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Municipal Reporter
Harare City Council is set to acquire a mayoral vehicle for Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni, two years after he turned down a $200 000 Mercedes-Benz S350.
Clr Manyenyeni then argued that he could do with a car that costs less than $100 000, but it is reported that council wants to proceed to buy a car which befits his office.
He was also said to be eyeing a Land Rover Discovery 4 which was being used by ousted town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi.
“The issue of the mayoral vehicle had been going for nearly two years, but at no point will it be a priority,” said Clr Manyenyeni.
“We check for progress every couple of months though. I can confidently serve the balance of my term using my own personal car quite easily.”
Clr Manyenyeni uses a Mercedes ML, which was bought for his predecessor, Mr Muchadeyi Masunda, at a cost of $130 000, but is now in bad shape and in need of constant repairs.
Clr Manyenyeni is not the only mayor who refused a vehicle as in 2013 Kwekwe mayor Mr Matenda Madzoke made headlines when he forced the local authority to recover $30 000 which had been deposited with a car dealer for the purchase of a mayoral vehicle.
He instead directed council to use the money to buy a tractor to use in refuse collection.
Mr Madzoke is in the habit of riding a bicycle to work, insisting council revenue should be used for more pressing issues like service delivery and road maintenance.
Kwekwe council has since moved to buy a $60 000 Jeep Cherokee for Mr Madzoke.
Online Reporter