Fire Engine Fiasco: Lithuania Seizes Zimbabwe’s Trucks Amid Sanctions

By Enia Dube

Zimbabwe’s efforts to upgrade its fire-fighting capabilities have hit a snag. Lithuania has confiscated 17 fire engines intended for Zimbabwe due to sanctions imposed on Belarus, the manufacturer. The Lithuanian prosecutor-general, Nida Grunskienė, confirmed that the decision was made due to the ongoing sanctions.

On his twitter handle, Zimbabwean government spokesperson, Nick Mangwana quoted the statement,” We have a decision by the prosecutor in which we are informing the Zimbabwean AG that these 17 fire engines have been confiscated because the companies that manufactured these vehicles is subject to sanctions and Zimbabwe itself is also subject to sanctions”, by Lithuania. 

The Zimbabwean government is working to retrieve the seized fire engines, with Attorney General Virginia Mabhiza leading the efforts. The country’s prosecutor’s office has been informed of the situation, and negotiations are underway to resolve the issue.

This incident highlights the challenges faced by Zimbabwe due to international sanctions. The country’s economic struggles and infrastructure deficiencies make it essential to find alternative solutions to upgrade its emergency services.