Mnangagwa gives Z$20 million to MDC-T in bid to weaken Chamisa

By Nyashadzashe Ndoro | Nehanda Politics |

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime has handed over Z$20 million to the smaller MDC-T faction led by Douglas Mwonzora using state resources under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.

Analysts argue that Mnangagwa’s government has taken sides in the dispute between the rival opposition formations because the ruling party wants to weaken its biggest rival and create a puppet opposition party.

Last year in December, government snubbed the MDC Alliance, after it disbursed a total of $76 million to the ruling Zanu PF and MDC-T.

Zanu PF received Z$61 million while the MDC got nearly Z$15 million under the Political Parties (Finance) Act, which sanctions the disbursement of funds to major political parties in Parliament.

This year again, Zanu PF and MDC-T will share the Z$100 million allocated in the 2021 National Budget, snubbing the main opposition MDC Alliance which got more seats in Parliament than any other opposition. Using last year’s formula, the MDC-T will be given Z$20m.

Government’s position is that all other parties failed to get at least five percent of the constituency votes in the 2018 election yet 60 percent of the opposition members in Parliament campaigned on the MDC Alliance ticket.

Mnangagwa’s administration has since installed former MDC-T interim president, Thokozani Khupe as leader of the opposition in Parliament despite the fact that she was rejected by the electorate in 2018 when she gunnered 45 000 votes against MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa’s 2,1 million.

Using a controversial Supreme Court ruling that declared Chamisa’s leadership of the party left by the late founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai illegitimate, then MDC-T secretary general Douglas Mwonzora (now president) recalled more than 35 MDC Alliance MPs, councillors and senators.

They were accused of supporting Chamisa.

In an interview with Nehanda Radio, MDC Alliance deputy national spokesperson Clifford Hlatywayo said the ruling Zanu PF was “still in trauma” because “Zimbabweans know that Mnangagwa was undoubtedly defeated by President Chamisa in the 2018 elections.”

He added that the ruling party was trying to weaken the MDC Alliance and its leader.

“Mnangagwa and Zanu PF are still in trauma and they don’t want to hear anything of President Nelson Chamisa and MDC Alliance,” he said.

“So ZANU pf has employed or tried a number of failed tactics to destroy the person of the people’s President and destroy MDC Alliance. This includes one of the Political party finances.”

Hlatywayo added: “Immediately after elections on August 1 of 2018, Zanu PF functionaries killed people in the streets of Harare, no one up to now has been brought to book even after spending millions of dollars in the Motlanthe Commission. They wanted to frame President Chamisa on that but it didn’t hold water. They failed.

“After the election theft Zanu PF tried to lure President Chamisa into Polad, a shame grouping of election losers including Khupe and Mnangagwa. They failed. Zanu PF wanted to create a position of the Leader of Opposition seat in Parliament with ministerial package, again it didn’t work because President Chamisa clearly is for the people not positions.

“Zanu PF gave Khupe the MDC-T party through captured courts and everything that happened you know it. This included grabbing of MRT house in the middle of the night with Soldiers and riot police. They illegally and irregularly recalled MDC Alliance MPs and councillors.

“They replaced Proportional Representation MPs by individuals who were rejected by the people including Khupe. Zanu PF organised and funded the rebels, shame congress held at HICC last week at the middle of the second wave of the deadly coronavirus.

“They banned by elections. They fear the people because they know that they are not wanted by the electorate. They abducted, tortured, arbitrary arrests and illegally detained activists including professionals trying to instill fear but it didn’t work.

“They are still hiding behind Covid-19 lockdown to suppress the people’s voices and democratic actions, it will not work. Khupe has failed and they have a new old boy with the same assignment of destroying the person of President Chamisa and destabilising the People’s Movement.

“A hired Mwonzora Douglas who was defeated by Secretary General Hon Charlton Hwende at the 2019 MDC Alliance Gweru Congress is well known for destroying political organizations, Forum Party, ZUM, NCA. This has already failed, it will not work at all. President Chamisa is the product of the people, he defeated Khupe and Mnangagwa in the last election.

“Our struggle is not about money but of delivering the real promises of democracy, total Transformation and prosperity to every citizen. Our fight is to win Zimbabwe for change,” Hlatywayo said. Nehanda Radio