INTERIM chairperson of the MDC-Team Samuel Sipepa Nkomo has declared that his faction had adequate financial resources to fund its activities.
STAFF REPORTER
Sipepa Nkomo, who is also Lobengula legislator, told our sister paper Southern Eye over the weekend that his faction was “doing fine” financially at a time their bitter rivals led by party leader Morgan Tsvangirai were hamstrung by funding shortfalls after traditional funders withheld their pursestrings demanding major reforms, including a change of leadership.
Apart from battling power struggles over control of party assets, the Tsvangirai faction has appealed to its followers to chip in with financial contributions to shore up its activities.
“We are trying. We are doing fine financially,” Sipepa Nkomo said, but declined to reveal their source of funding.
The MDC-T power struggle over assets and parliamentary representation saw the two factions trading accusations of abuse of party funds, amid reports that millions of dollars could have helped to fuel the leadership renewal row.
The financial problems in the MDC-T began after the traditional funders froze funding after last year’s harmonised elections, resulting in the party struggling to pay its workers and for other services.
The party has also complained that it has not received $1,5 million it is entitled to under the Political Parties Finance Act because the government does not have money, leaving its coffers dry.
