Mphoko’s hotel stay costs a top secret: Rainbow Towers Hotel manager

By Edgar Gweshe

HARARE – Rainbow Towers Hotel General Manager, Trythings Mutyandasvika today refused to divulge the amount of tax-payers’ money gobbled up by Vice President, Phelekezela Mphoko during his two year stay at the hotel saying that “information is between me and my client”.

Mutyandasvika made the remarks during cross examination at the Harare Magistrates Court in a case in which National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe (NAVUZ) chairperson, Sten Zvorwadza is being charged for threatening to burn down the hotel on July 26 this year if Vice President Mphoko continued to reside there.

Mphoko booked into the Rainbow Towers Hotel in December 2014 when he was appointed President Robert Mugabe’s deputy and on many occasions turned down offers for him to move into some mansions in Harare’s leafy suburbs on the grounds that they were not befitting for a person of his stature.

Zvorwadza was arrested on July 26 when he went to the Rainbow Towers Hotel to protest against Mphoko’s refusal to move into a government house.

Despite the defence lawyer, Marufu Mandevere insisting that Mutyandasvika should divulge the amount spent by Mphoko, Mutyandasvika remained adamant.

“I am a professional business person and I stick to the principles of business. That information is between me and my client and it is not information that I am willing to share with anyone,” said Mutyandasvika.

When told by the defence counsel that it was in the public interest to know, Mutyandasvika said:

“I was treating the Vice President as a private client regardless of the position that he holds. So that it was I am insisting that I cannot give you such information. If you want to know the cost of our services, why don’t you come to our hotel and enquire.”

Estimates show that Mphoko, who left Rainbow Towers Hotel in mid-August this year spent about $620 000 during the 613 days that he stayed at Rainbow Towers Hotel. Nehanda Radio