Masvingo City, Ministry of Health in standoff over donated vehicle

A standoff has erupted between Masvingo City Council and the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) over a vehicle donated by the Global Fund, amid allegations that the vehicle, intended to support the city's health services, is being withheld by provincial health officials under unclear circumstances.

The vehicle in question was part of a fleet of nine delivered late last year to district health executives in Masvingo province, including Gutu, Bikita, Chiredzi, Chivi, Mwenezi, Zaka, Masvingo City, and the Provincial Medical Director's (PMD) office. The donation was aimed at strengthening health service delivery across the province.

However, six months later, Masvingo City Council has yet to receive its allocated vehicle, prompting concerns and accusations of misappropriation. Council officials suspect the vehicle is already in use elsewhere, and are calling for accountability from provincial health authorities.

Masvingo City Mayor Councillor Alec Tabe confirmed the dispute in comments to TellZim News, expressing frustration over the unexplained delay and urging the Provincial Medical Director, Dr Amadeus Shamhu, to facilitate the vehicle's release.

"We are aware that we were part of the beneficiaries of a donation made by the Global Fund, but we do not understand why there has been a delay in the handover of the vehicle," said Tabe. "We are appealing to the PMD to expedite the release of the vehicle as it is crucial for improving service delivery in the health sector. Our clinics are growing, and this is a vital asset."

Efforts to get a comment from Dr Shamhu were unsuccessful. He requested questions to be sent via WhatsApp but had not responded by the time of publication.

Sources familiar with the matter claim the vehicle, reportedly registered as GHCC3744, is already in use, albeit without proper labelling - allegedly to prevent the city council from recognising it as their allocated unit. One insider suggested that health officials were reluctant to surrender the vehicle, arguing that Masvingo City already operates a comparatively large fleet.

"The vehicles were received late last year. It is already working but has no sticker, probably to make sure that council is not aware. There are chances the local authority might not get the actual vehicle," said the source.

The Global Fund, a major international health financing institution, has invested millions into Zimbabwe's health sector, including significant logistical and transport support to ensure service delivery in remote and underserved areas. Mismanagement or diversion of such resources not only threatens local health outcomes but could also undermine donor confidence.

The unfolding controversy in Masvingo raises broader concerns about transparency, accountability, and equity in the distribution of donated assets - especially at a time when Zimbabwe's public health system remains under severe strain.

Health sector watchdogs and civil society organisations are now calling for an investigation to ensure that the vehicle is returned to its intended recipient and that similar incidents are prevented in future Global Fund-supported programmes.