The Zimbabwean government has introduced a new policy to extend the retirement age for civil servants and uniformed personnel from 65 to 70 years in a bid to retain skilled workers in the public sector.
The policy, outlined in Statutory Instrument 197 of 2024, titled Public Service (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 (No. 3), officially came into effect on December 30, 2024.
Under the new regulation, civil servants who were appointed before the policy’s implementation can choose to retire at 65 or continue working until 70 while still receiving a full pension.
For employees appointed after the effective date, the retirement age has been adjusted directly to 70. The government hopes this measure will allow experienced public servants to continue contributing their skills and expertise to the nation.
Despite the policy’s potential benefits, its rollout has been fraught with challenges, particularly in the education sector. Some teachers, who had anticipated working until 70, were prematurely retired and ordered to vacate school-provided housing.
Headmasters justified these actions by citing the absence of an official directive authorizing the retirement extension.
Moses Mhike, Permanent Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education, acknowledged the confusion caused by delays in communication from the Public Service Commission (PSC). He assured the public that the PSC has now issued the necessary circular and that steps are being taken to rectify the situation.
Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi explained that the extension was necessitated by Zimbabwe’s increasing life expectancy.
With many citizens now living well into their 80s, the government believes it is practical to adjust the retirement age to retain the expertise of older public servants.
The policy, he noted, is a response to demographic realities and is intended to ensure that valuable skills are not prematurely lost from the public sector.
The early retirement of teachers, coupled with delays in implementing the policy, has sparked criticism and concern among affected civil servants.
However, the government has assured stakeholders that these challenges are being addressed to ensure a smoother execution of the policy moving forward.
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