The government has defended the plan to spend funds in buying vehicles for traditional chiefs saying it is fulfilling a promise made a few years ago.
Responding to questions raised at a recent business meeting in the capital over the purchase of cars for traditional chiefs in light of tight fiscal measures unveiled in the 2018 national budget, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Cde Patrick Chinamasa said it is important for the new government to honour promises made a couple of years.
Some members of the business community had also raised concerns over the purchase of the cars saying Treasury should have considered other critical areas of the economy like health and education.
“The issue of cars for traditional chiefs is also in line with the new government’s initiative to ensure it can have a concerted stakeholder input on the implementation of key socio- economic developmental policies,” said Minister Chinamasa.
Finance and Economic Development Minister noted that agriculture and mining are expected to accelerate positive growth rates for Zimbabwe of at least eight percent in the next ten years.