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.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
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.
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“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.
“I did not charge the ministry for using my car,” he said.
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“The cost of wear and tear for my car is (borne by me).”
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.
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