Olivia Muchena sued

FORMER Higher and Tertiary Education minister, Olivia Muchena has been dragged to court by Parliament of Zimbabwe which is seeking to recover $32 653 the ex-Mutoko MP still owed under a vehicle loan scheme.

The money is balance of what remained from the $35 000 vehicle loan which was advanced to the former minister after Parliament deducted allowances and fuel amounts due to her before she was expelled from Zanu-PF in 2015.

According to court papers, Muchena bought a Ford Ranger T6 through a government loan together with many other MPs elected in 2013.

However, Muchena entered an appearance to defend notice on February 22.

The Parliament vehicle loan schemes recently turned a nightmare for former Water Resources minister Simon Sipepa Nkomo and his wife, Roselene, who were also dragged to court over a combined $44 361 loan.

In the summons filed under separate case numbers at the High Court last month, Parliament said it was claiming $21 719 from Nkomo and $22 642 from Roselene.

The litigation against Muchena and the couple come barely a month after Parliament also issued similar summons against former Masvingo provincial affairs minister, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and former Energy and Power Development Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire, alongside four other expelled former MDC-T MPs over outstanding vehicle loans debts.

The other expelled MPs include former Highfield West-legislator Moses Manyengavana, former Mpopoma MP, Bekithemba Nyathi, former Masvingo MP, Judith Mazhawazhi, former Entumbane MP, Gladys Mathe and former Pumula South MP Albert Mhlanga.

In its declarations filed under separate case numbers, Parliament said it entered into loan agreements in term of which it advanced $35 000 to each of the expelled MP's for the purchase of their motor vehicles.

The August House said it was agreed at the time that repayment of the said loans would be effected through a stop order against their parliamentary allowances and that in the event of each member ceasing to be an MP before the expiry of his or her term of office through disqualification or imprisonment, Parliament would be entitled to claim the full balance of the loan.