SOME Zanu PF supporters are reportedly disgruntled after the party increased membership fees to US$3 from US$1 to raise funds ahead of the 2023 polls.
The membership cards are renewed annually.
Zanu PF national political commissar Mike Bimha yesterday confirmed the new fees.
“I have never heard any complaint about our membership cards; they are actually in high demand. Those raising the complaints are malicious people. I am even receiving phone calls from people who are demanding our cards. What we are charging is just the cost of the material we are using to produce the cards. They cannot just come from nowhere,”Bimha said.
“Why would anyone refuse such a simple offer to pay just US$3 for the entire year? We can’t fundraise with that money — those are malicious allegations.”
A senior Zanu PF party member told NewsDay that following complaints from some party members, they approached the commissariat department to seek a downward review of the membership fee.
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“We have approached the commissariat department complaining over the money they are charging us to get membership cards.
“The party members believe that the card is too expensive. In some areas they are travelling to the party offices using their own money for transport to get the cards,” the senior party member said.
“We are going to the 2023 elections and we believe this is a strategy to raise money ahead of the elections.”
Meanwhile, Bimha told NewsDay that preparations for the Zanu PF elective congress were at an advanced stage.
“The just held central committee elections were part of our preparations for congress,” he said
Bimha said the congress would be held in the capital soon.
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