Zim defends right to buy arms

2008-04-21 22:54

Harare - Zimbabwean authorities on Monday said the cash-strapped government has a right to buy arms from any legal source as long as they are needed to defend the country.

"It's our sovereign right to defend ourselves, it's our sovereign right to buy weapons from any legitimate source worldwide and we don't need clearance from anyone," Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said.

A Chinese ship, An Yue Jiang, laden with Zimbabwean-bound weapons last week failed to unload at a South African port after a court barred its cargo from being transported overland to the land-locked crisis-torn country.

The vessel, which anchored off the South African port of Durban, sailed off to an unknown destination on Friday.

Three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1 500 rocket-propelled grenades and more than 3 000 mortar rounds and mortar tubes are among the cargo on the Chinese ship, according to copies of the inventory published by a South African newspaper.

Chinamasa said the Zimbabwe government has always purchased weapons in previous years, even from the colonial ruler Britain, so "I don't understand what the hullabaloo is all about".

"As long as the need arises, we will buy," he said in response to a question at a news conference.

- AFP