Staff reporter
The MDC Alliance continues to bleed from the looting of donated funds with reports saying that that party’s leaders are enriching themselves from the loot.
Whilst the looting of funds donated by those in the diaspora has been reported in the past, equally large amounts from local business people are reportedly being looted with impunity. This came to light following the apparent disappearance of funds donated by the local business entrepreneurs, which were meant to fund MDC Alliance operations and pay the salaries of the underpaid and disgruntled party workers.
An MDC Alliance official has revealed that the party received donations of more than US$110 000 from various business people, including Glow Petroleum Managing Director, Aaron Chinhara.
It is reported that Mr Chinhara availed more than US$30 000 to the MDC Alliance president, Nelson Chamisa, to assist in the payment of salaries of party workers and for the MDC Alliance rural penetration program.
The source said that a female MDC Alliance official close to Chamisa used part of the money to pay between US$150.00 to US$200.00 to ten of Chamisa’s aides. It is stated that the fate of the rest of the money is unknown as it was looted by MDC Alliance leaders.
“Mr Chinhara donated over US$30 000 and he gave it to president Chamisa to pay the party workers. However, we heard that only those who are close to the president (Chamisa) were paid something between US$150.00 to US$200.00. Some workers who have gone for several months without a salary were not considered. We don’t know how the rest of the money was used, but it could have been converted to personal use by the president (Chamisa),” said the source.
The embezzlement of funds within the MDC Alliance has of late become topical with traditional funders and Zimbabweans in the diaspora threatening to withdraw any future funding.
A local online publication recently reported that some MDC Alliance officials are alleging that some £800 000 and US$1 million of donated money could not be accounted for last year.
