Preps for MDC congress on course

via Preps for MDC congress on course | The Zimbabwean 3 September 2014 by Sofia Mapuranga

Preparations for next month’s MDC-T congress are on course. The party has appealed to supporters and well-wishers to contribute the $1,5 million necessary to fund it.

“Failure by treasury to avail $3 million owed to the party under the Political Parties Finance Act will not stop the MDC from holding the congress,” said party spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora, adding that the party had engaged the treasury and the ministers of justice and finance in an attempt to get the money from government.

““Treasury is always giving us the same excuse that there is no money. We are currently mobilising resources to ensure that the congress goes ahead without a hitch. We are going to finance it ourselves,” he said.

According to the Political Parties (Finance) Act, the state is obliged to fund political parties with a 5% threshold of the vote according to the Electoral Act 2:13. Of the country’s 25 registered political parties, only Zanu (PF) and the MDC qualify for state funding.

The act does not allow political parties to get funding from foreign countries, although there is room for them to receive donations from private sources.

Mwonzora added that the party had finished gathering public views on its constitution and the outcome would be discussed at a standing committee meeting this week.