by Political Reporter

The much-hyped MDC-Alliance’s new recruitment initiative, the One Million voter mobilization campaign launched last month, is heading for an infant mortality due to resource constrains, Harare Post has learnt.

MDC-Alliance Bulawayo Provincial member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that the mobilization exercise was financially draining ordinary members who were constantly being directed to contribute towards party programmes.

 “The issue of donations is draining us. We are suffering the same economic challenges which everyone is suffering. We have families to feed and our children need to go to school, hence we can’t manage to continue sponsoring party programmes.

“We were hoping that the recently launched online voter registration and resource mobilization platform was going to raise some funds but we are not seeing anything. Where is that money going? It would seem to be rude, but we need accountability in the party,” lamented the source.

Same source further revealed that a communiqué from the party’s Youth Assembly requesting for donations to fund the campaign was released yesterday.

 According to the communiqué signed by the Bulawayo youth provincial treasurer, Tsitsi Mutereki, the mobilization campaign programme in Bulawayo needs US$550 for it to be successful.

“Mutereki send a message to all provincial youth members asking for monetary donations towards the voter mobilization programme. Last week we were also told to donate towards the funeral contribution of Woman Assembly member Elizabeth Ncube.We can’t be donating towards party programmes every week. We also need to feed our families,” said the source.

Another source in the same provincial structure indicated that the province had no source of income and the current provincial leadership is not innovative as they are failing to mobilize resources for party programmes.

“We are contributing towards electricity and water bills for the party offices. However, there are reports that the party leadership is misusing the funds. Our Treasury department is not undertaking any fundraising programmes. Instead they are concentrating on petty tribal fights. Who would raise US$550 in this economy? It’s too much for us,” said the source.

The voter mobilization campaigns are meant to consolidate the MDC Alliance’s support base in the ten provinces of the country. However, the recently mobilization campaigns in areas such as Masvingo were poorly attended as reports of factional fights marred the exercise.