Patriot Reporters

LIFE has become unbearable for most non-governmental organisations (NGO) workers over the past year.
First it was Goal Zimbabwe, and now Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has joined in.
Following ZANU PF’s landslide victory in the July 31 harmonised elections, Goal Zimbabwe, one of the principal drivers of the regime change agenda and an Irish funded local NGO indefinitely closed its operations after 11 years.
The closure was without notice and with no termination package for over 100 employees.
This is just a few of many NGOs exploiting its workers.
Many suffer silently because their contracts are muddled and find it expensive to pursue legal procedures.
For such cases it takes years for the arbitration tribunal to pass its judgment.
Hence many workers and their families are invariably left to suffer, while those who caused their grief usually carry on working as normal.
In a similar case, Community Working Group on Health unfairly dismissed two workers in an effort to stifle an alleged ‘office relationship’ of a managing director and an intern.
One of the employees, Christina Hungwa approached The Patriot with her sad story.
She said after working for nine years for the NGO she was ‘spit’ because the boss had a personal issue.
“It all started with an anonymous note addressed to the board of management that the boss was having an affair with an intern, then a month later a picture in a tabloid newspaper of the boss with that same intern having some nice time was published,” said Hungwa.
“Before l knew what was happening, l had lost my job.”
CWGH managing director, Itai Rusike never told Christina Hungwa and another employee (name provided) the reason why their contracts were terminated without notice despite having worked for the NGO for nine years.
CWGH which was formed in 1998 is a network of civic/community based organisations who aim to collectively enhance community participation in health in Zimbabwe.
Hungwa was permanently employed at CWGH as a housekeeper since February 2004 until last year December 31. For those nine years she got nothing.
She said it’s the stereotypes associated with the nature of her job that made Rusike suspect that she might have been the one who spread the rumours that led to the note presented before the board.
“Up to today, we do not know who wrote that note, but because of the nature of my job, Rusike suspected me,” Hungwa said.
“The following morning he called a meeting and threatened the staff with action from the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) until the ‘culprit’ was found.
“We were detained waiting for the CIOs who never came.
“When l realised it was past lunch time l left, but this did not go down well with Rusike.”
Hungwa said from that time onwards, things were never the same at the organisation.
“In November we were given notice that there was no funding and that the organisation was closing down and subject to availability of funding, we were to be given right of refusal,” she said.
“In January, everyone else was called back except me and another colleague.”
It has been a year of struggle for Hungwa, a mother of two, who has suffered emotionally and physically.
Hungwa said life has been difficult for her since her contract was terminated.
“I do not have a place to stay,” she said.
“I move from one relative to another while my few belongings are in a garage at a friend’s place.
“I also have to take care of my two children.”
The employees have since approached the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare seeking redress.
Asked to comment on the issue, Rusike said Hugwa’s case was being finalised and that her ‘papers were being processed’.
However, when Hungwa visited Rusike’s office, she was issued with a letter from lawyers citing that CWGH does not owe her anything, leaving her in the cold.
However, this is not just about Hungwa.
She represents many workers, who have not been bold enough to pursue legal procedures.
Hungwa feels that justice should prevail or else she and many others face a bleak future in a dangerous job-seeking market.
In a related development, United Food and Allied Workers Union of Zimbabwe members on Tuesday demonstrated against the National Employment Council (NEC) for conniving with the employers in the food industry in abusing employees in the sector.
The workers were blaming the NEC for abusing subscriptions from workers’ unions and receiving bribes from employers who violate labour laws and in return the council would act in favour of the companies.
In a petition filed to the NEC, the workers demanded equality in the handling of matters between them and the employers by the council.
“Our major concern is the deteriorating nature of service delivery being offered by the NEC which includes prioritising employers concerns ahead of employees,” said president of United Food and Allied Union of Zimbabwe, Cleopas Tongo.
“We are also concerned by time taken to dispose matters, arrogance by designated agents and abuse of the NEC platform.”