Mugabe's travel expenses shock Zimbabwe

A Zimbabwean newspaper has claimed President Robert Mugabe has spent $20 million on luxurious travel for himself and his huge entourage in the first half of 2011.

The Daily News says it obtained government expenditure figures revealing a gross overspend on the tyrant’s annual $15m travel budget.

Mugabe often travels with more than 70 people each time he leaves office in Zimbabwe and the newspaper states that he has already visited the Middle East on five occasions this year.

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The news has sparked anger from the public, the majority of which live in poverty as the country faces a $700 million budget deficit.

It also printed figures for the 87-year-old’s coalition government partner Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who along with his deputies has spent close to $3.3m, almost three quarters of their annual budget of $5m.

The independent newspaper said the Prime Minister’s office had spent $450,000 in January, $580,000 in February, $730,000 in March, $450,000 in April, $270,000 in May and $790,000 in June.