HARARE - President Robert Mugabe has pampered his unilaterally appointed Provincial Governors with top-of-the-range vehicles. In return they are expected to ensure the masses vote for him at the next election.The source of the money used to buy the vehicles remains unknown, but highly placed officials indicate the funds are part of proceeds from illegal Marange-Chiadzwa diamond sales.
While other party fatcats were given all terrain Prado vehicles similar to the official cars used by government ministers, it is Midlands Governor Jaison Machaya who has the widest smile.
He was given the latest make of Land Rover, Discovery 4, whose market value is pegged at 36 785 Sterling.
The vehicle yet to have a registration number, white in colour and seen by this reporter, is believed to have been imported from China.
Chinas Mainland has 88 suppliers of the vehicle while Hong Kong has 12, making the country the biggest supplier in the world ahead of the United States and Turkey which have 12 and eight respectively.
In Africa, only South Africa has registered suppliers of the vehicle.
The vehicle, which accommodates seven adults, has an automatic climate control feature, a four-corner air suspension facility, 360km speedometer and a nine-speaker audio system among other flashy components.
A top official at Zanu (PF) headquarters in Harare said Machaya, who is also the Midlands party chairman, was being rewarded for making his province acquire more parliamentary seats and votes for Mugabe in 2008 than other provinces.
MDC-T spokesman Nelson Chamisa expressed shock at the development considering that the Governors positions are an outstanding matter in the Global Political Agreement (GPA).
Post published in: News