Chamisa's CCC crowdsources for funding

NEWLY-formed Citizens Coalition of Change (CCC) has opted to crowdsource for its electoral campaigns after the government last week disbursed $150 million (about US$1, 3 million at the official exchange rate) through the Political Parties Finance Act to Zanu-PF and the MDC-T.

The CCC party led by Nelson Chamisa was formed last week after it dumped its previous name, MDC Alliance which it used in the 2018 elections after a rival faction said it would use the name in the March 26 by-elections.

As MDC Alliance, the party won 88 National Assembly seats and 25 senate seats. MDC-T did not win a single seat.

Last week, the government published an Extraordinary Government Gazette stating that Zanu-PF will receive $350 million, while the MDC-T will get $149 million.

CCC treasurer-general David Coltart yesterday told NewsDay that the Chamisa-led party has no option but to raise funds through crowd-sourcing "to defend the people's vote".

Coltart, however, declined to divulge the exact figure that has been raised so far, saying that it was confidential information.

"The money is to finance preparations for the elections as the money that was supposed to be given to us since 2018 through the Political Parties (Finance) Act was illegally given to MDC-T," Coltart said.

He said the MDC-T got less than 5% of the 2018 votes and, therefore, it was illegal for it to claim that the money was its.

In 2018, Chamisa, then as leader of the MDC Alliance, narrowly lost the presidential elections after garnering 44,3% compared to President Emmerson Mnangagwa's 50,8% votes.

Currently, Douglas Mwonzora claims he is the MDC Alliance leader, after recalling 133 elected Parliamentary and local government officials for being part of the MDC-A, while Thokozani Khupe says she is the leader of MDC-T which she claims must receive the funds from government.