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Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
Harare Mayor Mr Bernard Manyenyeni is reportedly eyeing a top of the range vehicle which was being used by ousted town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi. Mr Manyenyeni has since written to Dr Mahachi demanding that he surrenders the water project vehicle, a Land Rover Discovery 4, which he had been using.
Mr Manyenyeni uses a Mercedes ML vehicle, 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.
Last year, Mr Manyenyeni turned down a $200 000 mayoral car, but council is said to be in the process of hunting for a new car for him.
Mr Manyenyeni said he refused the Mercedes-Benz S350 arguing that he could do with a car that costs less than $100 000.
Sources at Town House said Mr Manyenyeni now wants another car, particularly the water project vehicle which was being used by Dr Mahachi because of constant breakdowns he is experiencing with his old Mercedes.
“The mayor wants to use the Discovery which is still fairly new so that the city avoids buying him another vehicle,” said a source. “He has since written to Dr Mahachi requesting that he hands over the vehicle to the city.”
Mr Manyenyeni denied that he wanted to use the vehicle which was bought under the $144 million loan arrangement from China-Eximbank, saying it was a project vehicle.
“It is a council vehicle,” he said. “A Morton Jaffray water project vehicle. They (council) are doing something about it but it’s not an issue. Most of the time I use the double cab we borrow from Harare Water Department.”
Council recently offered Dr Mahachi a $150 000 retirement package and an option to buy his Toyota VX Land Cruiser at book value for his contribution and service to the city.
Mr Manyenyeni said he had requested the vehicle for a State event, but Dr Mahachi refused to hand it over.
“I will not use it,” he said. “We only requested it just one day for a State occasion and he refused. We could not use my personal car because my council drivers are not insured in my car and my personal driver cannot drive me on council business.”
Mr 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.
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