Chinamasa has money for ex-Rhodesian pensioners

Zimbabwe may be cash strapped but it has money for ex-Rhodesian government pensioners who retired after independence but is unable to pay them because of logistical problems.

A senior minister in the British government Baroness Warsi told the House of Lords on Tuesday that the British government had been assured as recently as 11 November that the government had money to pay the pensioners.

Baroness Warsi had been asked by Lord Goodlad what progress had been made on the pensions.

“We remain concerned by the difficulties that many British nationals resident in the UK have faced as a consequence of the non-payment of Zimbabwe public service pensions,” she responded.

“Our Embassy in Harare has regularly pressed the government to resume payments to those living outside Zimbabwe, most recently during their meeting with the Government of Zimbabwe on 11 November 2013.

“The Government of Zimbabwe have confirmed that they have the financial resources, but have been unable to pay the pensions due to logistical problems. We understand they are now close to finding a solution”.

The money for pensions apparently had been sitting in the government coffers for some time.

Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti told the British government earlier this year that the government had the money for the pensions but did not have money for the national elections that were due in July.

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