President Robert Mugabe on Thursday swore in an eight-member commission to look into the conversion of pensions and insurance benefits from the Zimbabwe dollar to the United States dollar as pensioners struggle to make ends meet, earning as little as $2 per month.
The commission, chaired by retired Justice George Smith, is expected to ensure the process of commuting people’s pensions from the now defunct Zimbabwe dollar to the U.S dollar is done in a transparent manner that does not prejudice the workers.
The other members of the commission are Violet Mutandwa, Brains Muchemwa, George Dikinya, Anesu Daka, Itai Chirume, Martin Tarusenga and Godfrey Kanyenze.
Workers who went on pension before the Zimbabwe dollar was abolished in favor of the U.S. dollar are reportedly living in abject poverty because some of them are getting as little as $2 per month.
Economic commentator, Masimba Kuchera, hailed the setting up of the commission but added that the inquiry is being instituted at the wrong time as the economy continues to decline.