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Blessings Chidakwa
Herald Reporter
Mabvuku Ward 21 Councillor Alexio Nyakudya (CCC) corruptly took over a council bar in his ward and subdivided it into 30 compartments before leasing them for as much as US$900 monthly, the Commission of Inquiry into the governance of the Harare City Council has heard.
The Commission, led by Retired High Court Judge Justice Maphios Cheda, heard that other tenants were paying between US$100 to US$300 monthly to the councillor.
Calculations show that the councillor pocketed almost US$50 000 from one tenant over the last four years in rent that could have been channelled to the cash-strapped local authority.
Our publication has already exposed that Harare City Council spent 13 years without collecting a single cent from its 130 beer halls all over the city, with three having been corruptly sold, among them Hunter Bar in Mabvuku which was grabbed by Councillor Nyakudya.
One of the tenants, Ms Brenda Saurenda confirmed paying rentals directly to the councillor without being given receipts.
“I was paying rent to one Alexio Nyakudya. He is the current councillor for Ward 21 in Mabvuku,” she said.
“When we started to rent there, we were informed that he was the one in charge of the premises.
“I was paying US$300 monthly. We were not issued with receipts. I had my suspicions but I was afraid that if I asked about it, I would be asked to move out.”
The main tenant using the bar, Mr Dominic Kufandirori said he paid Councillor Nyakudya US$1 600, including deposit, to be given space to operate from.
Councillor Nyakudya conceded that how he acquired the property was unprocedural.
“I did not write much in the letter other than to say I want this place,” he said.
Online Reporter