PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s junkets have caused a storm after he hired a luxury jet from Dubai early this week to fly him to Victoria Falls, where he officially opened the third edition of the rural district councils chairpersons’ indaba on Thursday.
The development came shortly after MDC deputy president and
former Finance minister Tendai Biti told a party rally recently that Mnangagwa
could have blown in excess of US$200 million in travelling expenses since
coming into power in November 2017.
But Mnangagwa yesterday told the Zanu PF women league that
his never-ending trips were good for Zimbabwe.
“The media is busy saying I travel a lot. But look (at)
what I bring. On Monday or so, we shall be receiving more medicines from the
Arabs. They are giving us for free,” the President said yesterday.
According to flightware.com, the luxury Royal Jet A6-RJX
left Abu Dhabi at 0930hrs on Tuesday and arrived at Robert Gabriel Mugabe
International Airport in Harare at 1420hrs.
It then left Harare for Victoria Falls on Thursday before
departing the resort town on the same day at 1340hrs and arrived in Harare at
1643hrs.
Royal Jet, according to their website, offers luxury
executive flight services and can provide their customers VIP treatment when
necessary and can charter any
private jet anywhere in the world through their 24/7
charter brokerage service.
NewsDay Weekender understands that it costs between US$10
000 and US$30 000 per hour to fly the luxury jet.
From July 6 this month, the luxury jet has flown the
President from Harare to Niger and Benin, and back before returning to its base
in Abu Dhabi more than seven times, cloaking nearly US$1 million.
The country is currently facing massive electricity
load-shedding lasting for as long as 18 hours a day, while most public
hospitals are failing to dispense critical drugs, which many could not afford
in pharmacies. Motorists are also spending days in fuel queues across the
country.
Although Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has defended
Mnangagwa’s frequent international trips, saying he had to travel to countries
like China because deals could not be sealed over the phone, it is not clear
whether such huge costs were necessary for local travel.
MDC secretary for international relations Gladys Hlatywayo
said: “The extravagance displayed by Zanu PF in a sea of poverty, suffering and
economic distress is deeply disconcerting. A thorough investigation must be
made into these trips, something is just not adding up and there could be more
than meets the eye! I fail to understand why Zanu PF would put in so much
resources in traveling and get next to no returns for such an investment.”
Newsday
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