TREASURY has released $3,4 million to the opposition MDC
under the Political Parties Finance Act.
The money was released two weeks ago following months of
bickering, with the opposition party accusing government of withholding the
funds to sabotage its activities.
MDC treasurer-general David Coltart confirmed the
development.“Yes, we have received the interim amount of $3,4 million. We are
expecting more – about $1,9 million,” Coltart said.
Coltart said the delay in the release of the funds was
meant to frustrate the opposition party.
“The money is now worth a fraction of what it did when it
should have been paid. There is no doubt the delay was designed to frustrate
us,” Coltart said yesterday.
“It certainly undermined our capacity to fight the various
by-elections such as Lupane and Mangwe.”
The MDC has been accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s
administration of deliberately withholding the money to cripple its activities,
including campaigning for by-elections while the ruling party enjoys a
competitive advantage by abusing State resources for campaigns.
Former MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora in April
claimed government’s failure to release the funds forced the party into a
logistical nightmare in preparing the party’s first elective congress after the
death of founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai in February last year.
The Political Parties Finance Act requires government to
pay any political party with 5% and more political representation in
Parliament. Newsday
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