The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), the country’s monopoly broadcaster, received 17 vehicles. Zimpapers, publishers of the country’s only two state-run daily newspapers – the Herald and the Chronicle – also received several vehicles whose number could not be ascertained.

Three brand new Toyota single cab trucks were dispatched to Zimpapers' Chronicle and Sunday News offices in Bulawayo for "immediate use", sources at the paper confirmed. The cars are to be used for carrying reporters around the provinces for rallies during the day, and carrying newspapers to districts at night.

At the ZBC, officials confirmed that 17 vehicles arrived last week.

"They include the latest Isuzu and Nissan Wolf double-cabs, plus all-terrain single cabs. Some members of the management team have already snatched the twin cabs, while the single cabs have been distributed to provinces and stations in Gweru and Bulawayo," said a ZBC source.

According to the source, there is controversy at ZBC's Pocket Hill headquarters after presidential reporters Judith Makwanya and Reuben Barwe "grabbed" a double-cab each, saying they were entitled to the cars in view of their portfolio.

However, other workers feel the two are not in management positions, but use their association with President Robert Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba to "bully" their bosses at work.

Makwanya and Barwe enjoy lavish lifestyles from benefits associated with accompanying Mugabe on his numerous foreign trips.

The RBZ is said to have been asked to give the vehicles to the state media edifice which is decaying due to undercapitalisation, government interference and corruption.

The bank bought the vehicles last year for use during the abortive ‘Sunrise Two’ currency change-over. The plan was aborted after the government deferred the project in view of the free-fall of the local currency.

"The cars were lying idle for months and on 24-hr guard by police details. It was then decided that ZBC, Zimpapers, and other arms considered essential to President Mugabe’s re-election effort get the vehicles. It is not clear what the arrangement is but we have been told that the cars were donated," said one official at the ZBC who cannot be named because he had no clearance to give media interviews.

The RBZ made a similar gesture during the first phase of the currency change-over programme when it "donated" more than 200 vehicles to government departments.

However, parastatals and listed firms such as the ZBC and Zimpapers were excluded.