Grace Mugabe abuses $98 million facility

First Lady Grace Mugabe and other senior Zanu-PF officials are abusing a publicly underwritten $98 million agricultural equipment loan facility for political gain, by making partisan donations at Zanu-PF rallies, senior government officials have said.

The facility was extended by Brasilia under the Zimbabwe-Brazil More Food for Africa Programme.

Brazil supplied Zimbabwe with 320 tractors, 450 disc harrows, 310 planters, 100 fertiliser spreaders and 6650 knapsack sprayers valued at $38.6 million under the first phase of the $98 million facility commissioned by President Robert Mugabe.

Government insiders said the equipment should have been distributed through proper government channels in a transparent manner so that it benefits the entire nation, and not only Zanu-PF members only.