In a move that has the potent of igniting widespread condemnation and criticism, the ruling Zanu PF party has reportedly ordered cash-strapped state-owned parastatals to finance its congress this week by buying exhibition space pegged at between US$3 000 and US$6000.
The Zanu PF 7th National People’s Congress is the first since the fall of the late Robert Mugabe who was humiliatingly deposed in a military coup that propelled current Zimbabwe leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to the presidency in November 2017.
And, in typical Mugabe fashion, Mnangagwa appears to be singing from the same template as that of his predecessor, whereby state enterprises and parastatals have been used as cash cows to fund ruling Zanu PF party events.
Mathematically, the party could potentially raise between US$321 000 and US$642 000 as Zimbabwe has 107 state enterprises and parastatals (statutory bodies set up by acts of Parliament and companies that are wholly or majority-owned by the State).
Zanu PF secretary for Finance Patrick Chinamasa asked the parastatals to exhibit at the impending congress, in two separate letters seen by a local daily- one under the Information Communication Technology (ICT) and another one in the transport sector
“The Zanu PF party is appealing for your co-operation to utilise space allocated to advertise your products and services during the Zanu PF 7th National People’s Congress scheduled for between October 26 and 29, 2022,” wrote Chinamasa.
“The party is selling exhibition space as follows: 6-metre x 3-metre cubicle, US$6 000 or ZWL equivalent at the official auction rate and for 3-metre x 3-metre cubicle US$3 000 or ZWL equivalent at official RBZ auction rate,” he added.
The letters were also copied to Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu and deputy secretary for finance Tshinga Dube.
A top official from a parastatal under the ICT ministry was quoted by the private-owned NewsDay as saying that most parastatals had no financial capacity to fund the exhibitions.
The source said the parastatals were ‘broke’ and that they ‘do not get government support but we are being forced to pay these large amounts to sponsor this event which is not fair on our part’.
“Where do we find such amount of money when there is not enough already to fund our retooling efforts?” questioned the source.
Mpofu refused to entertain questions from the media, saying Chinamasa was better placed to speak.
“I am at the farm and unable to verify the letter you are referring to. I will be in the office tomorrow (today), but why don’t you speak to Chinamasa,” he said.
However, neither Chinamasa nor Dube could be immediately reached for comment during the time of publishing.
Mnangagwa is using the 7th National People’s Congress to get the formal endorsement of representing the party as its sole presidential candidate in potentially explosive harmonised elections next year.
Zwnews
