The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and its employees are on a collision course after the central bank took cars from the workers and gave them to legislators. The revelation will open a can of worms on the motives behind RBZ’s gesture amid claims from employees that the central bank was currying favour with politicians. Earlier this month RBZ governor Gideon Gono offered to give legislators cars for temporary use until Treasury finds money to purchase vehicles under the Parliamentary Loan Scheme. The cars would be returned when the Ministry of Finance has enough resources to buy the cars for the MPs. The Standard heard yesterday that of the 50 cars issued to MPs, some came from the pool section of the bank while the remainder were taken from various departments. Last week the Transport Division of the bank was instructed to get 150 cars from RBZ employees including senior managers in a move employees said flouts contractual obligations.

Managers are entitled to cars and some senior managers reported for work on Friday without the cars fearing that they would be taken from them, according to people familiar with developments at RBZ. Others said they would resist the move to dispossess them of the cars. “We will not return those cars. How can I return the car when the bank hasn’t paid me?” asked a senior manager. “Yesterday (Friday) the transport division did not get a single car as managers refused to surrender their vehicles.” The Standard heard that employees, some of them facing retrenchment following the realignment of the central bank to focus on its core business, were livid and have vowed not to surrender the cars. Employees vowed to cling to the cars arguing that they would form part of their retrenchment packages.

RBZ is due to retrench employees to focus on its core business of prices and financial sector stability. One employee is said to have fainted after he was told to surrender the car, a close relative said yesterday. When Gono offered the cars to MPs, he said the vehicles were lying idle at RBZ but employees disputed the claims. An executive member in the MPs welfare committee said the legislators had been promised 150 cars by the central bank. Told that the cars they were given were seized from RBZ employees, the MP said: “We were told that the cars are lying idle at RBZ.” RBZ spokesperson, Kumbirai Nhongo was not immediately available for comment. Gono could also not be reached for comment.

Author:

Ndamu Sandu

Source:

http://www.thezimbabwestandard.com/local/20264-rbz-workers-on-collision-course.html