Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, nqobile.tshili.co.zw
CIVIL servants should plan for life after retirement as most of them are struggling to come to terms with leaving employment after years of service.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Acting Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Rofina Chikava said this on Tuesday while officially opening a training workshop for workers from her ministry who were participating in a pre-retirement workshop.
The ministry organised the workshop in conjunction with the Public Service Commission.
Amb Chikava said most of the civil servants are not prepared for retirement despite the process being inevitable for all those who have reached 65 years of age.
“This workshop came after the realisation that there has not been a clear trend in respect of offering pre-retirement education to the ministry’s staff. We are 43 years old and this is the inaugural workshop we are holding. As you know most of us joined the ministry from the university and we are now on that range of retirement,” said Amb Chikava.
She said it was unfortunate that the subject of retirement in the ministry and across the public service was being regarded as taboo, something worth not discussing in public forums and yet this event was unstoppable whether workers like it or not as it will happen in one’s lifetime.
Amb Chikava said announcing that an individual was due for retirement has even been met with resistance by some of the workers because they would not have prepared for it.
She said instead of accepting the reality that comes with ageing, some resist the inevitable.
“This has been a burden for our officers because when we come to talk to them that they are retiring, they feel like they are being crucified or they are not being wanted and would say ‘the permanent secretary, the minister is favouring this one or something’ but it is inevitable when you reach your age you’ll retire,” said Amb Chikava.
She said officials should be proud of retiring considering that some of them would have served the country for more than 40 years.
“Retirement shows that you have done your work, you have finished your race and you are handing over to the next generation. When you have served for over 40 years as a civil servant, it is indeed an achievement that cannot be taken away from you,” said Amb Chikava.
She said retirement was a golden opportunity that also requires recognition from the ministry and public service at large.
“You have done your part, you are recognised, you are the person who has contributed to the development of the country,” said Amb Chikava.
She said the workshop equipped workers with knowledge of how to approach life after retirement.
Amb Chikava said those who have reached retirement are expected to adjust their lifestyles to conform to the new realities of not reporting for work.
“Even us ambassadors are affected. We come out from being called His Excellency, Her Excellency, having doors opened for you where things are done for you”.
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“When you get home things are done for you, you don’t even know how to cook your own food but when retirement time comes, you start wanting to find out how to use the stove, where to get firewood when there is no electricity,” said Amb Chikava.
She commended the ministry’s workforce for being critical in leading the Government’s re-engagement policy.
“Your skills, work ethic and excellent trustworthiness have been of great value in the promotion of Zimbabwe’s foreign policy and protection of Zimbabwean nationals abroad.
“You are the drivers of our engagement, re-engagements and affirmations policy, which our President His Excellency, has pronounced. Furthermore, you have been key in the fight against the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the western countries,” said Amb Chikava.
She said some of the milestones that the country has achieved since attainment of independence have been driven by officials from the ministry.
Amb Chikava said civil servants should drive the transformation of the country into an upper middle-income economy as pronounced by President Mnangagwa.
During engagements, participants were challenged to take up investment opportunities and start businesses that would sustain them upon retirement. – @nqotshili
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