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meeting their demands.
Justice and Legal Affairs acting permanent secretary, Mr Maxwell Ranga, said the recent approval of a US$156 representation allowa-nce for principal law officers and prosecutors in Grade One was a step towards resolution of the grievances.
Mr Ranga wrote a letter to the chairman of the Zimbabwe Law Officers Association, Mr Leopold Mudisi, saying part of the prosecutors’ demands had been met and that they should now resume their normal duties.
“Please be advised that the ministry is working, together with other stakeholders, towards addressing the issues raised,” he said.
“However, the process of addressing the imbalances which is part of your request as regards payment of representation allowance to principal law officers/prosecutors Grade One has been resolved and payment is being processed. The ministry is still working on the remaining issues pertaining to salaries, again with the relevant stakeholders. In light of this development and that part of your demands have been met, you are hereby requested to go back to work while we continue to negotiate for the remaining issues.”
But the prosecutors vowed to continue striking, saying the representation allowance was not part of the reasons for their action and that it benefited a few officers. Mr Mudisi said the letter by the acting permanent secretary was vague and unless Government made a commitment to pay them by a specific date, they would not return to work.
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“We are not going back to work until they pay us or until the Public Service Commission commits itself in writing that it will pay us what we are demanding,” he said.
“We are eager to go back to work any minute as long as there is an obligation in writing. We sympathise with the suspects in remand prison, but we can not go back to work on empty stomachs.”
An attempt by the police to bar the striking prosecutors failed yesterday when they explained their legal position for the action.
A truck full of riot police officers, who were armed with button sticks, drove off after the talks.
Online Reporter