Over 200 lecturers at Zimbabwe’s leading university staged a protest on Monday, joining forces with students to demand higher wages, as the nation’s cost-of-living crisis continues to escalate. The protest at the University of Zimbabwe, based in the capital Harare, marks the third consecutive month of industrial action, making it one of the country’s longest-running strikes in recent years.
The lecturers, wearing their academic robes, gathered outside the university gates, waving placards, playing music, and dancing in a show of defiance. Banners bearing slogans such as “Restore our salaries” underscored their frustration. They are demanding a monthly wage increase from the current $230 to $2,500, which is what they last earned in 2018 prior to the dramatic devaluation of the Zimbabwean dollar.
Union representative Obvious Vengeyi revealed that the university management has yet to make any formal offer since the strike commenced in mid-April. He dismissed a separate proposal from the education ministry, which suggested a 20 percent pay rise for lecturers and a 35 percent increase for the university’s vice-chancellor, criticising it as deeply unfair. “The very people who are responsible for this mess have been rewarded, which is really quite unfair,” he said.
The strike has severely disrupted academic activities at the university. Classes have been halted, exams have been cancelled, and the fate of this year’s graduation ceremony now hangs in the balance. Wadzanai Rupuwu, a 22-year-old international relations student, voiced her frustration, saying, “From the 16th of April to date, we haven’t learnt. I didn’t even sit for the examination because I didn’t have any idea what to write.”
The university, which employs around 1,200 lecturers, has attempted to minimise the disruption by bringing in temporary teaching staff in some departments. However, these replacements have met resistance from students, who question their qualifications and suitability. “They cannot qualify to lecture us because they do not have experience,” said student leader Darlington Chingwena, who accused the university of jeopardising students’ futures. “Our future has been stolen,” he added.
Zimbabwe continues to grapple with soaring inflation, currently exceeding 90 percent, which has fuelled a surge in labour unrest across multiple sectors. In an effort to stabilise the beleaguered economy, Zimbabwe introduced a gold-backed currency in 2024, a new attempt to curb inflation following years of economic turmoil under the rule of former leader Robert Mugabe.
