The cash-strapped MDC-T has reportedly turned to its councillors and asked them to fund rallies addressed by opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai in Gokwe, Kwekwe and Kadoma last week.
Insiders said MDC-T Kwekwe councillors and Midlands provincial leaders were each forced to pay up to $20 each to fund Tsvangirai’s fuel, accommodation, venue and hiring of the public address system in Kwekwe and Kadoma.
An MDC-T official told NewsDay that many councillors were forced to borrow money to fund the rallies.
“I was forced to borrow $20 from a friend to contribute towards the holding of the rally,” one councillor in Kwekwe, said.
MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu, however, said donations to party programmes were entirely on a voluntary basis.
“Unlike Zanu PF, the MDC-T does not force anyone, including party members, to contribute towards the cost of organising any party rallies and programmes,” he said.
If members contribute something towards the cost of hosting rallies and or any other party programmes for that matter, then that will be entirely on a voluntary basis,” he said.
This is not the first time MDC-T has turned to its members to fund its programmes and Tsvangirai’s travels, as he mobilises support ahead of the 2018 elections.
Gutu could not say how much Tsvangirai needed to sponsor his current countrywide tours and rallies.
“Of course, you cannot expect me to disclose to you the nitty gritties of our party leader’s travel and accommodation costs. This is entirely an internal party issue. Remember, president Tsvangirai does not use any public finances and resources to fund his trips, unlike President Robert Mugabe,” he said.