Drama as ex-minister has car attached by Messenger of Court

In an embarrassing incident that temporarily brought business to a halt in Harare’s central business district yesterday, former Transport Deputy Minister Petronella Kagonye had her Ford Ranger vehicle attached over a debt.

Ms Kagonye was sacked from Government together with six other ministers for allegedly performing their duties below the expected standards.

The incident took place along George Silundika Avenue near Herald House in the morning when an elderly man identified as the politician’s father had parked the vehicle to conduct his business.

In movie style, officers from the Messenger of Court parked their Mazda T35 truck immediately behind Ms Kagonye’s maroon Ford Ranger double cab (registration number ADL 1594), blocking the way.

The lorry blocked the elderly man’s way and the vehicle could not be moved out of the bay.

When the elderly man came out of a city building where he was doing business, he found the Messenger of Court officials in the process of forcibly opening the vehicle doors.

Business came to a standstill as the passers-by gathered to catch a glimpse of the unfolding events.

An attempt by the old man to negotiate the release of the vehicle failed and he had no option but to sit on the passenger’s seat as one of the officers drove the Ford Ranger off to the courtyard along Fourth Street.

Ms Kagonye, who is legislator for Goromonzi South, received a donation of two heavy-duty popcorn making machines worth $7 000 on behalf of Zanu-PF youths at district level but allegedly kept them to herself.

The machines were meant to empower the unemployed youths in the constituency. The donor, Mr Takesure Mbano, later learnt that the donation did not reach the intended beneficiaries and claimed the machines back.

Ms Kagonye had also received a soft loan of $1 000 from the same businessman but did not pay back in breach of the duo’s agreement.

In a bid to recover the cash and the two machines, Mr Mbano successfully sued the politician at the Harare Civil Court. A writ of execution was obtained resulting in the attachment of the vehicle yesterday. 

The Herald