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Midlands Bureau
Former Gweru mayor, Mr Josiah Makombe, has been accused of refusing to surrender the council’s top-of-the-range Toyota Prado, four months after being recalled by the MDC-T party.
Mr Makombe, who is now campaigning for the Ward 2 council by-election under the Citizens Coalition for Change, is said to have since removed council number plates on the vehicle and is using it for his campaigns.
In a letter written to council by Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) director, Mr Conelious Selipiwe, Mr Makombe is accused of tampering with council property by removing number plates on the vehicle, and abusing it by ferrying his campaign team.
“We write to inquire the circumstances justifying the continued abuse of council vehicle, a Toyota Prado (black) by the former councillor for Ward 2 Josiah Makombe,” said Mr Selipiwe in a letter addressed to Town Clerk, Mr Vakai Chikwekwe.
“We have observed with concern that despite him relinquishing office, he continues to misuse the vehicle. The vehicle is being used as a campaign vehicle, ferrying party supporters and activists and has registration plates removed.”
Mr Selipiwe queried why the car had not been repossessed and given to the new mayor, Councillor Hamutendi Kombayi of MDC-T.
Contacted for comment, Mr Makombe confirmed he was in possession of the car, but branded Mr Selipiwe “an opposition MDC-T activist desperate to please his masters”.
“I have no time to respond to a failed individual like Selipiwe, an opposition activist who spends time knocking at every office in his desperate attempt to please his masters in the MDC-T while pretending to be representing residents,” he said.
“Selipiwe must write as an individual if he wants answers than to pretend to be representing residents when he is not a residents’ representative. He should stick to politics.”
Mr Makombe said he was given the car on a council resolution and will only release the car again on a council resolution. “If Selipiwe was a representative of the residents as he claims, he should be in the know of the circumstances surrounding that car, but he is blank and now pretends to be a rep(representative) for the people of Gweru when in actual fact he is an amateurish politician under (MDC-T leader Mr Douglas) Mwonzora’s leash,” he said.
Mr Makombe denied allegations he was using the council vehicle to conduct campaigns. “I have over seven cars at home and I challenge Selipiwe to walk to my home and see for himself, for I know he has that energy to walk on foot,” he said.
“I have enough personal resources to campaign.”
Cllr Kombayi said the local authority will only comment on the vehicle after a full council meeting.
Online Reporter