Posted on 04/27/2006 5:43:24 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
President Robert Mugabe has ploughed an estimated US$500m into the purchase of 10 new fighter jets and military vehicles from Russia, Zimdaily can reveal. The government's acquisition of the military hardware has been blasted by the opposition MDC which charges that the purchase of military equipment had by-passed the State Procurement Board. The MDC has already queried the defence budget - the biggest in the current financial year - which it says is unjustifiable for a country that is not at war.
Due to sanctions imposed on President Robert Mugabe's regime, Zimbabwe's current fleet of European-made fighter jets has been crippled by a critical shortage of spares which has forced the government to look to the Far East.
Although the government has refused to disclose the type of aircraft being bought in the secret deal covered by the 1989 legal provision which excludes the acquisition of key military equipment from going through a tender board or to be advertised, sources tell Zimdaily that the aircraft include five Il-96s, including three -400T freighters and two -400M passenger aircraft.
Zimdaily heard that central bank chief Gideon Gono and transport minister Christopher Mushohwe cobbled the deal. Zimdaily understands that the two technocrats signed an initial agreement with their Russian counterparts in Moscow in April. Zimdaily was told that deliveries will start in 2008 from the Voronezh VASO plant via lessor Ilyushin-Finance. The firm contract is to be signed by July. Apart from the 10 aircraft, Zimbabwe has also put an order for 100 military vehicles.
It is not clear where the funding for the new aircraft is coming from as in the current budget, announced by government in November last year, the army was allocated $6 trillion with 69 percent expected to be chewed by salaries and the rest going to operations. MDC Shadow Defence minister Giles Mutsekwa queried the manner in which the purchase of military equipment had by-passed the State Procurement Board, a move he said might result in the army buying equipment which may be expensive, but having a short life span.
However Defence ministry permanent secretary Trust Maphosa told Zimdaily that the decision to buy the military hardware from Russia was a political decision after the force had encountered problems in procuring spare parts for equipment bought in Western Europe as a result of European Union sanctions imposed against President Mugabe's regime. Zimbabwe has one of the most formidable defence forces in Africa, whose highlight after the country’s independence include assisting the Mozambican government subdue the former rebel Renamo in the 1980s and repelling invasion forces who were threatening to overrun the DRC capital, Kinshasa in 1998.
The Air Force of Zimbabwe has two bases in Manyame (near Harare) and Thornhill (Gweru) with personnel estimated at about 5 000. Currently, the Air Force has the Chengdu F-7 fighter jet, British-made Hawker Hunters and recently demonstrated newly-acquired Russian-made MiG-23 jets and Mi-35 helicopter gunships, armed for attacking targets on the ground, especially with automatic gunfire, but often also with rockets and/or missiles.
6 trillion dollars would be more than the Pentagon's budget, or even more than the Yankees' payroll. They must be talking about Zimbabwean currency. As of last September the exchange rate was 24,505 Zimbabwean dollars to $1 U.S., but I suspect there has been considerable inflation since then. At last September's exchange rate it would work out to about $20 million per plane.
Heh, Nuc. You have to realize that these are probably Zimbabwean dollars. Apparently 42,450,000.00 Zimbabwean dollars can purchase a medium-sized kidney bean. You'd hate to see the bill for a whole bowl of chili, apparently.
Oh me oh my you really made me laugh with that one. Thanks!
No problem!
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