Editorial

Private and state media had conflicting reports about the fundraising dinner hosted by the ruling party last Friday.

Private media described it as a flop while state media described it as a resounding success. It was purely judged on the amount of money that was raised.

One of the most apparent things though is that the event was graced by the rich and famous and powerful of our society.

The most expensive table cost a whooping $100 000 while the cheapest was pegged at $5000. The dinner was meant for businessmen and corporate organisations

Some of these corporations are loss making parastatals and yet they still get a chance to take out money from their operations to extent
to the party.

Why would those entrusted with running public companies take away money from the already struggling companies to fund a partisan political agenda?

This fundraising dinner confirmed ZANU PF as party built on patronage where those who have climbed the economic ladder of success must show their gratitude to the party through financial donations and choosing the most expensive tables. Without the party’s patronage system most of the people who graced the dinner could not have made it.

Those in the top echelons of parastatals are political appointees. Others who are successful business people owe their success to government tenders and the black empowerment polices propagated by the ruling party. Their job is to divert public resources to the party instead of providing service.

But these dinners hosted in ‘ivory towers’ confirmed something more telling. ZANU PF is no longer the party of the poor. The exorbitant price of tables meant the rural poor where ZANU PF commands most of their support was relegated to the terraces. Instead, the ruling party is now aligning itself with capital. It is funded by capital and also now serves the interests of the rich .One has to only look at how this government is stampeding to install water meters in household. This will not improve the water situation but will enrich the suppliers of water meters.

The party hierarchy can only be approached by those who have money. They get the tables that are nearer to the party bosses. Those without money are unable to get these seats. The fundraising dinner communicated a very important thing that one needs to have money in order to have access to the party leadership.

Lastly the fundraising dinner showed that ZANU PF can no longer rely on the masses for funding. The policies of this party have impoverished the majority of Zimbabweans who can no longer spare some money for the party.

The party no longer derives its strength from the masses but from a few wealthy Zimbabweans who keep it going in exchange for a place on the feeding trough. Those who want a better chance of accessing the economic cake understand that they must give something back to the party.

It was the masses who kept the party going through the liberation by donating clothes, chickens and other supplies for the liberation fighters. The masses were the water then that the party needed to survive but today ZANU PF has taken a new direction. It is now a party for the rich which would rather be in the company of the rich and famous.

If ever there was any doubt about what ZANU PF represents, this dinner provided the answers.