Will money influence Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections?

ZANU-PF already has a head start over the MDC as the country heads for the 2018 elections. According to the Sunday Mail the government has disbursed $9 million to the two parties with ZANU-PF getting $6 126 633.17 while the MDC-T received $1 873 663.83.

ZANU-PF has been preparing for elections even before Robert Mugabe left. It bought 365 campaign vehicles last year.

National political commissar Engelbert Rugele said the party had ordered 15 million T-shirts, 15 million caps and two million wrappers for women.

“We want to paint the country with our regalia so that out of every three people you meet‚ two will be in ZANU-PF party regalia,” he said.

Philani Moyo of Fort Hare University told the Times: “We are likely to see ZANU-PF out-spending other political parties on regalia‚ campaign vehicles and a sustained media blitz in terms of visibility.

“I foresee ZANU-PF being miles ahead of the MDC Alliance/People’s Rainbow Coalition by the end of May. Whether that will translate into votes will be known once election results are announced.”

One activist, however, told one of the authors of Why Mugabe won: “Food and T-shirts made a difference” in the 2013 elections.

“Ten years ago you would not see a youth wearing a ZANU-PF T-shirt and cap- now it is usual. That has an impact- it gives people the impression that ZANU-PF has people.”

According to another activist: “If there is a sea of green T-shirts, you begin to feel isolated.”

The only question is: Has the MDC learnt its lesson?

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