DEFENCE and War Veterans Affairs minister Oppah Muchinguri has extended retirement age of airforce and army reserves from 65 to 70 years.
Muchinguri announced the changes this week in the latest Government Gazette.
The changes will affect the Defence Forces –Air Force under Statutory Instrument 17/ 2019 and Army Reserves under Statutory Instrument 18/2019 amending the Defence Act governing the respective reserves.
The effect of the gazette is to allow the Minister, on the recommendation of President Emmerson Mnangagwa to permit a reserve member who reaches retirement age (65 years) to continue serving until 70 if the Minister considers it desirable in the public in the public interest for him or her to do so.
The move ,largely seen as a reward to loyalists comes after government last year in August extended retirement of “specialist military personnel” to 70 years.
Meanwhile, government has gazetted the Education Amendment Bill. The explanatory memorandum published with the Bill states that its purpose is to amend various provisions of the Education Act so that it complies with rights stated in sections 19, 51, 53, 56, 63, 75, 81 and 83 of the Constitution.
The memorandum warns readers of the Bill that some of these constitutional rights are “subject to the availability to the State of resources necessary to enable to enjoy the implementation of the rights” and that it is “essential to take account of section 86 of the Constitution”, which allows legislation to limit some rights”.