Smear campaigns intensify ahead of MDC-T congress

via Smear campaigns intensify ahead of MDC-T congress October 22, 2014

SOME MDC-T officials have started dirty campaigns ahead of the opposition party’s October 31 congress with the party women’s assembly boss Theresa Makone being the latest to be attacked for allegedly failing to account for money raised through various platforms.

Knives were reportedly out for the women’s assembly boss, who was on Monday under fire from youths after she allegedly attempted to address them in the dark after prepaid electricity at Harvest House headquarters ran out.

Insiders accused Makone of failing to account for money raised through the Ecocash platform. They alleged that she was using part of the funds to sponsor her campaigns.

But Makone said she was being targeted because of her popularity.

On Monday, MDC-T insiders said Makone was snubbed by party youths when she tried to address them in the dark following the expiry of their prepaid electricity.

“We told her that she can’t fit to be treasurer-general who wants to address us in the dark. She was forced to pay $20 for us to purchase electricity,” said a youth who attended the meeting.

But Makone denied that she wanted to address the youths. The former Home Affairs co-minister said she was on her way home when she was called by youths who wanted to “greet” her. She then found that there was no electricity at Harvest House.

“I then gave the youths money to buy electricity and they did that. Your source is a psychiatric patient and I would want him examined. I won’t mind paying for his medical expenses. They are targeting me because I am powerful and I like that, I am actually enjoying realising that I have power,” said Makone.

“People like to create side shows, nothing happened. To be honest with you, l have my driver and it is his duty to check for tyre pressure and fuel. That’s not an administrative function to check for those things. I am an executive person and I don’t do that. I am campaigning now and I am enjoying it.”

MDC-T sources, however, said last week, she was also under attack from the party youths who questioned why she was not paying for the servicing of Tsvangirai’s car which had deflated tyres outside Harvest House.

Makone rubbished the claims saying it was not her responsibility to make sure Tsvangirai’s car has pressure saying it was the obligation of the driver who “slept on the job”.

The MDC-T is set for its congress on October 31 and has seen camps emerging, one allegedly led by Makone that has spokesperson and aspiring secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora. The other camp has Nelson Chamisa and aspiring treasurer-general Tapiwa Mashakada.