The training of enumerators has been suspended indefinitely in Masvingo Province following chaotic incidents in which suspected Zanu PF youth and members of the nation’s spy network - the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) - took over national census induction centers set up by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency.
Acting Finance Minister Gorden Moyo told the VOA teachers will play a major role in conducting Zimbabwe’s population census as disputes continue over the involvement of the security forces in the training of enumerators.
Moyo said the training program had to be suspended Monday after the government received more enumerators from the security forces than civil servants.
He said the police and army will have a role to play but should be limited to conducting the exercise in their camps and barracks.
But civil servants said members of the armed forces are still interfering in this process.
The Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) said only members of the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (ZIMTA) and Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe are being hired in many parts of the country.
PTUZ secretary general Raymond Majongwe said the government must take appropriate action to ensure that the census is conducted in a transparent manner.
ZIMTA chief executive Sifiso Ndlovu said the PTUZ is not telling the truth.
Meanwhile, parliament has ratified three loan agreements signed by the Zimbabwe government and the Export and Import Bank of China totaling $380 million for upgrading the Victoria Falls Airport, rehabilitating Harare water and sewage works and for the acquisition of medical equipment.
