$140 Million Scandal Emerges With Zimbabwe’s New 777s

$140 Million Scandal Emerges With Zimbabwe’s New 777s

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A couple of days ago I wrote about how Zimbabwe took delivery of a Boeing 777 this week, which used to fly for Malaysia Airlines.

Zimbabwe’s government owned airline is 300 million USD in debt, so Zimbabwe is doing what any rational government would do, and is acquiring four 777s that they’ll be leasing to a start-up airline in their country. Bye bye Air Zimbabwe, hello Zimbabwe Airways! What could possibly go wrong?

The government allegedly spent $41 million on the first two Boeing 777s, and they’ll get their next 777s once they can afford to pay for them (they wanted these planes last year, but couldn’t afford to pay for them at the time). I’ve certainly not been the only one scratching my head about this situation, wondering what exactly the motive was for this.

You guys aren’t going to believe this, but… a scandal is emerging regarding these 777s!

Let’s remember that former president Robert Mugabe and his family had absolutely nothing to do with these new planes. Absolutely nothing. They said so themselves.

It’s a complete coincidence that Mugabe’s son-in-law was one of the captains of the plane, and that his daughter met him when the plane arrived.

I’m sure it’s also a coincidence that the plane’s registration code is Z-RGM (the “RGM” most definitely doesn’t stand for “Robert Gabriel Mugabe).

As it turns out, Zimbabwe may have slightly overpaid for these planes, or perhaps more accurately, some money just disappeared while they purchased the planes. News24 reports that in this deal, 140 million USD “couldn’t be accounted for,” which is prompting a probe by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Per the story:

“All in all, a total of $140 million cannot be accounted for as we speak, and that is why Mnangagwa had to order Gumbo to bring home the planes which were brought secretly using public funds,” the source said.

The source told the paper that Mnangagwa believed the airline deal was part of “a grand scheme to steal public funds” by people who had the backing of former president Robert Mugabe while he was still in power.

I don’t think it’ll take Scooby Doo to solve this mystery…

(Tip of the hat to AlexD, featured image courtesy of @harumutasa)

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  1. Tullio Guest

    Not even worth the time writing about it ! Same old story ! We have nothing in common with them !

  2. Peter Devlin Guest

    Lets be clear and honest here. It's not like Malaysia is the Bastian of ethics either. Suggest we look up 1MDB TO see how alike these 2 countries are. In fact, it's well known that RGM was a regular visitor to Malaysia along with his wife.

  3. CraigTPA Guest

    @mike murphy - the Zimbabwean dollar no longer circulates or is traded internationally, although there is a small market in the banknotes among collectors.

    The government officially uses the US dollar, although the South African rand is also common in daily commerce. Many companies also accept varying combinations of Botwana pula, the euro, the Chinese yuan renminbi, Indian rupees, British pounds, or Australian dollars. Zimbabwe has issued "bond coins" and "bond notes" that are supposed...

    @mike murphy - the Zimbabwean dollar no longer circulates or is traded internationally, although there is a small market in the banknotes among collectors.

    The government officially uses the US dollar, although the South African rand is also common in daily commerce. Many companies also accept varying combinations of Botwana pula, the euro, the Chinese yuan renminbi, Indian rupees, British pounds, or Australian dollars. Zimbabwe has issued "bond coins" and "bond notes" that are supposed to trade at par with USD due to a lack of US coins and bills.

    It's really sad what has happened to Zimbabwe, and to Air Zimbabwe, who for years managed to operate safely amidst all the turmoil.

  4. relidtm Member

    Can't say in surprised.. love the use of bit emoji

  5. CaveDweller Guest

    I remember in the 70's they use to export food now just trouble .

  6. ChampagneSocialist Guest

    No scandal is gonna stop Lucky from trying its First Class ;)

  7. William Y. Guest

    Now remember that South Africa is trying to out-Zimbabwe Zimbabwe. Genocide in full swing there (horrible pics, don't google it).

    Is there anything Africa gets right?

  8. mike murphy Guest

    Paul
    considering the low value of their currency, it would take an ocean cargo ship to haul some of it.

  9. Paul Gold

    It makes sense now. Guys, they *had* to buy the 777s as it's just big enough to fit all the public money they stole and ferry it to an undisclosed location. See, no other aircraft than the 777 can do this job. Afterwards, they will even lease it out to offset the expense. How thoughtful.
    /s

  10. mike murphy Guest

    the country exists on corruption

  11. Miguel Guest

    Benjamin,

    Buddy, pal, what are you doing? You ain’t Nancy Drew. Stay out of political intreague and keep schlepping cheap airline tickets!

  12. Red Guest

    Zimbabwe is already a third world country and Mugabe ate a lot of their money....
    Then there’s corruption....
    Then the wanna buy freaking 777s....
    Then outta nowhere, they lose their money....
    Alrighty then!!

  13. CR Member

    Scandal in Zimbabwe with millions of dollars missing?!

    Color me shocked...

  14. Debit Guest

    @tom
    You will need to be a white evangelical with Jesus all over in your life to understand what I just said.

    Or a normal American with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

  15. Adam Guest

    It’s great that you find this amusing.

  16. Ben Holz Gold

    Wow! This came outta nowhere :0

  17. Tom Guest

    @Debit
    "All in the respective family"
    "Corruption doesn’t matter…"
    "even god needed to molest women for entertainment and stress relief"

    WHAT on earth are you talking about???
    Whatever you're on at 8:48am, I want some…

  18. Myles Guest

    Sincerly, I do not care whatever airline or company will be starting in Simbabwe..If they know the root of the problem..than solve it..if you do not want to..than live with it..
    Emphathy and Symphathy has to be earned..and this report does not give me anything at the moment..so Lucky will be trying an airline which is probably financed by corruption?..It is his call..if he wants to spend his money and time to it..so let him be..

  19. Debit Guest

    RGM or DJT doesn't matter. It's all the same. All in the respective family. Corruption doesn't matter if the man is defending the country or keeping the christian values alive.

    DJT is doing god' s work and even god needed to molest women for entertainment and stress relief.

    Fake news makes up a mountain from a molehill. Move along now.

  20. Simon Frost New Member

    You don’t say...!

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Tullio Guest

Not even worth the time writing about it ! Same old story ! We have nothing in common with them !

0
Peter Devlin Guest

Lets be clear and honest here. It's not like Malaysia is the Bastian of ethics either. Suggest we look up 1MDB TO see how alike these 2 countries are. In fact, it's well known that RGM was a regular visitor to Malaysia along with his wife.

0
CraigTPA Guest

@mike murphy - the Zimbabwean dollar no longer circulates or is traded internationally, although there is a small market in the banknotes among collectors. The government officially uses the US dollar, although the South African rand is also common in daily commerce. Many companies also accept varying combinations of Botwana pula, the euro, the Chinese yuan renminbi, Indian rupees, British pounds, or Australian dollars. Zimbabwe has issued "bond coins" and "bond notes" that are supposed to trade at par with USD due to a lack of US coins and bills. It's really sad what has happened to Zimbabwe, and to Air Zimbabwe, who for years managed to operate safely amidst all the turmoil.

0
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