State Media

Kwekwe City Council is set to get back two ambulances that were impounded by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) on allegations that they were not properly imported.

Then Mbizo legislator, Vongaiishe Mpereri bought the ambulances from neighbouring South Africa and donated them to the local authority.

The State confiscated them at the height of investigations into former State House principal director Douglas Tapfuma who was facing allegations of abusing authority and fraudulently importing vehicles.

The two ambulances were allegedly part of a large fleet imported by Tapfuma.

Tapfuma was found guilty and is serving a four-year jail term. The local authority has been making frantic efforts to get the fleet back after the conclusion of the Tapfuma saga.

Updating on the matter during a full council meeting recently, Kwekwe District Development Coordinator, Mr Fortune Mpungu said he had been briefed that the ambulances were being released to the local authority.

“As you are aware the matter was in the hands of our Provincial Affairs Minister Hon Larry Mavima and he briefed me to the fact that the matter has been cleared by Cabinet. I am reliably told that the matter was tabled before cabinet and they agreed that the ambulances be given back to the local authority,” said Mr Mpungu.

He said all logistics have been completed and the local authority was awaiting finalisation of the paperwork and delivery of the two vehicles. If they are successfully returned to the local authority, the vehicles are expected to go a long way in boosting the councils depleted ambulance fleet.

The local authority is presently depending on a single ambulance while another one needs repairs.