Fresh war erupts between Chamisa and Mwonzora over $60 million windfall

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The MDC Alliance has queried the government’s swift disbursement of funds under the Political Parties Finance Act to the Douglas Mwonzora led-MDC-T, saying this never used to happen before the 2019 split.

Mwonzora’s party was on Friday given $59 940 000 by the government while Zanu PF got a whopping $140 million, igniting fresh debate about the MDC-T and MDC Alliance battle over the control of funds meant for parties with a sizeable representation in Parliament.

“There is a High Court judgment that says the money must not be distributed to anyone until the legal dispute is resolved,” Timba said.

“But alas, both the Zanu PF government and its surrogate do not respect the rule of law.”–

Timba added: “Zanu PF needs to keep its surrogate funded in the same way Renamo was funded by the Rhodesians to fight and tire Zanla forces before they crossed over to fight the Rhodesians.”

He said in 2018 and 2019, the MDC Alliance was given its money without any problems, but trouble started in March last year when the government started giving the allocation to the MDC-T.

Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi yesterday defended the government’s position on the distribution of the money.

“They (MDC Alliance) lost the case, there is no such ruling barring government from releasing money to the MDC-T. If they have the ruling, can they show you?” Ziyambi said.

“Mwonzora is what we know. If they have any claim, they should go and make the claim to him because he is the one we gave.

“We know the leader of the opposition is Mwonzora.”

Ziyambi said the MDC Alliance should leave the government out of its fight against the MDC-T.

On allegations that government was propping Mwonzora, Ziyambi said: “That is a lie; just like saying government is not procuring vaccines.

“The disbursement was done in February and parties wrote asking for supplementary budgets, citing changed circumstances.

“(Patrick) Chinamasa (Zanu PF) wrote and Paurina Mupariwa (MDC-T) also wrote and I attached a support letter to the minister of Finance. He approved it and released the funds.

“The mere reason that the MDC Alliance did not write asking for the funds shows that they know that they are not entitled to it.”

Mwonzora’s spokesperson Lloyd Damba said the disbursement of the money by government was transparent.

“Allocation of funds under the Political Parties Finance Act is not something which is new,” Damba said.

“Political parties have always been benefiting from the Act, including Chamisa.

“Why would they make a fuss now when Douglas Mwonzora is now the beneficiary? After all, the fund is being allocated in a transparent manner, in line with the dictates of the constitution.

“Chamisa and his allies should know that these are the consequences of failing to respect the court orders and the constitution of the MDC-T, which they disregarded and pursued politics of individualism.”

– The Standard