adminHarare Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission still owes CMED (Pvt) Ltd $3 million for vehicles hired from members of the public on behalf of the electoral body for the 31 July harmonised elections.
The electoral body owed a total of $6 million for the hired vehicles, but has since paid $3 million.
CMED managing director Engineer Davison Mhaka said in an interview yesterday that the company was now at loggerheads with some of its clients because of the non-payment of the funds.
“We are usually responsible for supplying vehicles if there is a huge demand for national duties and we often have to hire cars from members of the public,” he said.
“In the past, we maintained a clean record with our clients. As it stands, our hands are tied and can only apologise to our clients and ask for more time to allow Zec to deliver, but we know we have violated our agreements with our respective clients.”
CMED has managed to pay for vehicles hired from Mashonaland East, Bulawayo, Midlands and parts of Harare.
“We have approached Zec for the outstanding balance and they have told us that they are waiting for payments from Treasury,” Eng Mhaka said.
Zec is also yet to pay an outstanding balance of about $800 000 to CMED for vehicles hired on its behalf during the constitutional referendum held in March.
Zec finance director Mr Stephen Goneso confirmed that they still owed CMED, but disputed the figure.
“I do not agree on the figure, but I can also not give you the correct one,” he said.
“We are still waiting for a response from Treasury.”
Online Reporter