ZIMBABWE’S multi-million dollar new international airport, whose construction has been mired in controversy, has been officially inaugurated by President Robert Mugabe. The airport cost some US$81m to build and was constructed by a consortium of a local and international firms. The awarding of the tender to build the new airport was clouded in controversy over charges of favouritism and shady deals. One company?s local agent was Leo Mugabe, Mugabe’s nephew. The airport is designed to handle some two million passengers per year, and to accomodate 1_000 passengers per hour. – AFP
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