US$150 000 a week

The government will in the next few weeks doll out more than Z$500 billion for the purchase of luxurious 4x4 twin cab vehicles for Members of Parliament and Senators at a time when most Zimbabweans are wallowing in abject poverty.

Over 80% of Zimbabweans are poor and cannot afford even one single proper meal every day. Despite this glaring poverty, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has already released about US$350 000 (about Z$36,4 billion) for the purchase of top-of-the range Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota vehicles for the legislators. A total of 191 MPs and Senators are eligible under the Member of Parliament Vehicle Revolving Fund (MPVRF). Impeccable sources said the central bank has pledged to release about US$150 000 (about Z$15, 6 billion) every week for the purchase of the vehicles.