Posted on 05/23/2007 10:42:06 AM PDT by dead
ZIMBABWEAN soldiers could starve if the government does not intervene with a financial rescue plan before the end of June, MPs were told on Tuesday.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Trust Maphosa told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs that they were allocated Zim$32 billion to spend on rations for the whole year, but it has been exhausted.
The committee which is chaired by Zanu PF Bikita West MP Claudious Makova, a former soldier, had called for the hearing to get information on the army’s first quarter budget performance.
Maphosa revealed he was scheduled to hold crisis meetings with Ministry of Finance officials late Tuesday to secure more funding for the defence forces.
“For rations, we were allocated $32 billion and so far we have used 92 percent of that," Maphosa said. "What that means is that we have been left with just eight percent to take us for the rest of the year.
"In reality, we do not have anything because that money (remaining 8 percent) will go towards transport costs."
Maphosa told the MPs that all along they have been moving money from other areas to boost the food budget.
He said the army had no other source to raise the funds except through treasury, which is why he was seeking an emergency meeting with finance ministry officials.
Currently the armed forces of Zimbabwe are completely integrated and are composed of an army (ZNA) and an air force (AFZ). The ZNA currently has an active duty strength of 30,000. The air force has about 5,000 men assigned.
Thousands of soldiers have quit in recent months over poor pay, with many enlisting as security guards in neighbouring South Africa.
Zimbabwe is facing its worst economic crisis in history, with inflation projected to hit the 4000% mark by the end of the year.
Keep your military fat and happy.
You, the guys with the guns. Good time for a coup, eh?
This will be interesting.
A hungry army is a really bad thing.
They are notorious for biting the hand that stops feeding them.
Mugabe’s days are numbered.
Excellent. When the guys with guns start starving, things seem to happen. Am I being cruel? Hey, these dips elected this guy because they wanted to help themselves to the property of others. I won’t shed too many tears in any case.
I am sure there are plenty of rich leftists in the West that will send them help: A rock concert, call it THUG AID
Armies don’t starve. Ever.
I shed no tears. The army taking over would be no different than mugabe. These f——g idiots voted in mugabe and I say let them die. No sympathy, no “feed the starving zimbies” concerts, no “emegency” food aid that we will have to continue for 100 years.
Where there is a populace, there are rations.
I wonder what ever happened to the “Breadbasket of Africa”?
A military coup will get that fat old communist in the ground where he belongs.
The country can’t do worse. An up and coming general could reverse things simply by undoing the insanity of Mugabe’s “land reforms”.
Getting even 15 per cent of the farms back up and running would turn things around in about a year or two.
It will be interesting. Hardships for all, but I don’t think it can get much worse. Will a bloodbath happen? I won’t hazard a guess on it.
I should think if Mugabe goes, SA might be inclinded to help out a bit more.
What’s your take?
Like the centurions of old.
Wasn’t Mugabe mayor of Detroit at one time,,,ummm or-was it St Louis?
“I wonder what ever happened to the “Breadbasket of Africa”?”
A liberal application of black racism.
Last I heard SA wants to go down the same road as Zim, but Mugerbe's complete failures are slowing down that effort in SA.
A dictator who loves to make his people suffer.
Sure they do. They are just the last to do so, but when there is no food, there is no food. Ask Napoleon's 1812 veterans.
Zim's neighbors better look to their borders.
Woe to the tyrant that doesn’t keep his army fed or paid.
His personal bodyguards have already shot up his house. Wonder what they will shoot next.
So an enterprising and muscular savage of a Lance Corporal
in the Zimbabwe Presidential Guard, not too long out of the bush gets his companeros together, disembowel (and possibly barbecue) Mugabe and VIOLA!!!!!!
A new President for Life is born.
Quickly they are recognized by the EU, France, Russia, China, the UN and the Africans League, or whatever those assholes are calling themselves today, and Africa goes on. It's a good thing those racists bastards that used to govern Rhodesia are gone and life has improved so well for the the people of Zim.
“simply by undoing the insanity of Mugabe’s “land reforms”.
How many of the white farmers will come back?
Answer: None, if they are smart.
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