sources said before the raise, soldiers were increasingly unsettled by government’s refusal to increase their salaries and provide adequate food supplies to the army.
Disgruntled armed forces pose a serious threat to Mugabe’s regime, which depends on the state security apparatus for its survival.
Mugabe recently urged the armed forces to remain vigilant to deal with what he termed a “vicious imperialist onslaught” adding soldiers will obey instructions to turn their guns on protestors.
Soldiers who spoke to The Zimbabwean privately said the increase was still negligible as they had been expecting a 10-fold increase to cushion them against hyperinflation, currently running above 1,000 percent.
Some troops have reportedly been detained at 2 Brigade barracks in Harare in connection with “indiscipline” related to agitation for salary increases. Sources said the soldiers were expected to be court-marshalled.
Army spokesman Simon Tsatsa declined to comment on the salary adjustment and denied there was unrest within the ranks.
Army commanders are traditionally loyal to Mugabe and generals occupy the upper echelons of parastatals and government posts. Mugabe has militarised government bureaucracy by deploying former soldiers to perform civilian duties.