Sources within ZANU PF told ZimOnline at the weekend that the party’s finance committee chaired by David Karimanzira had already approved the budget that will see the party’s regalia being distributed across the country.
Mugabe, who is set to be endorsed as ZANU PF’s election candidate at the party’s December special congress in Harare, faces a tricky election next March that political analysts say he could lose because of an unprecedented economic crisis affecting the southern African country.
Of the $4.4 million, $1 trillion had been allocated to the ZANU PF Women’s League that has rallied behind Mugabe amid discontent within the party over the Zimbabwean leader’s candidature during the elections.
 The department has come up with a $4.4 trillion budget for printing T-shirts with the president’s portrait, party flags and bandanas to be distributed to people. The finance department has already approved the budget, said the source.
The source said ZANU PF had also prepared separate budgets for the senate, house of assembly and local government elections all set for early next year.
The source added that the campaign material, with Mugabe’s portrait and printed Presidential elections 2008 below, was already being distributed to the party’s 10 provinces across the country.
Karimanzira refused to discuss the matter when approached for comment at the weekend saying he does not discuss party matters with outsiders.
What benefit will the party get by discussing the issue with you? I don’t discuss party issues with outsiders, he said.
ZANU PF is scheduled to hold its special congress next month that is set to endorse Mugabe as the party’s election candidate for the polls next March.
Zimbabwe is in the grip of a severe economic crisis that has manifested itself in the world’s highest inflation rate of nearly 8 000 percent, unemployment and shortages of almost every basic survival commodity.
The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party and major Western governments blame the economic crisis on mismanagement and repression by Mugabe, in power since Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain 27 years ago. Mugabe denies the charge. – ZimOnline
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