SOCIAL movement leaders yesterday threatened to disrupt the Zanu PF fundraising dinner set for Friday, saying the majority of companies, particularly parastatals, have no business sponsoring the ruling party.
Source: Opposition, social movements threaten Zanu PF fundraising dinner – NewsDay Zimbabwe November 2, 2016
BY OBEY MANAYITI
This comes amid renewed calls for accountability at parastatals and other State enterprises after revelations that the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) was allegedly being looted by Zanu PF and government officials, while also funding ruling party activities.
First Lady Grace Mugabe is expected to be the guest of honour at the fundraising dinner for next month’s Zanu PF conference, where corporates will pay $100 000 for 10 people on a platinum table, gold $50 000, silver $30 000 and bronze $10 000.
Tajamuka/Sesjikile spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi yesterday said they will not tolerate a situation where some corporates, who were are failing to pay their employees, donate huge sums of money to Zanu PF activities.
“We want to warn corporates against donating money or in kind towards that Zanu PF fundraising dinner. We will not only name and shame them, but we will bring the struggle right to their doorsteps. Businesses have an obligation to uphold the values and principles of good governance and they are not exempt from good public standing,” he said.
“We call upon [President Robert] Mugabe to abandon that stupid dinner. They have looted billions of dollars and what more do they need? We know they want to raise money to sponsor more violence and we want the business community to abstain from this ill-conceived process. We can’t have this in the midst of poverty.”
Zimbabwe Activists Alliance also criticised the competition to race to fund Zanu PF at the expense of workers.
MDC spokesperson, Kurauone Chihwayi said: “The MDC will never allow these desperate criminals to get away with this daylight robbery. Parastatals are, therefore, advised not to finance Zanu PF’s criminal activities meant to prolong their controversial stay in office.”
He said they had received intelligence reports that part of the money would be used to sponsor violence.
Transform Zimbabwe leader, Jacob Ngarivhume weighed in, saying companies should stand their ground against this form of extortion.
People’s Democratic Party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said: “We, as the public, must demand the money back and we should demand it by going to court. This is a violation of political financing rules.”
Obert Gutu, the MDC-T spokesperson, said most companies and businesses were struggling because of the harsh economic conditions that had been created by decades of Zanu PF’s “misrule, mismanagement, corruption and misgovernance.”
“Companies should flatly refuse to be forced to fund the operations of a political party that has literally ruined their business operations. Business owners should take a bold stand and refuse to be commandeered into bankrolling the operations of a party that has got absolutely no respect for the rule of law and private property rights,” he said.
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