Political Reporter
The distressed Nelson Chamisa led MDC-Alliance is reportedly struggling to mobilise the opposition party’s 2023 polling agents after it failed to pay more than 45000 agents who manned polling stations for the party during the 30 July 2018 harmonised elections.
A reliable source within the opposition outfit told this publication that MDC-Alliance, youths in particular, are refusing to take part as 2023 polling agents fearing that they will not be paid again just like what happened in 2018.
“MDC-Alliance is currently mobilising youths to participate in the 2023 harmonised elections as polling agents, unfortunately the youths are resisting saying they should first be paid their 2018 outstanding allowances ‘Hanzi chakachenjedza ndechakatanga’.
“Prior to the 2018 harmonised elections, the polling agents were promised some allowances to cater for expenses such as food and they were also promised US$5 each as token of appreciation, but that promise was never fulfilled by the party leadership who remain mum about the issue up to now,” said the source.
According to the source, most of the polling agents recruited in 2018 were unemployed and had hoped to be rewarded for the services rendered. Opposition party members who contested and had begged the agents to represent the party, disappeared soon after the election, leaving the agents stranded.
Meanwhile, the source revealed that the opposition party is also struggling to pay party employees stationed at various provincial offices, with most of them going for eight months without salaries.
“Most party employees are struggling to make ends meet and have gone for several months without salaries. Some of the workers are now threatening to join Douglas Mwonzora’s MDC-T which they say appears to be more organised than the MDC-Alliance,” said the source.
The source said the MDC-Alliance is more worried about their own welfare at the expense of party activities. He accused them of misusing donor funds, constructing mansions and purchasing expensive vehicles for themselves.
