Gweru MDC-T councillors at each other’s throats

conducted by the local authority late last year with some alleging the sale benefited those close to Mayor Tedius Chimombe instead of the public.
The sidelined councillors are now demanding the same favour from the administration, saying the vehicles their colleagues bought have no defects and were sold for a song.
Gweru City Council auctioned “disused” vehicles, which were supposed to be for the members of the public. However, most of the cars were allegedly sold to councillors and council officials at discounted prices.
This was, however, in contravention of local authority procedures.
Mayor Chimombe dismissed the allegations recently, saying council wanted to raise capital to buy new vehicles.
He denied reports that they had discounted the vehicles to council officials.
“What we needed was money. So council officials could have bought them because I don’t know names of people who participated.
“We purchased tractors with that money.
“To us, most of these vehicles had defects not what they claim and we had to dispose them off.
“As for the price, we are not the ones who put the prices so its not our fault but what I can tell you is that the lowest cars were going for as much as US$700 and as council, we benefited from the auction,” he said.
However, a Mkoba councillor who chose to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation, said the vehicles were not cannibalised as purported by Clr Chimombe.
“Not all had defects as they say and the reason why we say so is because those who bought the cars are our colleagues.
“How can a car, which had been advertised for thousands of dollars be auctioned for US$400?
“We also want the same favour because we are all serving under one council and we should benefit also,” he said.
A councillor from Ascot added: “They claimed that the vehicles were dysfunctional but we are surprised with what we are seeing.
“There is corruption and gross incompetence in this council.
“If you go to their homes in Mutapa and Mkoba, you will understand what I am saying.”
According to the councillors, the management also auctioned the only two compressors council had.
The councilors who allegedly bought the cars at discounted prices are; Clr Dzingiso (Mkoba 13, who bought a lorry), Clr Chinene (Mkoba 16 (a pick-up truck), Clr Murerwa who (two tractors and a Mazda 323), director of housing a Maresera (lorry), and Superintendent Kabaya (lorry).
This is not the first time MDC-T councilors have been accused of underhand dealings and gross incompetence.
Clr Chimombe and two councilors Lawrence Rutsvara and Taurai Demo were recently fingered in a land scam.
The two allegedly bought commercial stands meant for the general public at below market prices.
Clr Chimombe allegedly bought a stand in Gweru CBD for US$16 400 while clrs Rutsvara and Demo bought stands in Mkoba and the CBD for US$27 000 each.
It is alleged the stand the mayor bought had a market value of US$35 000 while the other two are pegged at US$60 000 each.