‘CCC, MDC-T too poor to hold congresses’

OPPOSITION Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) and the MDC-T cannot hold elective congresses because of funding challenges. CCC secretary-general Chalton Hwende said a congress required large sums of money which they did not have.

“The two biggest cost centres in a political party are: i) congress, ii) general elections. There is no sane party that holds both events in the same year because to have a congress for CCC, you need US$2 million and an election, a minimum of US$150 million. Politics is a very expensive game,” Hwende posted on Twitter.

“We are less than 12 months before an election and the three critical priority areas are: i) voter registration, ii) candidate selection and iii) polling agents training, fundraising.”

CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere and her deputy Gift Siziba said the party was focusing on the 2023 elections, not holding a congress.

The newly-formed CCC party is operating with an interim leadership after the party’s launch in January.

Sources in MDC-T told NewsDay that knives were out for MDCT leader Douglas Mwonzora, who stands accused of squandering funds meant for the congress.

“At the moment, Mwonzora is comfortable with the current setup. He (Mwonzora) squandered funds which were meant for congress and he does not want the congress anytime soon because he also wants to consolidate his power after a heavy defeat in the byelection,” a source said.

Meanwhile, Former MDC-T Harare chairperson and losing Epworth parliamentary candidate Zivai Mhetu yesterday said he has received a letter from the MDC-T party acknowledging that he had dissociated himself from the party.

“At the moment, I am now commenting as political commentator since I am no longer in their structures, but I want to tell you that power corrupts. Mwonzora ceased to be the President of the party on December 29, 2021, the congress was supposed to have been held on December 29 or before,” he said

Contacted for comment yesterday, MDC-T spokesperson Witness Dube said he would comment later, but his mobile phone was no longer reachable.