Residents in Harare have this week lashed out at the Council over the purchase of a luxury car for Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda, arguing the money would be better spent on garbage trucks to help clean up the city.

Masunda has scoffed at complaints about the Council's purchase of a luxury M-class Mercedes Benz for him to use in his official capacity. Masunda has argued that the car was budgeted for by the Council, and is merely a replacement for the last mayoral vehicle that is more expensive to keep running, being 'mechanically defunct'. But the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) on Monday said the Mayor's statements have done nothing except to provoke anger from ratepayers. CHRA Chairperson Simbarashe Moyo said residents "are failing to put food on their tables because most of their earnings are going to the City's Treasury and yet little is being done to improve service delivery."

CHRA has said the Mayor's arguments 'hold no water', and residents want to see their money being put to good use, such as restoring full council services. CHRA added that no mention about the vehicle was ever made in the City's 2009 budget.

"The Mayor must note that the purchase of an expensive car at a time when the Council is making noise about being bankrupt and harassing residents with letters of final demand, is reflective of a Council that has a serious problem of misdirected priorities," Moyo said.

The lack of services in the city are clearly evident: Roads are full of pot holes; street and traffic lights are not working and have not been maintained; piles of garbage are littered at most street corners in residential areas and shopping centers; raw sewerage is still a dreaded neighbor in most high density areas. However, despite the visible failings of the council to restore services, residents have still been faced with letters of final demand and threats of legal action.

"Residents know that the car is part of Council property but they would rather have garbage trucks to remove the menacing garbage piles rather than have an expensive Mercedes that will only benefit one person," Moyo said.

The Mercedes fiasco has left residents feeling ever more disillusioned with a Mayor they had hoped would make a positive difference in a city that is urgent need of sympathetic, people-driven leadership. Last week, a lavish party to honor the Mayor's inauguration left residents shocked and angry, as hundreds of invited guests, including Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, wined and dined, apparently at the tax payers expense. Local councilors meanwhile have complained that not enough food had been supplied at the event, after meat from 10 slaughtered cows vanished before the party.

Moyo said on Monday that residents are feeling really let down. "Residents want to see things happening on the ground and it is the job of the Mayor to make sure that residents get value for their money," Moyo said.