Categories: News

MDC-T says cars to chiefs are a bribe to oil ZANU-campaign machinery

Movement for Democratic Change sectary-general Douglas Mwonzora says the recent decision by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to give vehicles to the country’s 280 chiefs is an evil system based on patronage and is aimed at oiling the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front’s ruthless campaign machinery.

“By giving the chiefs cars the government of @edmnangagwa is not being benevolent. They are oiling a ruthless campaign machinery. This evil system is based on patronage. @zanu_pf is weak structurally hence the use of traditional leaders,” he tweeted.

Mnangagwa gave out the first 52 vehicles at the weekend and promised that each chief will have his or her own car before the elections.

Zimbabweans are questioning the move since they believe that the government is cash-strapped and vehicles to chiefs are not a priority.

Mnangagwa has promised free, fair, credible and transparent elections but his critics say he is already rigging the elections by favouring areas where the expanded biometric voter registration is taking place and giving cars to chiefs.

Jonathan Moyo also claims that Mnangagwa has embedded more than 2 000 poll soldiers throughout the country to influence the 2018 elections.

(204 VIEWS)

This post was last modified on January 17, 2018 11:07 am

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

Recent Posts

Who propped whom: Masiyiwa vs Nyambirai?

A friend who knows about my legal battle with Zimbabwe’s richest man, Strive Masiyiwa, way…

May 1, 2026

Britain says amendment of the Zimbabwean Constitution is a sovereign, legislative matter for Zimbabwe to decide

Britain says amendment of the Zimbabwe constitution is a sovereign, legislative matter for Zimbabwe to…

March 24, 2026

Who started the war?

It is now 47 years since I wrote the short story below for a South…

March 4, 2026

Zimbabwe 2026 monetary policy statement at a glance

Zimbabwe has released its 2026 monetary policy statement in which it seeks to stabilise its…

March 1, 2026

Was Chombo Mugabe’s number two?

Far from it, on paper that is. Ignatius Chombo was one of the longest serving…

February 6, 2026

Zimbabwe’s 2026 citizen’s budget

Zimbabwe on Thursday announced a ZiG290.9 billion budget with revenue expected to be ZiG287.6 billion,…

November 30, 2025