Zimbabwe taxpayers are paying for ZANU-PF factionalism

A plan was mooted to “transform M&S Syndicate into a well-managed corporate for 2016” and “grow the revenue base”, the report recommended. This has not happened.

So, with member subscriptions falling, its businesses in ruin and the list of “well-wishers” thinning, ZANU-PF is desperate for money.

So, what is a party to do when it is broke but still desperate to portray itself to the outside world, and to its supporters, as a big and unconquerable machine?

With its leader angry for having to dip into his own pocket, it was clear that whoever brought the most offerings to his feet would get the most rewards.

The only money within the reach of party officials were those tax dollars in state coffers, so they dived right in.

Over recent weeks, a political war has played out in public over the alleged abuse of public funds by Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo. While the controversy has given us great political theatre, the bigger story is the evidence we are being handed, showing how ZANU-PF groups are pilfering tax money to pay for their competing ZANU-PF activities.

It has been happening for a while.

In 2014, Deputy Energy Minister Munacho Mutezo was accused of stealing $40 000 from the loss making power utility ZESA Holdings. His angry denial was useful: he had deposited the money into the Manicaland Women’s League bank account.

“I did not source ZESA money for my own pockets. All donations, including the ZESA money went to accounts controlled by the leadership of the party,” he was quoted as telling a reporter at the time. “I am not accountable to newspapers, but to ZANU-PF. Were you told how all the money raised for the ZANU-PF 6th National Congress was sourced?”

Again, just as Mutezo did in 2014, Moyo’s anger has been helpful: he says he spent the money on party programmes.

The Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (ZIMDEF), under Moyo’s ministry, earns its money from taking a one percent training levy from companies operating in Zimbabwe. The money is meant to develop critical skills for the economy.

Despite many companies going under, ZIMDEF is still raking in good money. At the end of last year, ZIMDEF had total income of close to $50 million, total reserves of $73 million and cash of $5 million.

This was money just waiting for the taking, it appears.

So, when the ZANU-PF youth league wanted fuel for its operations, 100 000 litres of fuel were signed off for the Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC). According to Moyo, that the fuel was for “transport to audit youth skills in construction industry.”

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