News / Local
EU funds Bulawayo Agenda to spearhead voter education
27 Mar 2013 at 02:55hrs | Views
The European Union (EU) is reportedly funding Bulawayo Agenda and some off-shoots of the non-governmental organisation in smaller towns in Matabeleland region to spearhead voter education with a bias towards drumming up support for the MDC-T in the region, it emerged this week.
Documents obtained by The Herald reveal that State Enterprises and Parastatals Minister Gorden Moyo helped the NGO to secure funding from the EU, which was reportedly channelled through the British Embassy in Harare in November last year.
It is also understood that Bulawayo Agenda and other pressure groups were at the forefront of spearheading the so-called civic education and voter education in the region aimed at complementing MDC-T's ongoing voter mobilisation programme.
Most participants at these voter education training workshops are drawn from mainly MDC-T structures. Reports say the EU released millions of dollars last year and part of it was channelled to some NGOs to spearhead MDC-T programmes.
A letter leaked to State Media indicates that the executive director of Bulawayo Agenda, Mr Thabani Nyoni, allegedly wrote to one of the coordinators of their offshoot organisations, Ms Sicasisiwe Ndlovu of Gwanda Agenda on 8 November last year advising her about the money that had been secured for civic education and voter mobilisation.
It is, however, not clear how much money Bulawayo Agenda received for the Western sponsors as it was not indicated in the letter.
"We are pleased to inform you that following relentless efforts by Minister Gorden Moyo, the European Union, through the British Embassy has agreed to fund our civic education and voter mobilisation programme.
"The development means that we can now proceed with holding those training workshops on the programme as previously envisaged. Pursuant to that, you are hereby called upon to organise a convenient date and venue for the workshop in your area of operation as well as determine would be participants and other logistical arrangements," said the letter.
Documents obtained by The Herald reveal that State Enterprises and Parastatals Minister Gorden Moyo helped the NGO to secure funding from the EU, which was reportedly channelled through the British Embassy in Harare in November last year.
It is also understood that Bulawayo Agenda and other pressure groups were at the forefront of spearheading the so-called civic education and voter education in the region aimed at complementing MDC-T's ongoing voter mobilisation programme.
Most participants at these voter education training workshops are drawn from mainly MDC-T structures. Reports say the EU released millions of dollars last year and part of it was channelled to some NGOs to spearhead MDC-T programmes.
It is, however, not clear how much money Bulawayo Agenda received for the Western sponsors as it was not indicated in the letter.
"We are pleased to inform you that following relentless efforts by Minister Gorden Moyo, the European Union, through the British Embassy has agreed to fund our civic education and voter mobilisation programme.
"The development means that we can now proceed with holding those training workshops on the programme as previously envisaged. Pursuant to that, you are hereby called upon to organise a convenient date and venue for the workshop in your area of operation as well as determine would be participants and other logistical arrangements," said the letter.
Source - The Herald
