ZIMBABWE: Police buy $1b riot gear
By Basildon Peta, Special Projects Editor, Financial Gazette, Zimbabwe
3/8/2001
The Ministry of Home Affairs this week sought authority from Treasury to make a down payment of $105 million to an Israeli company recently contracted to supply nearly $1 billion worth of special vehicles and water cannons that can be used in riots by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) ahead of crunch presidential elections next year.
HARARE - Official documents show that acting Home Affairs permanent secretary Mike Matshiya last Thursday wrote to Ellie Antebi of Israel’s arms manufacturer Beit Alfa Trailer Company (BAT) assuring the firm that Treasury had agreed to give high priority to mobilising foreign currency for the purchase of the equipment.
The equipment being bought is part of a wider government strategy to ensure that the ZRP is adequately equipped to deal with any possible riots ahead of a crucial election which President Robert Mugabe is seen losing.
Matshiya said in his correspondence to Antebi that the $105 million represented a 12.5 percent down payment of the total contract price of about $840 million.
The money would be used to buy at least 30 specially-made vehicles that are equipped with riot equipment similar to that widely used by Israeli security forces in quelling running battles with Palestinian protesters, as well as water cannons.