The government will always prioritise service delivery and will only commit to buying vehicles for ministers once the fiscal situation allows it to do so.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Mr George Guvamatanga says gone are the days when the government would splash on vehicles for new ministers as it seeks to walk the talk in reigning on expenditure to reduce budget deficit.
Mr Guvamatanga said government is therefore still to purchase ministerial vehicles for the new cabinet despite it being its contractual obligation to do so.
“Treasury is yet to fork out a single cent for the vehicles of the cabinet ministers. We have always maintained that when conditions improve that is when we will consider that,” said Mr Guvamatanga.
Government balanced its budget in September and achieved a primary surplus in October owing to its fiscal consolidation measures.
Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Cde Energy Mutodi says priority is on people, which is why in the month of September government re-directed resources to fight the cholera epidemic.
“We are conscious to the fact that ministers need cars but we can’t purchase vehicles when people are suffering. That is why government stopped buying vehicles for parliamentarians to channel resources towards fighting the cholera epidemic,” Cde Mutodi said.
The comments follow widespread unfounded media reports that suggested treasury had splashed millions on top of the range vehicles for ministers. zbc
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