WaBenzi at it again

their deputies, The Zimbabwean has established. Cabinet ministers have reportedly extensively road-tested the options to replace their chauffeur-driven Mercedes Benz E230. The ministers have settled for spanking new Mercedes Benz C350 vehicles. The cost of each vehicle is estimated at US$40,000.
The purchase of the luxury vehicles comes at a time the country is steeped in crisis, characterized by hyperinflation, now at 3,700 percent, and critical shortages of hard currency to bankroll key imports such as food and fuel. Speaker of Parliament John Nkomo has already taken delivery of his vehicle and the rest of the ministers were expected to receive theirs next week.
Official sources said the ministry of Transport and Communications was administering the funds and sourcing the vehicles through the Central Mechanical Equipment Department, which in turn was sourcing through Benz dealer ZIMOCO. The move comes as government is due to splurge out more on a vehicle loan facility next year for the expanded Lower and Upper House of Parliament. Mugabe last Thursday gazetted constitutional amendment No 18 which will increase the number of senators from 66 to 84 and MPs from 150 to 210. This represents an extra 78 vehicles, a purchase likely to drain the already depleted fiscus coffers.
Transport minister Chris Mushowe was not immediately available for comment. But Government provides ministers, deputy ministers and judges with chauffeur-driven Mercedes Benz vehicles and in the event that they leave office, they are offered the vehicle at give away prices as part of their packages.
The Zimbabwean understands the ministers are set to buy their used Mercedes Benz E230 at Z$5 million, which has been evaluated as the book value equivalent at an exchange rate of Z$250 to US$1.
In March, the country’s 27 judges were each given brand new 4×4 twin-cabs and laptops by President Mugabe. David Mangota, the Secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, confirmed this and said the trucks had enhanced the capacity of the judiciary as well as improve their working conditions.
While the rest of ministers would be getting replacement vehicles, the new deputy minister of Water Resources and Infrastructure Development Walter Mzembi together with Tracey Mutinhiri who was recently co-opted into cabinet as deputy minister of Indigenisation and Empowerment as well as Senator Aguy Georgias, deputy minister of Economic Development will be getting their first official vehicles.
The Zimbabwean heard that the purchase was not put to tender although government was said to be paying much less than other motorists looking to buy similar new cars because the suppliers have indicated that they offer big discounts for fleet buyers.
The listed price for the C350 is US$40,400 and the vehicle has been described as “fuel-guzzling although very comfortable.”