(HERALD) Donors ditch MDC-T for Zapu

Donors ditch MDC-T for Zapu
By Zvamaida Murwira

TRADITIONAL Western donors and some multilateral financial institutions have allegedly ditched MDC-T in favour of Dr Dumiso Dabe-ngwa’s Zimbabwe African People’s Union.

Highly-placed MDC-T sources revealed last week that the traditional financiers were getting fed up with the party’s infighting and factionalism — a development that has seen party projects suffering and workers’ salaries slashed.

One of the projects that have been affected is the production of the party newsletter, The Changing Times, while the Prime Minister’s newsletter’s days on the streets are reportedly numbered.

The source said donor funds had dried up and the PM’s newsletter would continue to be produced because printers were paid in advance after which it will disappear from the streets.

Donor fatigue has taken its toll on the party as some workers who were part of the parallel government structures in the PM’s Office and party workers are also going to be affected.

Some workers in the parallel government from the PM’s Office have allegedly been earning lucrative salaries ranging from US$700 to US$7 000, while most civil servants earn less than US$200.

Some workers in the party who were receiving additional packages because of their ties with some senior party officials are likely to find themselves in the same category with their peers.

Contacted for comment, MDC-T spokesperson Mr Nelson Chamisa declined to comment saying that he did not want to be dragged into The Herald’s "lies".

"You manufacture lies and you want to bless your story with putting my voice. I will not do that," Mr Chamisa charged.

However, the donor community is reported to be setting their eyes on the recently launched Zapu whose congress saw a sizeable number of Western and American diplomats attending the event.

These are traditional MDC-T financiers.

Morale is reported to be at its lowest among party workers in the parallel government and those in the party, who used to earn fat salaries, said another source.

Those who have been earning ordinary salaries from the party are on the other hand celebrating because happier days for their peers have now come to an end.

"The party is in the red. There was a pool of funds by Western donors who now seem to have been fed up by the constant bickering and infighting and they want to try their chance at Zapu," said one source.

Another source said the fact that the party had failed to recruit a new director of communication to replace Luke Tamborinyoka, who has been reassigned to the PM’s Office, was an indication of the hard times the party was going through.

Instead, the party settled for Mr William Bango, who is now doubling up as director of policy and research.

"This is an indictment of the party being in the red. The feeling was that we should recruit from outside but because there is no money we are having to settle for Mr Bango, who is now doubling up with his other portfolio," said the source.

The Changing Times, whose initial print run was around 100 000 and was distributed for free across the country, was cut to less than 1 000 before production completely stopped in recent weeks.

"The last time when The Changing Times was being produced, it was only being distributed in limited quantities and areas — only in Harare in particular not in those areas, which it also used to be distributed," said the source.

Another source said the MDC-T launched a new party card recently in a bid to contain the donor flight.

"But again the launch was a disaster because no one can buy the party cards. It cost US$12 for an ordinary member, US$24 for provincial members while ministers and other senior members pay about US$120. Can an ordinary person afford US$12?" asked another source.

Zapu president Dr Dumiso Dabengwa dismissed reports that Western donors were eyeing his party saying the party was funded by its members.

He said the presence of diplomats at their congress where he was elected president was neither here nor there as they had invited them to witness the event.

"We have not been funded by any outsider except our members; if you check our books you will notice that we have not received a single cent from any outsider. I am talking of individuals, let alone a country or international organisation," said Dr Dabengwa.

He said his party had written letters to some donors merely to fund some workshops and activities aimed at enhancing democracy but up to now no money was forthcoming.

He did not disclose the identity of the donors or whether they were local or foreign.

The MDC-T has in the past been dogged by infighting, which has seen some clashes at Harvest House as the party approached congress.