ED regime awards Z$15m to Khupe’s party, snubs MDC Alliance

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime has once again snubbed the main opposition MDC Alliance by giving Z$15m due to it under the Political Parties (Finance) Act, to the rival MDC-T led by its perceived political puppet Thokozani Khupe.

The money is disbursed according to the Political Parties (Finance) Act, which sanctions the disbursement of funds to major political parties in Parliament.

Of the total amount, the ruling party received $61 million while the MDC-T got nearly $15 million.

Justice ministry permanent secretary, Virginia Mabhiza, confirmed to the Daily News on Monday that the money had been disbursed to Zanu PF and MDC-T.

“Yes, Zanu PF received $61 million and MDC $14,9 million. This is for 2020,” she said.

According to the Political Parties (Finance) Act, the State should provide funding to political parties that won at least five percent of the vote in a general election.

“(1) Subject to this Act, every political party shall be entitled in each Parliamentary year to receive from the State the sums of money that are payable to it in terms of this Act.

“Each political party whose candidates received at least five percentum of the total number of votes cast in the most recent general election shall be entitled to the same proportion of the total money appropriated as the total number of votes cast for its candidates in the election bears to the aggregate of votes cast for all political parties that qualify to be paid moneys in terms of this subsection,” reads part of the Act.

Government snubbed the MDC Alliance in the disbursements of funds after a controversial March Supreme Court ruling that declared as illegitimate Nelson Chamisa’s leadership of the party left by the late founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

In July, the government also released Z$25 million which was shared between Zanu PF and MDC-T.

Mnangagwa recently installed Khupe as leader of the opposition in Parliament despite the fact that she was rejected by the electorate in 2018 when she garnered 40 000 votes against Chamisa’s 2,6 million.

Khupe and her party’s secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora have already recalled more than 35 MDC Alliance MPs, senators and councillors accusing them of supporting Chamisa.