Back to Index

Purchase of arms signals increased state repression
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
September 12, 2012

The MDC is highly alarmed and slams the pointless purchase of arms of war by the Ministry of Defence between April and July this year.

The purchased equipment that costed the country millions of dollars are; armored vehicles, combat vehicles, military radios and teargas. The MDC suspects that the arms were purchased from diamond revenue being illegally diverted from Marange fields. The money should have been channeled through Treasury to help improve civil servants salaries as well as buying essential drugs and improving the country's infrastructure.

It is ironic that the Ministry of Defence takes delivery of the arms at a time when Hon. Tendai Biti, the Finance Minister is currently visiting Australia and Angola with a begging bowl to access salaries for civil servants.

It is of great concern that public funds are being used to fund a Zanu PF war chest instead of improving the people's welfare.

Zanu PF and the Ministry of Defence have decided to be anti-people through the purchasing arms to repress Zimbabweans as the country prepares for a watershed election.

Only this morning, city workers, shoppers and school children had to scurry for cover in central Harare as rowdy soldiers and police went on a rampage and indiscriminately assaulted people. It is important to note that the military overtly took over and became the arbiter of Zimbabwe's fate after Zanu PF and its leader were defeated in the 2008 March elections by the MDC.

In an attempt by the military to reverse Mugabe's defeat by President Tsvangirai in the 2008 presidential run-off, the military effectively overthrew the electoral process and unleashed violence. The military emerged has become an appendage of Zanu PF's militia and terror gang.

The MDC calls on the Ministry of Defence to justify the need for such arms as well as the source of funding at a time when Zimbabwe is struggling with revenue collection.

The people of Zimbabwe need food, jobs, peace and security other than military weapons.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP