Zimbabwe splashes out on army vehicles

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Friday August 25, 2006

Harare- Cash-strapped Zimbabwe has paid out 1.2 million US dollars to buy more than 100 vehicles for top army officials, it was reported Friday. The 127 Mazda vehicles were paid for with funds secured from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, the state-controlled Herald newspaper reported.

Secretary for Defence Trust Maposa said the defence forces aimed to buy another 197 vehicles for its staff, including 10 luxury Prados, the paper reported.

Zimbabwe is facing a severe foreign currency crunch that often makes the importation of basic commodities like fuel and medicines difficult.

The central bank carefully controls all foreign currency coming into the country. Exporters and people holding foreign currency accounts complain they are forced to relinquish their hard cash to the government at between one-half and one-third of its value on the parallel market, despite a recent devaluation.

Earlier this week, the authorities in Zimbabwe were reported to have bought another six jet fighters from China worth an estimated 20 million US each. Zimbabwe bought six fighters from its eastern ally last year as well as three MA60 passenger planes that have been plagued with technical problems.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur