ZANU PF Member of Parliament for Hurungwe West, Temba Mliswa, recently received a standing ovation from legislators, when he said government should not buy Western-made vehicles such as the Ford Rangers that it intends to buy.
He said the country was suffering from economic sanctions imposed by Western countries, but was doing business with some of these nations at the expense of the local industry.
Contributing to debate on the presidential speech, Mliswa said government was empowering Western countries indirectly by doing business with them through importing vehicles from countries such as Germany, ignoring local motor industries such as the Willowale Mazda Motor Industries which is stuttering.
“With or without sanctions we must be supporting our industries, and not spend money doing business with them (the West). Why should we buy tractors and vehicles like Ford vehicles from these European countries that have imposed sanctions on us?” Mliswa asked to rapturous applause from MDC lawmakers.
The government is said to be in the process of buying 100 twin-cab Ford Ranger vehicles at an estimated cost of $6 million.Advertisement