Michael Chideme Municipal Reporter
HARARE Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda's much-publicised trip to Chicago recently yielded 5 000 pairs of shoes which authorities intend to distribute to poor residents.

The mayor travelled to the US as part of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's delegation reportedly to structure a twinning arrangement with the capital of Illinois State, among other issues. He confirmed that he failed to meet the principals of  either Chicago City or Illinois State and ended up meeting either junior officers or people not on his itinerary.
"The Prime Minister's Office funded my trip to Chicago. The city of Harare only paid the usual out-of-pocket stipend cum entertainment expenses," he said without disclosing how much he got.

Mr Masunda attributed the flop to poor planning by a co-ordinator in the PM's office.
"The co-ordinator of the Prime Minister's itinerary made us believe that they had tied up all the loose ends from the Chicago end. Be that as it may, we have got a foot in the door and we shall pick up the pieces from there."

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Reporting back on his visit to Chicago to the council, Mr Masunda said he received the "proverbial manna from heaven" when Ms Mona Purdy "a good Samaritan, who runs a project called ‘Share Your Soles' in Chicago pledged the 5 000 pairs of shoes." The shoes comprise mainly takkies for all age groups.
He received the donation while paying a courtesy call on Jesse White, the secretary of State for Illinois.

"These shoes will be distributed to the needy members of our community within Greater Harare under the auspices of the Mayor's Cheer Fund," he said. Impressed by the huge shoe consignment, Mr Masunda urged Zimbabweans to tap into the goodwill that exists "out there".
Mr Masunda, who accompanied PM Tsvangirai on the American trip, said he was happy to have been "of service to the Prime Minister, the City of Harare and of course my country".

DISCUSS THE 5000 PAIRS OF SHOES STORY HERE

He said the trip was "a resounding success" but regretted he could not meet the Mayor of Chicago whom he had gone to visit to discuss Harare's twinning arrangement.
"Regrettably, Rahm Emmanuel, the Mayor of Chicago had a pressing engagement, which he had to attend to outside Chicago. In the circumstances, I gave my presentation on Harare and other promotional material about Zimbabwe to the Alliance of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs for onward transmission to him," he said.

Mr Masunda said he had a fruitful meeting with Ms Cristal Thomas, the deputy governor of Illinois after failing to meet the governor Pat Quinn who was preparing for an overseas business trip. He said he was expecting a business delegation from Chicago, led by Mr Jim Reynolds, chairman and chief executive officer of Loop Capital.
Mr Reynolds is renowned for campaigning for American President Barack Obama in Chicago.