Vusumuzi Dube
Johnsias Mutonhori, Midlands Correspondent
FORMER acting Town Clerk for Gweru Mr Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe is accused of refusing to surrender a brand-new Nissan Navara belonging to the council which he was using as his official vehicle before he was relieved of his duties on allegations of corruption.
Mr Chikwekwe was suspended in February following his arrest by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) for allegedly violating tender procedures during which companies such as Sheasham, Casas and Wackdrive were awarded tenders to service Mkoba 21 and Randolph suburbs.
A council meeting held on Wednesday indicated that council management tried to recover the vehicle from Mr Chikwekwe’s residence but failed to locate him amid reports that he had relocated to Gokwe.
Gweru Mayor Councillor Hamutendi Kombayi accused council management of being reluctant to pursue Mr Chikwekwe and ordered that a serious follow-up be made to recover the vehicle.
“What the suspended Acting Town Clerk did was theft, we passed a resolution to suspend him without pay and we did so as council, why can’t modalities be put in place to recover that car? To date nothing has been done and we don’t even have an RRB number from the police and ZACC case number, what’s happening from management’s side,” he queried.
Clr Kombayi advised the Chamber Secretary and the Human Resource Manager to make a police report and present the case number before council.
Ward 11 Councillor Albert Chirau said Mr Chikwekwe’s behaviour should not be tolerated.
“Mr Chikwekwe must surrender that vehicle immediately. It’s a service delivery vehicle which is expected to do council jobs but right now we are hearing that he fled with it to Gokwe.
I understand that no resolution was given to award him that car and as a result what he did should be treated as an act of theft.
Management should confront him through the law,” said Clr Chirau.
Ward 15 councillor, Trust Chineni said he was shocked at the council management’s hypocrisy as it swiftly acted on former Mayor, Josiah Makombe’ s mayoral car.
“When Councillor Makombe, the then Mayor was recalled sometime in 2021, he took a council vehicle with him as part of his benefits.
After a few days, council acted against him and the vehicle was recovered. Why can’t the same be done on the Chikwekwe’s case the way,” he said.
Acting Town Clerk, Mr Livingstone Churu said police were approached and they were advised that the case was not theft but rather qualified as a worker and employee dispute. Contacted for a comment, Mr Chikwekwe did not deny being in possession of the car but stated that the council owes him a Toyota Fortuner which was approved by Cabinet.
“It is the council which owes me an US$$83 000 Toyota Fortuner, a car which was approved by the Cabinet but they were reluctant to buy me that car. I don’t even understand the logic of accusing me of stealing a US$$30 000 vehicle whilst they owe me an $83 000 Fortuner. Did they want me to do council duties on foot?” asked Mr Chikwekwe.
He also accused councillors of double standards saying they were ignoring similar cases while making him a target.
“Former council directors Shingirai Tigere and Robson Manetsa went away with council vehicles but they are ignoring those cases.
Former Mayor Josiah Makombe was also using council vehicles for his CCC party business but they were all mum about it.
“The current Acting Town Clerk Mr Churu also crashed a US$$176 000 Toyota Land Cruiser and nothing was done. Recently they awarded a committee which is investigating my case and that shows they are investing heavily to fix me,” he said.
Last month Mr Chikwekwe through his lawyer Admire Rubaya challenged his suspension arguing that he was just a council employee with no power to award any tender, highlighting that it was a collective decision by council during a special council meeting.
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