Zanu-PF extends begging bowl to ailing firms

ZANU-PF Bulawayo province has extended a begging bowl to the city's struggling companies, its party members and ordinary residents to raise about $50 000 for President Robert Mugabe's upcoming campaign rally in the city at the end of the month.

Bulawayo will host the Presidential youth interface rally at White City Stadium in the last week of September.

The province has set itself a target of raising $50 000 for the event, with expectations to attract 50 000 people to the stadium, whose holding capacity is estimated at less than 20 000.

Provincial chairperson, Dennis Ndlovu told Southern Eye yesterday the party has hit the ground running appealing for donations in "cash or kind" to host the 93-year-old Zanu-PF leader.

"As a province, we are busy preparing for the Presidential youth interface rally," he said.

"We have set up committees to lead the fundraising and plan for the event.

"We have received donations from those that are close to us, but they are not enough.

"We are asking anyone, ordinary party members, residents and businesses to assist us in our fundraising efforts.

"There is no limit as to what one person or company can donate, we accept all kinds of donations."

Mugabe comes to Bulawayo at a time when factionalism and intra-party fighting is rampant in the city's Zanu-PF provincial structures.

Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko was last month told that intra-party clashes were likely to affect preparations for the interface rally.

But, Ndlovu was adamant yesterday that the divisions "will not affect the youth interface rally".

"We have ironed out our differences, but of course here and there you will find one or two people who will want to cause chaos," he said.

Midlands hosts Mugabe today.

Zanu-PF has used the rallies to declare that it has already won the 2018 harmonised elections.