'No donations without Zanu-PF approval'

Zanu-PF Zaka District Coordinating Committee (DCC) has banned party members from doing charity work like donating goods without knowledge and approval from the DCC, sitting councilor and respective Member of Parliament (MP).

The move is meant to bar aspiring MPs and councillors from campaigning indirectly as has been the case.

In a communication that circulated in Zanu-PF social media platforms, the DCC said failure to abide by  new regulations by party members was going to attract disciplinary action.

"Members are advised not to distribute any donations, financial or material, without the knowledge of DCC or sitting MPs. This position was taken by the DCC in order to strengthen unity and peace in the party

"Distribution by non-state actors in our wards should be done with councillors who in turn inform their MPs. A violation of this position by Zanu-PF cadres attracts disciplinary action over such. Anyone who wants clarity on this position can contact the DCC Chairman," reads the memo.

However, Zaka DCC secretary for information Pepukai Chiwewe dismissed the communication saying they did not ban donations but as a party, they wanted to foster unity and development.

He said in the meantime, the party was only campaigning for the president so party members, councillors and MPs should work together to foster development and show a united front.

"We urged our members to do donations in presence of the MP or councillor so that we do not seem to be fueling divisions. That shows we are working together. Currently we are not campaigning for any other position. We are only campaigning for the president so there is no problem in people going together to do charity work and campaign for the president," said Chiwewe.

However, sources within the party in Zaka district said this move was a result of fear among  sitting councillors and MPs as aspiring candidates are already campaigning indirectly.

"The MPs are afraid of competition from aspiring candidates and they want to ban them from indirectly campaigning. A number of aspiring candidates have already started doing charity work in the constituencies especially in Zaka Central where there are a number of candidates," said the source

Another source said sitting MPs in Zaka are afraid of competition and want to use their positions in the DCC and Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) positions to elbow out rivals.

Clemence Chiduwa of Zaka East and Davison Svuure of Zaka Central are DCC Chairperson and vice chairperson respectively.

Robson Mavhenyengwa of Zaka North is Masvingo Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) vice Chairperson and Zaka West's Ophias Murambiwa is the PCC secretary for Information.