News / National
Zanu-PF hijacks internet service providers for its virtual conference
23 Aug 2021 at 06:49hrs | Views
Zanu-PF has commandeered several internet services providers to provide free internet services during the ruling party's annual conference to be held virtually in October.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, provincial delegates will attend the annual conference virtually while only a small number of people will gather at Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) in Mashonaland province which is the main host of the event.
Provincial delegates will virtually attend the meeting from different centres where large television screens will be mounted.
Matebeleland North minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo, sold the ruling party's plot out when he summoned representatives of mobile network services providers in Bulawayo to attend the province's conference preparatory meeting last week.
The meeting was held on Friday at the party's Lupane offices.
"On the 11th of August 2021, Minister Moyo wrote a letter to our organization inviting us to a Zanu-PF congress planning meeting at the party's offices in Lupane. The meeting was held on Friday," a source who attended the meeting meeting said.
Moyo is also Zanu-PF ‘s Matebeleland North provincial chairperson.
According to Moyo's letter which was seen by New Zimbabwe.com, some of the mobile network service providers who were invited to Friday meeting include TelOne, NetOne, Telecel, Transmedia and Econet.
Representatives of state broadcaster ZBC, Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Publicity and Lupane State University also attended the meeting.
"Of all the invited companies only Econet did not attend. During the meeting, the party requested free services for the event. Each and every company was assigned a role to play in the installation of high powered internet services at the congress ‘s provincial venue," another source said.
The sources said the companies were asked to foot all their own travelling expenses from Bulawayo to Lupane.
Similar internet services are expected to be set up in other provinces.
Zanu-PF has previously been widely accused of abusing state institutions and coercing private entities to fund its activities.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, provincial delegates will attend the annual conference virtually while only a small number of people will gather at Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) in Mashonaland province which is the main host of the event.
Provincial delegates will virtually attend the meeting from different centres where large television screens will be mounted.
Matebeleland North minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo, sold the ruling party's plot out when he summoned representatives of mobile network services providers in Bulawayo to attend the province's conference preparatory meeting last week.
The meeting was held on Friday at the party's Lupane offices.
"On the 11th of August 2021, Minister Moyo wrote a letter to our organization inviting us to a Zanu-PF congress planning meeting at the party's offices in Lupane. The meeting was held on Friday," a source who attended the meeting meeting said.
Moyo is also Zanu-PF ‘s Matebeleland North provincial chairperson.
According to Moyo's letter which was seen by New Zimbabwe.com, some of the mobile network service providers who were invited to Friday meeting include TelOne, NetOne, Telecel, Transmedia and Econet.
Representatives of state broadcaster ZBC, Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Publicity and Lupane State University also attended the meeting.
"Of all the invited companies only Econet did not attend. During the meeting, the party requested free services for the event. Each and every company was assigned a role to play in the installation of high powered internet services at the congress ‘s provincial venue," another source said.
The sources said the companies were asked to foot all their own travelling expenses from Bulawayo to Lupane.
Similar internet services are expected to be set up in other provinces.
Zanu-PF has previously been widely accused of abusing state institutions and coercing private entities to fund its activities.
Source - newzimbabwe
