THE taxpayer continues to foot former president Robert
Mugabe’s medical bills, as it emerged President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government
gave the deposed strongman US$4 million to cover his hospital expenses, as well
as the costs of his two-month stay in Singapore late last year.
Mugabe, who turns 95 next month, was often criticised by
ordinary Zimbabweans for frequently making expensive trips to the rich
city-state in South-East Asia at the expense of the taxpayer when he was still
the head of state.
Now wheelchair-bound, Mugabe — removed from power in a
military coup in November 2017 — continues to enjoy the state-funded medical
trips at the benevolence of his former long-serving lieutenant.
This comes at a time the country is reeling from a
multi-faceted economic crisis which has stoked social unrest.
Senior government officials told the Zimbabwe Independent
this week that government footed Mugabe’s medical expenses to the tune of US$4
million towards the end of 2018. The money, sources said, was paid through the
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), which maintains it does not have adequate
foreign currency to fund critical sectors of the economy which are currently on
the brink of collapse.
Well-placed sources said Mugabe was first paid US$1 million
upon his departure for Singapore in October but later contacted government from
the South-East Asian nation complaining that the money was inadequate and
requesting a further US$3 million in November.
The requested balance was paid promptly, according to the
sources. The transactions were authorised by RBZ governor John Mangudya.
“The governor sent a memo to the Finance ministry perm sec
George Guvamatanga stating that there was a request by former “president Robert
Mugabe for an additional US$3 million, while he was in Singapore. This was
after Mugabe initially received US$1 million from government for his medical
bills, which he then said was not enough,” a senior government official said.
Mangundya’s memorandum reportedly did not impress Finance
ministry permanent secretary Guvamatanga, although he could do nothing to stop
the payment, which Mangudya had already effected.
Efforts to obtain the memorandum were fruitless as
government is keeping a tight lid on the document. Mangudya declined to comment on the matter this week.
“I don’t deal with such information. I am not privy to that
information and, therefore, I cannot comment,” he said. However, despite his denial, sources maintained that he,
indeed, authorised the transaction.
“I know that Mugabe was given US$4 million for that trip. I
am not sure if he was given US$3 million first and then the million, or the
other way round. But that Singapore trip cost government US$4 million, which was
indeed paid through the RBZ,” another source said.
At a rally in Mugabe’s rural home in Zvimba, Mashonaland
West province, in November last year, Mnangagwa announced that Mugabe had
fallen critically ill and was unable to walk.
Mnangagwa told Zanu PF supporters at the rally that he was
maintaining constant contact with his political mentor, whom he helped
overthrow in a military coup in 2017.
Contacted for comment, Information ministry permanent
secretary Nick Mangwana said he was not aware of any payment to Mugabe.
“I don’t know that at all, that is a ridiculous figure for
medication and you are trying to impose it to me, asking me to justify it,”
Mangwana said, adding he would make inquires with his government counterparts
to confirm the developments.
However, he later told the Independent to pursue the matter
with Finance, as he had not been able to get hold of the team, which said was
in Europe with Mnangagwa.
The President last year courted the ire of taxpayers after
his administration chartered an expensive private jet for Mugabe’s wife, Grace,
to facilitate her urgent return from her own medical treatment in Singapore to
enable her to attend her mother’s funeral. The charter cost over US$1 million.
This also comes as the state media last week reported that
Mugabe lost US$150 000 which was stashed in a briefcase at his Zvimba home to
his domestic workers.
Mugabe’s health and the money it consumes from the public
purse has been a controversial issue since his days as president.
He was criticised for spending more time outside the
country, either seeking medical treatment or on official visits. His successor,
Mnangagwa, who is currently on a five-nation tour after hiring a US$74
000-per-hour jet, has fallen into the same trap, it seems.
Mugabe’s entire family has put trust in the Singaporean
doctors and medical facilities to give them premium healthcare and have no
confidence at all in local medical facilities, which were run down over decades
of his misrule. Zimbabwe independent
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