Staff reporter
Traditional funders and sympathizers of the Zimbabwe`s opposition have come out guns blazing over the misappropriation of funds they released to Gambakwe Media journalist and activist, Pardington Gambakwe for the holding of demonstrations in Zambia.
Reports reaching this publication are that benefactors who included some Foreign Missions, Non-Governmental Organisations, Civil Society Organisations and diasporans had mobilised close to US$5 million which was forwarded to Gambakwe to mobilise for protests at the SADC offices in Mlungushi. The demonstrations were slated for 11 July 2024 and were meant tocoincide with the holding of the SADC 26thordinary meeting of the Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
Organisers of the protests had hoped that Gambakwe would mobilise Zimbabweans located mainly in Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and locally to converge at Mlungushi in Zambia to register their disapproval of President Mnangagwa`sassumption of the chairmanship of the regional bloc arguing that the 2023 elections were not free and fair.
To this end, the opposition sympathisers poured in an estimated sum of US$5 million in hard cash to Gambakwe for the mobilisation and holding of protests that would arm twist SADC to alienate President Mnangagwa.
A close ally of Gambakwe who spoke to this publication in strict confidence for obvious reasons, stated that the funders were promising fireworks over the diversion of their money into personal pockets by Gambakwe.
”It is bad. The funders are fuming. They had hoped that the demonstrations were going to be successful and now they have just realised that they were duped. Pardington went overboard, he should have diverted just a small chunk not the whole US$5million”, he retorted.
Reports are that Gambakwe staged a one man demonstration away from the SADC offices and was subsequently arrested by the Zambian police which was evidently agitated by his activities.
Social media was awash with a video of the Zambian police bashing a handful of alleged protesters who had gathered for the demonstration. Gambakwe is said to have hoodwinked a few individuals who he had promised to pay US$50 each for participating in the demonstrations.
It remains to be seen how Gambakwe will compensate these gullible individuals who are nursing self-inflicted wounds while he is behind bars in Zambia.
International relations lecturer, Phillip Phiri lambasted Gambakwe for shunning Afro-centricism in exchange for a few pieces of silver by attempting to sow seeds of division between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
“It`s totally absurd, you cannot export stupidity and think that the Siamese twins would simply fold their hands. This is also a lesson to foreign funders of instability that SADC remains resoluteand no amount of money would destabilise the bloc”, stated the lecturer. He added that the Zambian police`s reaction flies in the face of unsubstantiated claims that relations between the two countries were deteriorating as some had hoped that Zambia would encourage the demonstrations.
Meanwhile, members of a Whatsapp groupGambakwe had created for mobilisation purposes were quick to register their displeasure with Gambakwe`s shenanigans. ”This guy is not serious, he got millions and he wanted to use us for his own personal gain. He will pay for this”, stated one of the group members who identified himself as Ray.
Gambakwe has added himself to a list of self-serving activists who are driven by perchance for personal aggrandisement. This is a clear message to opposition funders that local opposition elements are not sincere in their activities and are only bent in milking resources.
