Councillor buys car for seven dollars

finance committee, is said to have bought the vehicle, a Mazda B2200 runner, which was part of the council’s finance department fleet with the blessings of the finance director, Mr Edgar Mwedzi.
Chronicle is in possession of the letter of agreement of sale dated 8 February 2011.
The letter showed that Clr Chineni was offered the truck, council fleet number TC5 with registration numbers, 561-511M.
“Following the advertisement which appeared in the Saturday Chronicle of 5 February 2011, I am glad to offer you the Mazda B2200, Fleet TC5, Reg Number 561-511M at the council approved selling price of $7,” reads part of the letter to Clr Chineni.
The agreement of sale was signed by the director of finance, Mr Mwedzi.
Sources who spoke to Chronicle said Clr Chineni was not the only councillor to benefit from buying the council’s fleet of vehicles for a song.
“There is a lot of rot at the town house, most of the councillors are now driving after they influenced council to sell them council vehicles, some for as little as $ 7,” said the source.
Gweru Residents and Rate Payers Association chairman Mr Cornelius Selipiwe denounced acts of corruption in the Gweru City Council.
He said they had since petitioned Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo over the matter.
“Corruption at our city house has gone unabated for long and as residents, we have petitioned the Local Government Minister with a view that he would appoint a commission to investigate this growing corruption at the town house,” he said.
Mr Selipiwe said they were shocked to learn that the city fathers who were supposed to safeguard ratepayers’ interests were now taking a leading role in abusing council resources.
“The rampant abuse of ratepayers’ money at the Gweru City Council has now gone out of hand and should be condemned in the strongest terms. We will soon convene a meeting as residents and stage a demo denouncing the rampant corruption among our city fathers,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Gweru Mayor Clr Tedious Chimombe refuted that there was rampant corruption in the council.
Clr Chimombe said the vehicle, which Clr Chineni is now using, was sold to him for $700 and not $7 as alleged.
“I guess there was a typing error on the agreement of sale but the fact is Clr Chineni bought that truck for $700 and not $7,” he said.
Clr Chineni’s could not be reached for a comment, as his mobile phone was not reachable.