Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is most likely to move into his official residence in Highlands soon after his State visit to Australia, probably at the end of this month or soon after his September wedding, party sources told NewsDay yesterday.
The property, located at 49 Kew Drive in Highlands, recently courted controversy following reports that the MDC-T leader had illegally claimed $3 million for its renovation.
Tsvangirai was alleged to have claimed $1,5 million from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and another $1,5 million from Treasury for the same project, charges he has denied saying those pursuing his prosecution were on a wild goose chase.
Although Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka declined to comment over the PM’s planned move to the new residence, party sources maintained he would either relocate from his Strathaven home after his foreign trip next week or after his wedding to Elizabeth Macheka in September.
“If you want to stay sane, don’t believe what the State media say. He is still at Strathaven and even if he moves, what makes it news?” Tamborinyoka said. “He is still staying at his Strathaven home and might move into his new residence after the Australia trip or after the wedding,” said the source.
The Highlands house, according to Tamborinyoka, is State property but Tsvangirai was entitled to buy it after evaluations were made.
The Minister of Public Works, Gabbuza Joel Gabuza, also confirmed to SW Radio last night that construction of the house had been completed.
“That is a government house, we have completed it. It was under construction by Public Works and we engaged some private contractors whom we worked with, and supervised them and we raised the tenders and everything was done above board.”
