(TALKZIMBABWE) Mwonzora refuses to surrender hired vehicle

Mwonzora refuses to surrender hired vehicle
TH/TZG reporters
Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:49:00 +0000

NYANGA North legislator Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T) is refusing to surrender a vehicle Parliament hired for him during preparations for the All-Stakeholders’ Conference on Constitution-making in June and has incurred a US$7,000 bill which he insists Parliament should settle, according to The Herald newspaper.

"It costs US$125 a day to hire the Toyota Hilux 4x4 Mwonzora is refusing to surrender and as of June 29 — the day Parliament’s hire of the car expired — he had accrued US$7 000 in arrears," says the report.

It is reported that Mwonzora, who is the co-chairperson of the Select Committee on Constitution-making, claims Parliament should pay the bill since he is entitled to the use of a Parliament vehicle.

Parliament hired the vehicle from LED Car Rental Services, a leading Harare tour company, after it failed to get a suitable one from CMED.

The other Select Committee co-chairperson, Paul Mangwana, has since handed back the vehicle Parliament hired for him.

The vehicle was officially hired from June 24-29 this year.

Sources say efforts by Parliament to persuade Mwonzora to return the vehicle have been futile.

Parliament has since informed Mwonzora it will not pay for the period after June 29.

It has also communicated this to LED Car Rental Services.

Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma wrote to Mwonzora a fortnight ago advising him that he had flouted regulations.

Parliament only got to know that Mwonzora had not returned the hired vehicle on July 3 when one of its workers went to collect quotations for some buses from LED.

Mwonzora is said to have told Parliament’s transport office that he had discussed the issue with Zvoma and got permission to continue using the car.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Zvoma said: "I do not know how you got that information, but it is true that the matter has been brought to my attention."

Zvoma denied claims by Mwonzora that he had made an arrangement with him to continue using the vehicle.

"It is false. I will never do something outside regulations. Honourable Mwonzora is not entitled to the vehicle. I have written to the hiring company indicating that any outstanding amounts are for discussion with Hon Mwonzora," he said.

But Mwonzora was adamant that, as the co-chairperson of the Select Committee, he was entitled to use the vehicle.

"Obviously, l have to use the vehicle. I do not think anybody sensible would expect me to fund the project directly or indirectly by using that vehicle for official business as a Select Committee co-chairperson," he said.

Mwonzora said he had raised the need to provide transport for Select Committee members in April but Parliament administration had taken five months to address it.

"That Parliament administration takes five months to sort out an issue of transport for a committee as important as the Select Committee of Parliament says a lot about the competence of that administration," he said.

Mwonzora made it clear he would not hand over the vehicle.

"I am unwilling and unable to stop using a Parliament vehicle for duties until such a time as I have been allocated another vehicle," he said.

Mwonzora claimed withdrawing the vehicle was tantamount to sabotage.

"Parliament administration cannot expect me and Honourable Mangwana to run and supervise outreach programmes from the bus or train," Mwonzora said.

A spokesperson for LED Car Rental Services, Benard Gwarada, confirmed Mwonzora was using one of their vehicles.

"Parliament is one of our good clients. Yes, Mr Mwonzora is using our Toyota 4x4," he said.

He would not divulge how much the legislator now owed the hiring company saying it was unethical to do so.

Mwonzora currently does not have a personal vehicle after his Nissan Twin Cab was involved in an accident. - TH/TZG