PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has positioned self-styled Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) secretary-general, Sengezo Tshabangu, as the new face of opposition as the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) project faces collapse due to underfunding.
Mnangagwa established Polad after the disputed 2018 elections as a platform where he regularly met that year’s losing presidential candidates.
Former opposition leader Nelson Chamisa refused to join Polad, describing it as a Zanu PF cheerleaders club.
The financing of the Polad project has raised eyebrows amid reports that public funds were being diverted to fund Mnangagwa’s political project.
After the 2023 elections, Mnangagwa extended an invitation to presidential candidates for a second round of Polad discussions.
NewsDay established that the political parties grouping is now on life support with underfunding cited as the main reason.
Polad spokesperson, Francis Danha, confirmed that the forum was on pause due to financial constraints, and other “national commitments”.
“We paused and we are yet to reconvene and I think the reasons were due to financial constraints,” Danha said.
- Mr President, you missed the opportunity to be the veritable voice of conscience
- ED to commission new-look border post
- Zanu PF ready for congress
- EU slams Zim over delayed reforms
Keep Reading
“We are yet to reconstitute a budget so that we resume the dialogue process. We understand that there were more serious national commitments that hindered us.
“But we are ready for the dialogue process to continue.”
Danha claimed that Polad was beneficial to Zimbabwe.
“So I do not think we are dead yet, we are just on a pause and yet to resume,” Danha said.
With the Polad project under threat, Tshabangu is now the face of the opposition.
He has become a regular figure at State events, most notably appearing at the State House last week.
He was also invited to the recent Southern African Development Community Heads of State and Government Summit where Mnangagwa assumed the chairmanship of the regional bloc.
Mnangagwa’s administration is also set to reward Tshabangu’s camp with millions of ZiG under the Political Parties Finances Act after he hijacked the CCC from Chamisa.
Tshabangu’s spokesperson, Kaliphani Phugeni, however, distanced himself from Polad discussions, emphasising his boss’ commitment to working closely with government.
“I don’t know what is happening regarding Polad,” Phugeni said.
“What I know is that Tshabangu made it clear even when he started assuming all these responsibilities that he wants to work closely with the government of the day.
“It is not more about being made the face of the opposition but the position which he assumed and took to heart.”
Some political parties, including MDC-T, refused to join, arguing that Polad was a vehicle for Mnangagwa’s 2030 agenda and potential term extension.
CCC deputy chairperson, Albert Mhlanga, said the Polad project was a waste of time.
MDC-T presidential spokesperson Lloyd Damba also echoed the same sentiments.
“We were invited to join Polad, but we gave our reservations because of its institution document that specifically said only candidates who participated in the 2018 Presidential elections are members of Polad,” Damba said.
“Secondly we told them that they must include war veterans, traditional leaders, student and women organisations, CSOs [civil society organisations] and other important State actors.
“Without these we were not prepared to take part and we never did.”
Polad has been under fire from political analysts and several stakeholders for wasting taxpayers money holding workshops and flying outside the country despite lacking relevance on the political arena.
In 2021, Mnangagwa’s office used over US$1 million to purchase vehicles for at least 19 principals of different political parties who participated in the 2018 elections.
Polad principals have also been pampered with diplomatic passports and have been promised farms.
