MEDIA, Information and Broadcasting Services deputy
minister Energy Mutodi allegedly wants the government to pay him $500 a day
payment for using his private car for official business.
Mutodi’s government-issued car was damaged in an accident a
day after he was allocated the vehicle.
According to government sources, the Goromonzi West MP
rejected a state-trained driver and insisted on using his “trusted driver”, who
a day after receiving a Toyota Prado, crashed the vehicle.
A staggering $61 000 is needed to repair the car. “The
deputy minister insisted on using an inappropriate driver as his personal
driver,” the source said.
“The driver had an accident within a day of the deputy
minister being given a Prado.”
The sources said Mutodi approached permanent secretary
Ndavaningi “Nick” Mangwana with a request to use his private car for government
business.
“The car was extensively damaged and the ministry now needs
$61 000 to repair it,” the source added.
“The ministry has no extra car to give and a response from
Mangwana indicated that the state would service his car.”
Correspondence seen by this publication revealed that last
month the government hired a vehicle for Mutodi when he toured Matabeleland
North where his driver was involved in another accident.
Mangwana refused to entertain questions on the matter
saying: “Mutodi is my minister, I can’t talk or discuss with you his conditions
of service.”
But an official from the Finance ministry said the
government cannot approve Mutodi’s request.
“Government is broke and $500 per day was unrealistic,” he
said. However, Mutodi said he did not charge the government as
claimed.
He confirmed that his government-issued car and the hired
vehicle were involved in separate accidents.
“Yes, I am using my car because the ministry has not yet
allocated a car to me. Government has not yet acquired vehicles,” he said.
“Yes, I was given a car, and was involved in an accident
and the ministry could not replace the car. The other party admitted that they
were guilty and paid a fine.”
He said he was not in the hired car when it was involved in
an accident. Yes, but that one is a different issue, it involved third
parties,” he said.
“I was not involved in that accident.” Standard
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