Zanu (PF) Deputy Minister In Car Scandal

The minister (name supplied) has lost the vehicle to the CMED, which is managing the COPAC fleet as government owned transport company had been trying to locate it for years.

Sources said the scandal was discovered after the Zanu (PF) official tried to replace his personal Mistubishi L 200 after it had developed an engine problem.

 He had been issued the car in question when he was first appointed deputy minister and when he was dropped from cabinet he was offered the right to use the vehicle for three months only.

The senior government official was then offered the car at book value but failed to raise money to buy it.

However, he used the car  since then and the CMED had no record of its whereabouts. It was concluded that the car was with the minister where the minister was previously attached.

Early this month the minister offered it to COPAC for the outreach programme at US$80 per day and US$0.40 per kilometer.

A COPAC official said many government officials had also been caught trying to use the same trick. He said they would not be paid any cent for the use of the cars.

The same applied to MPs who tried to hire out cars belonging to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, which they were given while awaiting government to re-activate a parliamentary scheme to assist them to buy their own vehicles.

Most of the MPs refused to surrender the cars after they bought theirs through a government scheme.

Accusations that politicians were treating the constitution making process as an opportunity to make a quick buck has marred the reputation of the initiative to produce a new supreme law for the country.

Zimbabwe must have a new constitution by April next year leading to fresh elections.