By Princess Eugene Majuru
HARARE – Linda Masarira, president of the Labour, Economists and African Democrats (LEAD) party, has launched a scathing attack on the Zimbabwe Newspapers (Zimpapers) Group, accusing the country’s largest media house of treating its employees like “slaves” through stagnant wages and poor working conditions.
In a hard-hitting statement shared on her X (formerly Twitter) account, Masarira expressed outrage over the disparity between the lavish lifestyles of senior management and the meager salaries of the journalists she termed the “mouthpiece of the government.”
The “Crying Inside” Reality
Masarira highlighted a dire financial situation for the workforce at the State-linked media giant, which operates across print, radio, and television sectors. She claimed that many journalists take home less than $240 USD per month.
”A Zimpapers journalist takes home just over USD 200… They are made to pretend all is well when it’s not. They are made to smile while crying inside,” Masarira stated.
The LEAD leader broke down the cost of living to illustrate the math of poverty facing the media house’s staff. She noted that with a single room costing a minimum of $80 USD, a journalist with a family requiring at least three rooms would see their entire salary swallowed by rent alone.
Management Perks vs. Employee Hunger
The opposition leader further alleged a culture of corruption and inequality within the institution. She pointed to a sharp contrast between “foot soldiers” with “rumbling stomachs” and senior management who enjoy the latest vehicles and “obscene perks.”
Masarira also mocked a reported recent adjustment to employee benefits, stating that management had awarded a transport allowance increase of a mere $1 USD.
”Zimpapers is an arm of the State yet its employees are literally slaves in an independent country,” she remarked, further claiming that current compensation levels are worse than those provided during the pre-independence era.
Masarira concluded her statement with a direct challenge to the Minister of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Hon. Zhemu Soda, demanding immediate government intervention to rectify the pay scales.
”The nation cannot afford to have state journalists being turned into beggars,” Masarira warned, urging the Minister to address the matter with the urgency it deserves to protect the dignity of the media profession in Zimbabwe.
Zimpapers management has yet to issue an official response to the allegations.
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