Car dealers evade MPs over undelivered Zimbabwe govt vehicles

Parliament's public accounts committee has announced that car dealers who failed to deliver vehicles to government departments, despite receiving taxpayer funds, will be summoned to face MPs after making excuses to avoid appearing. The Auditor General's 2022 report lists several Harare car dealers, including Solution Motors, Duly's, Mike Harris, and Faramatsi, who failed to supply vehicles despite advance payments.

In 2022, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority lost US$1.7 million after buying 35 Toyota Hilux double-cab vehicles and 50 Toyota Corollas from Mike Harris that were never delivered. Representatives from the named car dealers did not show up for a scheduled committee meeting on Monday.

Public Accounts Committee chairman Charlton Hwende stated that the committee resolved to issue summons to compel the dealers to appear. Solution Motors claimed it had closed down, while another dealer informed the committee by phone that they would not attend.

Hwende criticized the dealers' lack of seriousness, highlighting the increasing trend of suppliers failing to fulfill tender contracts despite receiving payment. The latest Auditor General's report noted that by June 2024, three buses, 60 vehicles, 167 laptops, and various office furniture paid for by the government between 2020 and 2023 had not been delivered.