Opinion / Columnist
Mwonzora gleefully awaiting $2.72 m PPFA payout - reason why MDC will sell-out again come 2023
08 Jan 2021 at 19:03hrs | Views
"Only Zanu-PF and MDC-T will share the $100 million allocated in the 2021 National Budget under the Political Parties Finance Act as all other parties failed to get at least five percent of the constituency votes in the 2018 election," reported Herald.
"The $25 million budget of last year was quadrupled to $100 million in this year's budget to help compensate for inflation. The constituent parties that made up the MDC-Alliance are treated separately for the purposes of sharing the money, which is why only the largest, the MDC-T, exceeded the five percent threshold."
In 2019 MDC-T got $3.4 millions and as the party's leader then, Nelson Chamisa, reportedly got 20% or $680 000! Douglas Mwonzora is the new leader and, no doubt, he is rubbing his hands in gleeful anticipation of the $2.72 million!
Some people have often asked why the various MDC factions and the rest in the opposition camp participated in the 2013 elections even when it was clear Zanu PF was rigging the elections. Here is half the answer, they had their beady eyes on the annual Political Party Finance Act (PPFA) payout. And for the lucky few who go on to win the few parliamentary and senatorial seats there is the generous salary and allowances.
Ever since the 2008 to 2013 GNU Zanu PF has learned that the party can retain its dictatorial powers and rig the elections just as it did in 2008 but this time get away without any censor as long as the party enticed the opposition to participate in the elections regardless how flawed and illegal the process happened to be.
Zanu PF had just the honey pot to entice the opposition - the few gravy train seats plus the annual payout from the PPFA. A small price to pay for political legitimacy for the vote rigging Zanu PF!
Morgan Tsvangirai complained that Zanu PF "stole the 2013 elections" and his party made a congress resolution not to participate in future elections until the reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging are implemented. "No reform! No Elections!"
Tsvangirai and company soon forgot about the party resolution on reforms as they all geared up to contest the 2018 elections; the Zanu PF honey pot was just too enticing to resist!
Zanu PF leaders, for their part, are so cocksure of the opposition participating and giving them legitimacy they have dismissed those calling for reforms with contempt!
"Zanu PF ichatonga! Igotonga! Imi muchingohukura! Nokuhukura!" (Zanu PF will rule! And rule! Whilst you (calling for reforms) bark! And bark!) Mnangagwa has often boasted, publicly.
Zanu PF failed to produce something as basic and fundamental to free, fair and credible elections as a verified voters' roll; a legal and common sense requirement. And still the opposition participated and in droves.
There were 23 candidates in the presidential race and 130 political parties and numerous independent candidates contested for the 210 parliamentary seats. Mnangagwa presented these figures as proof the July 2018 elections were free, fair and credible!
"It is our hope that Treasury disburses the (PPFA) money early so that the political parties concerned will be able to carry out their duties. We will obviously engage Treasury with regard to that issue," said Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.
No need to worry Minister!
Treasury has rarely, paid more than 20% or so of the budget allocation for such ministries as education and health and hence the reason why education and health care have all but collapsed. But when it comes to paying politicians their salaries, allowance, PPFA payout, etc. Treasury has always paid every penny and quick smart.
The root cause of Zimbabwe's economic meltdown; which has left over 50% of our people living in abject poverty; is the country's failure to hold free, fair and credible elections. The country has been stuck for 40 years now with a corrupt and incompetent Zanu PF regime and the criminal waste of the nation's human and material resources has left the country in economic ruins. We have failed to remove Zanu PF from power because the party rigged the elections.
The nation had its best opportunity to end the Zanu PF dictatorship during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when all Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends were tasked to do was implement the democratic reforms. MDC leaders have not only failed to implement even one reform but they are now giving the vote rigging Zanu PF regime legitimacy by participating in flawed and illegal elections.
Nelson Chamisa and his MDC A, Douglas Mwonzora and his MDC-T and all the other 23 candidates in July 2018 presidential race, the 130 political parties and numerous independent candidates in the 210 parliamentary races are all gearing for the 2023 elections. They all know with not even one token reform implemented, Zanu PF will rig the elections; they don't care. All they care about is the honey pot of the few gravy train seats plus the PPFA payout!
After 40 years of rigged elections, it is for the ordinary Zimbabweans to end this madness by demand that the country's opposition politicians place implementing the democratic reforms and delivering free, fair and credible above the selfish personal gains. Zimbabweans must withhold their support to all parties and individuals unless they give a cast-iron guarantee they will not participate in future elections until reforms are implemented.
Zanu PF has the coercive means to force people to attend its rallies but not so with the opposition. A discredited opposition cannot give the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy!
The people of Zimbabwe must wake up to the reality that MDC leaders like Chamisa, Mwonzora, Biti and the rest in the opposition camp are now after the honey pot Zanu PF is offering them and have completely forgotten about reforms and the fight for free, fair and credible elections.
"The $25 million budget of last year was quadrupled to $100 million in this year's budget to help compensate for inflation. The constituent parties that made up the MDC-Alliance are treated separately for the purposes of sharing the money, which is why only the largest, the MDC-T, exceeded the five percent threshold."
In 2019 MDC-T got $3.4 millions and as the party's leader then, Nelson Chamisa, reportedly got 20% or $680 000! Douglas Mwonzora is the new leader and, no doubt, he is rubbing his hands in gleeful anticipation of the $2.72 million!
Some people have often asked why the various MDC factions and the rest in the opposition camp participated in the 2013 elections even when it was clear Zanu PF was rigging the elections. Here is half the answer, they had their beady eyes on the annual Political Party Finance Act (PPFA) payout. And for the lucky few who go on to win the few parliamentary and senatorial seats there is the generous salary and allowances.
Ever since the 2008 to 2013 GNU Zanu PF has learned that the party can retain its dictatorial powers and rig the elections just as it did in 2008 but this time get away without any censor as long as the party enticed the opposition to participate in the elections regardless how flawed and illegal the process happened to be.
Zanu PF had just the honey pot to entice the opposition - the few gravy train seats plus the annual payout from the PPFA. A small price to pay for political legitimacy for the vote rigging Zanu PF!
Morgan Tsvangirai complained that Zanu PF "stole the 2013 elections" and his party made a congress resolution not to participate in future elections until the reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging are implemented. "No reform! No Elections!"
Tsvangirai and company soon forgot about the party resolution on reforms as they all geared up to contest the 2018 elections; the Zanu PF honey pot was just too enticing to resist!
Zanu PF leaders, for their part, are so cocksure of the opposition participating and giving them legitimacy they have dismissed those calling for reforms with contempt!
"Zanu PF ichatonga! Igotonga! Imi muchingohukura! Nokuhukura!" (Zanu PF will rule! And rule! Whilst you (calling for reforms) bark! And bark!) Mnangagwa has often boasted, publicly.
Zanu PF failed to produce something as basic and fundamental to free, fair and credible elections as a verified voters' roll; a legal and common sense requirement. And still the opposition participated and in droves.
There were 23 candidates in the presidential race and 130 political parties and numerous independent candidates contested for the 210 parliamentary seats. Mnangagwa presented these figures as proof the July 2018 elections were free, fair and credible!
"It is our hope that Treasury disburses the (PPFA) money early so that the political parties concerned will be able to carry out their duties. We will obviously engage Treasury with regard to that issue," said Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.
No need to worry Minister!
Treasury has rarely, paid more than 20% or so of the budget allocation for such ministries as education and health and hence the reason why education and health care have all but collapsed. But when it comes to paying politicians their salaries, allowance, PPFA payout, etc. Treasury has always paid every penny and quick smart.
The root cause of Zimbabwe's economic meltdown; which has left over 50% of our people living in abject poverty; is the country's failure to hold free, fair and credible elections. The country has been stuck for 40 years now with a corrupt and incompetent Zanu PF regime and the criminal waste of the nation's human and material resources has left the country in economic ruins. We have failed to remove Zanu PF from power because the party rigged the elections.
The nation had its best opportunity to end the Zanu PF dictatorship during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when all Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends were tasked to do was implement the democratic reforms. MDC leaders have not only failed to implement even one reform but they are now giving the vote rigging Zanu PF regime legitimacy by participating in flawed and illegal elections.
Nelson Chamisa and his MDC A, Douglas Mwonzora and his MDC-T and all the other 23 candidates in July 2018 presidential race, the 130 political parties and numerous independent candidates in the 210 parliamentary races are all gearing for the 2023 elections. They all know with not even one token reform implemented, Zanu PF will rig the elections; they don't care. All they care about is the honey pot of the few gravy train seats plus the PPFA payout!
After 40 years of rigged elections, it is for the ordinary Zimbabweans to end this madness by demand that the country's opposition politicians place implementing the democratic reforms and delivering free, fair and credible above the selfish personal gains. Zimbabweans must withhold their support to all parties and individuals unless they give a cast-iron guarantee they will not participate in future elections until reforms are implemented.
Zanu PF has the coercive means to force people to attend its rallies but not so with the opposition. A discredited opposition cannot give the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy!
The people of Zimbabwe must wake up to the reality that MDC leaders like Chamisa, Mwonzora, Biti and the rest in the opposition camp are now after the honey pot Zanu PF is offering them and have completely forgotten about reforms and the fight for free, fair and credible elections.
Source - zimbabwelight.blogspot.com
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