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Come clean on source of vehicle funding, Zanu PF urged

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OPPOSITION parties have called on Zanu PF to disclose the source of the estimated $10 million it is using to procure over 350 top-of-the-range vehicles for the 2018 elections campaign.

OPPOSITION parties have called on Zanu PF to disclose the source of the estimated $10 million it is using to procure over 350 top-of-the-range vehicles for the 2018 elections campaign.

BY OBEY MANAYITI/PAIDAMOYO MUZULU

This come amid fears that Zanu PF might abuse national resources to oil its election machinery, as President Robert Mugabe is likely to face a united opposition in the watershed polls.

Senior Zanu PF officials have also been accused of misappropriating State resources to fund their lavish lifestyles.

“Zanu PF has got both conventional and unconventional sources of funding. It is clear that the vehicles that the party is purchasing are being funded from a shadowy source, most likely it’s coming from the proceeds of illicit diamond sales,” MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said.

He said they would not be thrown into panic mode, as the party was confident of winning the next elections.

“We don’t have as much money as Zanu PF because we are not a party of thieves, crooks and wheeler dealers,” he said.

People’s Democratic Party secretary-general, Gorden Moyo said law enforcement agencies must investigate the source of the vehicle funding.

“Zanu PF has gained its own peculiar reputation of dipping its hands in the national till, including stealing from itself. Its president has a very short moral height and the whole institution has no moral rectitude,” he said.

“It comes as no surprise to us that, while civil servants have no salaries and bonuses, Zanu PF is not embarrassed to display its excesses in Masvingo in the form of a primitive accumulation and gluttonous politics.”

Transform Zimbabwe leader, Jacob Ngarivhume described the situation as worrying, saying the money used could be part of the missing $15 billion diamond revenue, hence, the need for disclosure.

National Constitutional Assembly spokesperson, Madock Chivasa said: “There is no investigation needed on Zanu PF because it is well known that corruption is in their DNA. Zanu PF is a symbol of corruption and purchasing vehicles at the expense of suffering people is evidence that the party is not concerned at all about the welfare of the people.”

Meanwhile, Treasury has released $1,3 million to Zanu PF and MDC-T under the Political Parties Finance Act.

The payments were reportedly done three weeks ago.

Sources revealed that Zanu PF received slightly below $1 million, while the MDC-T received $338 000.

The money is given proportionally to the seats each party has in the National Assembly.

Gutu confirmed that they had received some money from Treasury.

“The party is still owed more than $2 million by Treasury. Of course, we cannot disclose how much exactly we have received. Suffice to state that Treasury has a lawful obligation to promptly pay up the money that it still owes to our party,” he said.

The recent tranche of payments takes MDC-T support from Treasury to just under $900 000 this calendar year, while Zanu PF has enjoyed a hefty $2 million in the same period.

Justice and Parliamentary Affairs ministry secretary, Virginia Mabhiza also confirmed that her ministry had cleared the payment.

“I am not going into details, but the story is not untrue,” she said.

There was no immediate comment from Zanu PF, as neither their secretary for administration, Ignatius Chombo, nor his finance countepart, Obert Mpofu, were reachable.

Treasury in 2017 will distribute $6 million proportionally to seats held by Zanu PF and MDC-T in the National Assembly.