This comes amid
revelations that the top brass mutually agreed to keep a low profile by not
driving their luxury Toyota Fortuner GD6 vehicles to work, instead using
smaller vehicles or discreetly parking their high-end cars at a distance from
Town House to avoid drawing attention to their luxury perks.
The startling
revelations came out yesterday when the city’s procurement management unit
supply chain manager, Mr Never Murerwa, appeared before the commission into
Harare City Council chaired by retired judge Justice Maphios Cheda.
He admitted
before the commission that council was wasting ratepayers’ money by buying
expensive vehicles at the expense of service delivery.
“We received
information that there are 12 new Toyota GD6 which were given to officials. And
they are even shy to drive them. They park them in parkades and they walk to
Town House,” Ms Joyce Shumba, one of the witnesses told the commission.
“And then after
work, they walk to the parkade. Why can’t they drive their official vehicles?
Because they know that they were not supposed to have vehicles prioritised for
official issue.”
When questioned
about the purchase of luxury vehicles for top directors, Mr Murerwa deflected
responsibility, stating that he had no authority to refuse the acquisition, and
instead shifted the blame to the human resources department.
He was also
grilled over the procurement of a Toyota Prado VX 200 series for the town clerk
– a vehicle normally assigned to Cabinet ministers.
“I reported to
you that your office ratified the procurement of a Ministerial vehicle for a
town clerk who is, according to grading in Government systems, at the level of
a chief director who cannot have such a type of vehicle for their grade,” Ms
Shumba said.
When asked
whether the council was now equating the town clerk to a Minister, Mr Murerwa
again shifted the blame to the human resources department.
Several
high-ranking officials from the Harare City Council have testified before the
commission, lifting the lid on a complex web of corruption within the council
and officials feeding from the trough.
The officials
who have appeared before the commission include suspended town clerk Eng Hosiah
Chisango, principal housing officer Edgar Dzehonye, acting finance director
Godfrey Kusangaya, acting valuations and estates manager Peter Dube, business
committee chair Clr Lovemore Makuwerere, audit chair Clr Blessing Duma, city
housing director Addmore Nhekairo, acting chamber secretary Warren Chiwawa,
environmental management committee chair Clr Cecilia Chimbiri, acting head of
revenue collection Alfred Guni, and Mr Nelson Chamisa. Herald
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