ZANU PF has reportedly ordered civil servants to contribute at least $10 each towards the ruling party’s annual conference set for Masvingo next month.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
A donation form circulating in Masvingo, reportedly prepared by the party for fundraising towards the annual conference, states that each civil servant should contribute at least $10 towards the annual jamboree, whose budget is pegged at over $4 million.
Part of the form, which has already been given to teachers at various schools, reads: “This is being done at ward level for all civil servants and businesspeople. We are expecting help of a minimum of $10 to assist us to run the conference in Masvingo.”
Zanu PF secretary for finance Obert Mpofu said he was unsure if the form circulating in the said areas had been sanctioned by the national leadership, raising fears that people could be swindled.
“I don’t know if those people are representing the party or not. It could be the provincial leadership doing it or not. Even conmen would do that. As a party, we have a mechanism of fundraising for the party and our programmes,” he said.
Acting Zanu PF Masvingo chairperson Amasa Nenjana could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Some civil servants described the demand as tantamount to extortion, as they were being “forced by a ward chairperson to do so”, particularly in Gutu.
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The demands come after reports that traditional leaders were also demanding 50 cents from each household to fund the party’s December fiesta, while threatening to withhold food aid to drought-stricken villagers who fail to contribute.
The conference is set to run between December 13 and 17, with over 6 000 delegates expected to attend.
Recently, Zanu PF attracted the ire of opposition parties over the $4m budget for their one-week conference, considering the country is facing serious economic challenges at the moment.
The party claimed it raised $3,7m from a fundraising dinner hosted by First Lady Grace Mugabe, but sources claim most of pledges made had not been met, leaving the party to scrounge for new sources of money.
The host province is expected to raise $100 000.
