Shongedzai Mugwagwa

The Nelson Chamisa-led MDC has been hit by a financial pinch which has required it to dig deeper into members’ pockets to fund travel, food and accommodation costs for its congress delegates set to meet in Gweru this Wednesday to elect new party leadership, the Harare Post can report.

In a telephone interview with one of the sources inside the Harvest House, the Harare Post can exclusively report that, in a meeting held on Sunday, the MDC has ordered its members to dig deeper and fund the crunch and contested Gweru congress slated for this week.

Interestingly, the party last month said it will splurge close to $2 million on delegates, who will attend the crunch May 24 congress in Gweru.

An insider told this reporter that the party was expecting to fund their contested congress using the political parties money they will be given by Government. Unfortunately, the money was not disbursed because of the pending High Court issue which is implicating the party.

Giving an update on the congress preparations yesterday, party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said because of the failing economy, the costs of hosting the congress continued to skyrocket and the party would be relying on its members for funding.

“Our road in funding the congress is that of a struggle as we rely on our members and on our people,” he said.

However, an insider said that Chamisa has ordered members to make sure that the congress come into fruition since the money they were expecting could not be disbursed because of the High Court stalemate.

“Things are not well for us here. We were asked by the meeting to fund for the congress since the money we were expecting could not be disbursed. The party was basing on the disbursement from Government through the political parties money but since there is a lot of controversy surrounding the legitimacy of the party leadership through the High Court judgement, the money could not be dispersed,” he said.

This new development comes at the backdrop of MDC claiming to have funded and secured food and accommodation for its delegates despite the cash crunch.

In the wake of a High Court ruling which nullified Chamisa’s presidency, Mafume said the forthcoming congress will not be stopped by the high court ruling.

Interestingly, the party said it has invited outsiders to run its elections for all contested positions in an effort to promote transparency and fairness.

The MDC went through several splits under the leadership of the late Morgan Tsvangirai, denying them a critical outright victory against former President Robert Mugabe in the crunch 2008 general election which had to be decided via a presidential run-off.

Meanwhile, the Mashonaland East Provincial Chairman, Anthony Mutodza advised the crunch meeting on 16 May at Harvest House that foreign funding towards the congress has been withdrawn due to the pending High Court ruling.

Reports reaching this newsroom have revealed that there is so much murmuring and disgruntlement over the decision by the party forcing members to fork out money from their pockets to fund the congress.