Zanu PF is buying
luxury cars worth a staggering $5 million for former Cabinet ministers recently
deployed to the ruling party’s headquarters by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, it
has been revealed.
Mnangagwa appointed several former ministers that he did
not accommodate in his new Cabinet to work for Zanu PF on a full time basis.
The Zanu PF leader said he needed a leaner Cabinet to
transform the economy and reverse years of economic decline blamed on the
ruling party.
It has since emerged that the heavyweights that include
Obert Mpofu, Patrick Chinamasa and Sydney Sekeremayi, among many others, will
soon take delivery of Toyota VX 200 Land Cruisers from South Africa.
The ruling party is said to have received the money to buy
the top-of-the-range vehicles from a local tycoon with vast interests in the
energy sector.
Zanu PF director of administration Dickson Dzora confirmed
that the ruling party was buying top-of-the-range vehicles, but dismissed
claims that the deal was financed by the businessman with links to Mnangagwa
and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.
“Zanu PF is not receiving any vehicles from anyone, that is
total rubbish,” he said.
“As a party, we bought vehicles for our members during
elections and we will continue buying vehicles for them.
“So for anyone to suggest that Zanu PF is receiving
vehicles from anyone and not buying on its own is total rubbish.” However, sources insisted the tycoon was heavily involved
in the importation of the vehicles.
At least 50 cars are set to be delivered anytime from now,
the sources revealed.
Zanu PF secretary for transport July Moyo and spokesperson
Simon Khaya Moyo were not reachable for comment.
Mnangagwa’s government, which recently introduced austerity
measures to rescue the economy from collapse, has been emphasising that
Zimbabweans “need to take the pain” if a turnaround is to be achieved.
The former ministers that were deployed to Zanu PF headquarters
are said to be entitled to perks equivalent to those given to ministers.
They insist that they should direct government policy and
were vocal against Finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s austerity measures.
However, war veterans last week wrote a stinging petition
demanding that most of the politburo members must be fired for allegedly
working against Mnangagwa.
Ncube suspended the purchase of vehicles for ministers and
Members of Parliament owing to a tight budget and as a cost-cutting measure.
In the build-up to July 30 harmonised elections, Zanu PF
refused to disclose the source of millions of dollars used to oil its campaign
machinery amid claims that some of the money was diverted from Treasury.
Opposition and former Zanu PF members alleged that a
staggering $70 million was used to buy campaign regalia from China and the
Democratic Republic of Congo.
The ruling party’s parliamentary candidates were each given
off-road top-of-the-range vehicles for their campaigns.
After the polls, the party availed more than 70 vehicles
for its departmental heads and secretaries.
Last year, Zanu PF had a $19 million debt and membership
card sales, its key revenue source, were down by a 75%.
The ruling party had a $1,2 million outstanding telephone
bill and its companies were insolvent.
Besides that, the party is already preparing to hold its
annual people’s conference slated for Matabeleland South with a budget of close
to $7 million being worked on to finance the three day annual indaba. Standard
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