Zimbabwe Extends Retirement Age for Civil Servants, Uniformed Forces

The government has increased the retirement age for civil servants and uniformed forces by an additional five years, effective 1 January 2025.

According to Statutory Instrument (SI) 197 of 2024, dated 30 December 2024, the retirement age for civil servants has been raised from 65 to 70.

However, at the age of 60, they still have the choice to retire early, provided they submit a three-month notice.

“…before the effective date, may have a pensionable age of sixty-five years with option to retire at seventy-years on full pension: Provided that any retirement after the year of sixty-fifth anniversary and before the seventieth anniversary shall be deemed to be early retirement; or on or after the effective date, shall have a pensionable age of seventy years.

“A member may, on giving three months notice of retirement be permitted by the commission to retire before pensionable age at any time after attaining the age of sixty,” part of the SI reads.

Again in SI 198 of 2024 cited as the Defence (Regular Force) (Non-Commissioned Members) (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 (No. 8), the retirement age for regular soldiers is now 55, up from 50.

A member can extend to 60 and 65 years if they are a war vet.

“A permanent member shall, whatever the length of his or her pensionable service, retire on attaining the age of fifty-five years: Provided that if the minister, on the recommendation of the commander, considers that it is desirable in the public interest, he or she may allow that member to continue to serve for a period of five years until he or she attains the age of sixty years; or if that member is allowed to continue to serve in terms of paragraph (a), the commander may, on giving twelve months’ written notice to the member of his or her intention to do so, require him or her to retire before he or she has served that period,” part of the SI reads.

Meanwhile, the President in a Statutory Instrument 201 of 2024 has also increased pensionable service for police from 20 to 30 years.

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