HARARE – A $2 million supercar delivered to Harare is owned by the politically-connected business tycoon, Frank Buyanga, it has been reported.
The 2009 Bugatti Veyron Fbg Hermes edition, described on the French carmaker’s website as “highly exclusive”, landed at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on September 28.
It was the second Bugatti to land in Zimbabwe in two months, and internet opinion was that it was in Harare only for registration before being shipped to South Africa, which does not register left hand drive vehicles.
The other Bugatti to arrive in Harare in August was finally delivered to Johannesburg, with its owner named as Zunaid Moti, a controversial businessman with links to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Moti is currently in a German jail awaiting extradition to Russia on fraud charges.
Harare tabloid, H-Metro reported that it had established that Buyanga – also linked with Mnangagwa – was behind the latest Bugatti delivery, and the car would be staying in Zimbabwe.
British-born Buyanga, who once claimed a $20 million loan from the controversial British tycoon Nicholas van Hoogstraten got him started in the property business, lives in Johannesburg, South Africa.
He is believed to have made his millions from loan-sharking, property investments and a gold medallion business.
Opinion on his latest acquisition has been split.
“Bugatti Veyron belongs to Frank Buyanga? Wow, thanks man for affording us Zimbabweans a chance to see the second Bugatti Veyron in southern Africa,” said @MicahShapeta on Twitter.
“This guy could not have been more inappropriately named,” said @bhekokwami2, referring to the surname ‘Buyanga’ which when read in Ndebele means poverty.
Said @masiemsoko on Twitter: “No-one should be owning a Bugatti in Zimbabwe and driving on the streets like this. We should have a law on it, it’s illegal.”
Some pointed out the futility of buying a 1,000-horsepower supercar which can reach top speeds of 407km/h in a country like Zimbabwe whose roads are littered with potholes and uneven surfacing.
“I don’t envy him. It’s like buying a PlayStation without a TV, he better build a 200km stretch road for himself,” said @docczviko.
“A diamond in sewage tank. That’s a billionaire’s toy. Kudos to him. $200k annual maintenance bill,” summarised @FredBDiamond.
As if to illustrate the difference in personal struggles, @teamdandified said: “I’m glad someone in Zimbabwe has a Bugatti, much respect. Wish I could see (the pictures) but out of Econet data bundles.”
H-Metro reports that Buyanga intends to keep the supercar, which was accompanied by a Bugatti representative to Harare, as a “collector’s item”. He has no plans to take it to Johannesburg – just yet.
The car was seen being driven in Harare spotting the personalised registration mark ‘F’, no doubt the initial of Buyanga’s first name.
