The Zimbabwe government seems to be on a major infrastructure investment drive since its change of leadership last month, with Minister of Transport, Dr Joram Gumbo, reportedly in talks to buy new planes for its national carrier, Air Zimbabwe.
State-owned newspaper The Herald quoted Gumbo as saying that the government’s civil aviation authority was negotiating the acquisition of 15 new planes from Malaysia under a lease agreement.
Reportedly, the deal would be between government and a private sector partner.
This follows news last week that the government had signed a loan agreement to the tune of US$153 million for the revamp of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare.
Minister of Finance, Patrick Chinamasa, said the revamp was needed to attract investors and tourists. “This (airport) project and the budget we are presenting today will show we are serious about reshaping our economy,” he said.
According to the deputy director for the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), Sam Tarinda, the “positive sentiment over the new dispensation” was expected to attract further investment which would stimulate demand in the country.
