News / Local
Mpilo Hospital buys $88,000 Jeep Cherokee for CEO
05 Mar 2016 at 07:30hrs | Views
Mpilo Central Hospital has reportedly bought a brand new $88,000 Jeep Cherokee for its acting chief executive officer.
The vehicle was allegedly bought at the behest of the Mpilo board although there was initial resistance from the Health Service Board and Health Ministry who stated that it could not be utilised by an acting CEO.
Leonard Mabhandi, who is Ingutsheni Mental hospital CEO temporarily took over the operations at Mpilo Hospital after the institution's CEO Lawrence Mantiziba was suspended for allegedly demanding bribes from a Bulawayo businessman.
Mantiziba has since left the hospital after his contract expired before the disciplinary hearings.
The vehicle which was acquired in January was delivered to the struggling institution a few weeks ago.
When Chronicle visited the institution on Thursday, the shiny black Jeep was parked in the CEO's parking bay. Sources at the hospital said
Mpilo board acquired the Jeep Cherokee in January and it was delivered to the Health Service Board in Harare.
"The board decided to buy the acting CEO the vehicle after Mpilo board operations sub-committee headed by Siqokoqela Mphoko moved to stop the institution from paying CMED $7,000 monthly for hiring a Mercedes Benz.
The Mercedes Benz has since been returned to CMED," said the source.
"There was a misunderstanding between the hospital and the HSB which stated that the hospital could not hand over the vehicle to Mabhandi who was not a substantive CEO.
The board reportedly engaged the Minister (of Health, Dr David Parirenyatwa) who gave them the green light to hand over the vehicle," said the source.
Mpilo Hospital had been renting a Mercedes Benz vehicle CMED at a cost of $7, 000 per month since 2012 when Mantiziba joined the health institution.
Concerned workers claimed that Mantiziba turned down a Mazda BT50 vehicle rented from the CMED at $1,980 per month opting for the more luxurious Benz.
A comment could not be obtained from Mabhandi, Mpilo board chair Sichelesile Moyo-Ncube and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Gerald Gwinji as their mobile phones rang unanswered.
The vehicle was allegedly bought at the behest of the Mpilo board although there was initial resistance from the Health Service Board and Health Ministry who stated that it could not be utilised by an acting CEO.
Leonard Mabhandi, who is Ingutsheni Mental hospital CEO temporarily took over the operations at Mpilo Hospital after the institution's CEO Lawrence Mantiziba was suspended for allegedly demanding bribes from a Bulawayo businessman.
Mantiziba has since left the hospital after his contract expired before the disciplinary hearings.
The vehicle which was acquired in January was delivered to the struggling institution a few weeks ago.
When Chronicle visited the institution on Thursday, the shiny black Jeep was parked in the CEO's parking bay. Sources at the hospital said
Mpilo board acquired the Jeep Cherokee in January and it was delivered to the Health Service Board in Harare.
"The board decided to buy the acting CEO the vehicle after Mpilo board operations sub-committee headed by Siqokoqela Mphoko moved to stop the institution from paying CMED $7,000 monthly for hiring a Mercedes Benz.
The Mercedes Benz has since been returned to CMED," said the source.
"There was a misunderstanding between the hospital and the HSB which stated that the hospital could not hand over the vehicle to Mabhandi who was not a substantive CEO.
The board reportedly engaged the Minister (of Health, Dr David Parirenyatwa) who gave them the green light to hand over the vehicle," said the source.
Mpilo Hospital had been renting a Mercedes Benz vehicle CMED at a cost of $7, 000 per month since 2012 when Mantiziba joined the health institution.
Concerned workers claimed that Mantiziba turned down a Mazda BT50 vehicle rented from the CMED at $1,980 per month opting for the more luxurious Benz.
A comment could not be obtained from Mabhandi, Mpilo board chair Sichelesile Moyo-Ncube and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Gerald Gwinji as their mobile phones rang unanswered.
Source - chronicle
