Tshabangu Pockets Millions After Usurping CCC Leadership From Chamisa
Self-proclaimed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) interim secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu is poised to receive millions after the government disbursed over ZWG22 million to the party he leads.
According to a notice published in the Government Gazette on September 6, Tshabangu’s party will receive ZWG22,116,500 from a total of ZWG70 million allocated for political parties under the Political Parties Finance Act.
The distribution of these funds is based on each party’s performance in the most recent election, with government funding determined by the percentage of votes received.
To qualify for this financial assistance, parties must secure at least 5% of the total votes cast in the election.
Reads the notice issued by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi:
IT is hereby notified, in terms of section 3(2) of the Political Parties (Finance) Act [Chapter 2:11], that the total amount of moneys payable to political parties in respect of the year beginning 1st January, 2024, and ending on the 31st of December, 2024, is seventy million ZiG dollars only.
The money shall be disbursed to political parties that qualify in terms of section 3(3) of the Act as follows-
(a) forty-seven million eight hundred and eighty-three thousand five hundred ZiG dollars (ZiG 47 883 500,00) shall be paid to the Zimbabwe African National Union (Patriotic Front) ZANU (PF) which received 68.4049 % of the votes cast; and (b) twenty-two million one hundred and sixteen thousand five hundred ZiG dollars (ZiG 22 116 500,00) shall be paid to the Citizen Coalition for Change-(CCC) which received 31,5950% of the total votes cast.
Using the official exchange rate, the funding translates to approximately US$1,602,644, while on the black market, at a rate of 1:24, it amounts to about US$921,520.
Tshabangu emerged unexpectedly after the harmonised elections on August 23, 2023, and seized CCC from former leader Nelson Chamisa.
He declared himself the secretary-general of the opposition party and recalled several legislators and councillors loyal to Chamisa, with the support of the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Senate President, the Local Government Minister, and the Judiciary.
In frustration, Chamisa announced his resignation as CCC leader earlier this year, accusing ZANU PF of hijacking the opposition party.
This led to the resignation of two CCC MPs, Rusty Markham (Harare East) and Fadzayi Mahere (Mt Pleasant), in protest against Tshabangu’s actions.
The Political Parties Finance Act, enacted in 2001, regulates state funding for political parties. The Act stipulates that funding is sourced from the Consolidated Revenue Fund and requires political parties to secure at least 5% of the total votes in general elections to qualify for state funding. Additionally, the Act prohibits foreign donations to political parties and candidates.
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