Soldiers stealing army fuel to sell on the black market

By Violet Gonda

27 September 2005

Everyone in Zimbabwe with access to resources is benefiting from the current economic crisis. One of the most lucrative resources right now is fuel. And since the ruling party controls most resources, ZANU PF and army officials are taking advantage of the scarcity and making loads of money while the country continues to deteriorate.

Allegations have surfaced that some army bosses are stealing large quantities of state fuel and selling it on the black market. According to investigations by Simon Muchemwa, our Harare correspondent, a Brigadier based in Harare was paid millions of dollars last week after selling thousands of litres of fuel to a bus company whose name could not be revealed. The name of the army boss was also withheld by the buyers for fear of victimisation.

It is suggested that the Zimbabwean government is broke and unable to secure any fuel deals, with the latest blow being a collapsed deal in South Africa. This has kept the Zimbabwean Petroleum industry dry for the second month in a row.

News of the sale of fuel on the black market by soldiers is not surprising as they too are reeling from the effects of the economic crisis. Muchemwa said morale in the entire civil service, particularly the Army and Air force, is low over much needed pay increases.

Last week an army chief revealed at a meeting at 1 Commando barracks in Harare that the government was not prepared to award the soldiers any pay hike this year. Their desperate situation has resulted in the corrupt practices now common among those with access to fuel and other scarce resources.