Maravi

Dutch institute denies funding PF campaigns

COMMENT - I am completely against foreign funding of political parties. However, considering how the MMD wants to rely on 'donors' for so much of the country's activities, and considering that this particular funding would be open to all parties (and it had better be), I don't think this reflects on the PF alone. It would put the MMD on a higher moral pedestal if they too were completely honest about the sources of their political funds. The NIMD board seems to be truly multi-party. However, I still don't like this kind of activity.

Dutch institute denies funding PF campaigns
By Chibaula Silwamba
Fri 07 May 2010, 04:00 CAT

NETHERLANDS Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) has dismissed President Rupiah Banda and MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba’s allegations that the Dutch firm is funding Patriotic Front (PF) campaigns to effect regime change in Zambia.

In a telephone interview from The Hague in The Netherlands and responding to an e-mail press query, NIMD spokesperson Maarten van den Berg said it was not true that his organisation was funding the PF.

He said in Zambia, NIMD provides support to political parties on a fully inclusive and strictly impartial basis.

“With support of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), Zambia’s political parties have founded the Zambian Centre for Inter-party Dialogue (ZCID), which is instrumental in creating political consensus on democratic reforms.

NIMD also supports the institutional development of political parties in Zambia,” Van den Berg said. “NIMD provides this support on a fully inclusive and strictly impartial basis: all parliamentary parties are eligible for support, whether in government or in the opposition. The allocation of funding is based on modalities determined by ZCID. NIMD respects these modalities.”

He said this year, no political party in Zambia had received any funds from NIMD.
The records indicate that the MMD, PF, and Ben Mwila’s National Democratic Focus (NDF) received the same funding last year, contrary to President Banda and Dr Kalumba’s statements.

“In 2009, the amounts received by the parties under individual contracts with NIMD are as follows: UNIP 14,285 euro about K85 million, NDF 14,285 euro about K85 million, ULP 12,931 euro about K78 million due to underspending, PF 14,285 euro about K85 million, MMD 14,285 euro about K85 million, and FDD no contract signed in 2009,” Van den Berg explained.

“These amounts have been verified by a chartered accountant. In 2010, no contracts have been signed by NIMD and the political parties. Consequently, none of the parties has received any funds from NIMD in 2010.”

Van den Berg said NIMD was an impartial facilitator of interparty dialogue in Zambia.
“NIMD and ZCID are currently discussing matters relating the partnership, which we hope will be resolved in a few weeks,” said Van den Berg.

The Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) is a democracy assistance organisation of political parties in the Netherlands for political parties in young democracies. NIMD supports joint initiatives of political parties to improve the functioning of democracy in their country.

Founded in 2000 by seven Dutch parties across the political spectrum, NIMD currently works with more than 150 political parties from 17 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe.

On Tuesday, President Banda told NIMD to effect regime change in Netherlands and not Zambia.

“I know it; that is nonsense, they have got their country. They know that if they want to change the regime, let them go to their country and do so,” President Banda said.

“But we have no proof of that. I have heard too. Find out a little more, dig deeper; we can’t accuse people of something for which we have no proof. But I have heard that there is something like that going on.”

Dr Kalumba accused the NIMD of opening a separate account to bankroll the campaigns for the PF ahead of the 2011 elections.

The PF has denied receiving funding from NIMD for campaigns.

Labels: NETHERLANDS INSTITUTE FOR MULTIPARTY DEMOCRACY, PF

posted by MrK @ 2:49 PM