This was after Zanu PF acting national commissar Patrick
Chinamasa last week announced that the party was targeting vendors, small-scale
miners and farmers to raise $140 million to support its 2023 campaign.
A party resource mobilisation committee led by businessman
Philip Chiyangwa was recently appointed.
But vendors’ representatives, who spoke to NewsDay, said
their members were in financial distress due to the effects of the COVID-19
pandemic and the recent demolition of their stalls which disrupted their
operations.
Zimbabwe Informal Sectors Organisation executive director
Promise Mkwananzi said: “Vendors are free to join any political party of their
choice and they can even choose to subscribe to financially support that party.
But they must not be forced. I am not sure which vendors Zanu PF wants the funding
from. Barely a month ago, the Zanu PF government ventured into a clean-up
exercise and destroyed the livelihoods of people.”
He said this resulted in homelessness, starvation and
failure of vendors to run businesses.
“Zanu PF cannot win the vote of the people through
demanding cash. Rather, it should formalise their (vendors) trade. With
complete satisfaction of adequate service delivery, the vote of the vendors is
guaranteed,” he said.
Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation
executive director Samuel Wadzai said vendors should not be forced to
contribute to Zanu PF’s electoral campaign.
“A vendor cannot be stopped from funding political parties,
but it must be voluntary compliance. However, the request for funding will be
difficult especially during the pandemic. Vendors are not earning. They are
struggling to put food on the table, let alone provide other basics for their
families. Therefore, whichever political party is seeking financial assistance
from the vendors should be at peace with their failure to meet their
expectations. No force should be used.”
Political analyst Eldred Masunungure said Zanu PF’s
strategy to mobilise funds from low-income earners was aimed at instilling fear
and coercing them to vote for it in the 2023 elections.
“It’s not the first time the ruling party has sought to
raise funds from vulnerable economic groups. Its target is not to raise funds,
but to coerce people to vote for them. The low-income earners know very well
the consequences of failing to comply with the ruling party directive. Who
wants to risk losing their farms, mining claims or vendors’ stalls as
punishment for refusing to comply with the directive?” he asked.
Zanu PF is targeting five million votes to win the upcoming
elections. Newsday
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