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Zimbabwe defence minister in threat to Finance chief
[Daily Nation (Kenya)] Zim-bob-wean army generals have threatened unspecified action against Finance Minister Tendai Biti for refusing to release funds for the recruitment of an additional 5,000 soldiers.Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Wednesday said Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa told Mr Biti he would let the generals loose on him if Treasury does not release $2.5 million for the recruitment exercise and other operational expenses. But the MDC said the recruitment of additional soldiers was not necessary as the government was struggling to pay those already in service. Mr Mnangagwa is a member of President Bob MuggsyMugabe's Octogenarian President-for-Life of Zim-bob-we who turned the former Breadbasket of Africa into the African Basket Case... Zanu PF while Mr Biti is the MDC secretary general. "The statement by the Defence minister is in bad taste as it comes barely two weeks after the murder (by Zanu PF supporters) of Cephas Magura, MDC the MDC Mudzi North chairman," the party said in a statement. "The country has already started recording an increase in cases of politically-motivated violence and we must rely on the likes of (Mr) Mnangagwa, as a senior government official to denounce unruly behaviour. "The Defence minister must know that there are other means of solving challenges other than by threats and intimidation." Four years ago, the inclusive government froze the recruitment of civil servants citing a severe cash squeeze. Posted by: Fred 2012-06-14 |
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