The political turmoil in Zimbabwe has taken a toll on the salaries of local government officials, especially those from the opposition. The mayor of Bulawayo, the country’s second-largest city, revealed that he earns a meager $13 a month, less than the price of a pizza in the city.
Solomon Mguni, who belongs to the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) led by Nelson Chamisa, said he was paid the equivalent of $25 a month in local currency, but in fact, he received half of that due to the rapid depreciation of the Zimbabwean dollar. He defended his decision to stay in his post rather than resign from the CCC along with Chamisa, who broke away from the party last year after a leadership dispute.
“I have a passion to serve the people of Bulawayo. I am not here for the money,” Mguni told Bloomberg in an interview. “I have sacrificed a lot for this city. I left my law practice to become the mayor.”
Mguni’s salary is a stark contrast to the lavish lifestyles of some of the ruling party elites, who have been accused of corruption and mismanagement of the country’s resources. Zimbabwe is facing a severe economic crisis, with inflation soaring above 30%, unemployment at over 90%, and widespread shortages of basic goods and services. The local currency, which was reintroduced in 2019 after a decade of using foreign currencies, has lost more than 40% of its value against the US dollar this year.
The CCC, which controls most of the urban councils in Zimbabwe, has been at loggerheads with the central government over the allocation of funds and the appointment of senior officials. The ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) has accused the opposition of mismanaging the cities and failing to provide adequate services to the residents. Several CCC mayors and councilors have been arrested or suspended on various charges, which the opposition claims are politically motivated.
Mguni said he was optimistic that the situation in Bulawayo would improve, as the city was working on several projects to boost its water supply, sanitation, and infrastructure. He also appealed for more support from the central government and the international community to help the city cope with the challenges.
“We are doing our best to serve the people of Bulawayo, but we need more resources and cooperation,” he said. “We are not enemies of the state. We are development partners.”
Source: Bloomberg
