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Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda had briefed the councillors during a recent special council meeting that he had met with the EasiHold chief executive Mr Michael Clark and EasiPark general manager Mr Pegias Dube at Town House.
Members of the business committee also attended the meeting.
That repor-back did not go down well with the councillors who felt Mr Masunda was working behind their backs meeting people the council no longer wanted to work with.
Clr Peter Moyo said council was open to foreign businesses operating in the city because they created employment, but would not allow the foreigners to “just come and make money” at the expense of the locals.
Council has not received any dividend from the business despite the company operating in Harare for over two years now.
“EasiPark should be a closed chapter. We cannot listen to (Mr) Clark now,” said Clr Moyo.
Business committee chairman Clr Thomas Muzuva said the misunderstanding over the parking venture was caused by dishonesty by city officials who hide information from councillors, forcing them to make resolutions on wrong advice.
“When we heard the side of EasiHold, we were pained,” he said without elaborating.
But Clr Friday Muleya said anything that Mr Masunda discussed with EasiHold officials and Clr Muzuva was personal and should not be brought to council.
“You as mayor should lead the termination process. You can not bring back the wife we divorced through the back door,” he said.
Clr Wellington Chikombo echoed sentiments by the majority of councillors when he said any discussion on EasiPark was water under bridge in reference to the contract termination resolution.
Clr Herbert Gomba said council decided to terminate the deal because it was not bringing any money to its coffers.
Mr Clark has previously said he was ready to share the proceeds from the parking deal, indicating that it was council officials who were stalling the profit sharing. Clr Gomba said the time that Mr Masunda reserved to meet Mr Clark should be dedicated towards meeting Government Ministers to discuss how best the city can discharge its service delivery mandate and to ask Government to retire its debt to council, which now stands at US$47 million.
The city in December notified EasiHold that it was terminating the parking deal while EasiHold has insisted it wants the matter taken for arbitration to resolve areas of dispute and to allow the deal to continue. Youth pressure group Upfumi Kuvadiki is waiting on the sidelines hoping to strike a deal with the city should EasiHold be pushed out.
But the city has indicated it would go it alone.
Online Reporter