ZANU PF is often seen as an actor who abuses his powerful position to extort allegiance to supply members and followers with lucrative positions in the public sector, or to channel public resources into the hands of party leaders or supporters. Party corruption is especially problematic in Zimbabwe where political and economic institutions are not yet fixed. Now party corruption has undermined public trust and threaten the viability of democracy. Democratic parties in a competitive political framework, however, can perform valuable political and social functions as links between citizens and government, in voter representation and information, policy-making, and human development. The factionalism or the creation of it in ZANU PF exposes corruption in the context of political party activities. It unearth party corruption in the contexts of election campaigns, party activities in parliament And government , and party control over public assets and institutions. Opportunities for corruption are viable in ZANU PF WERE the corrupt ones have to make donations to the party and blame other party stalwarts in order to divert attention from their corrupt ways. Anti-corruption measures and strategies that affect the work and role of political parties are introduced but never applied. Laws are applied on Partisan premises. While campaign finance regulations and anti-corruption laws are important in the fight against corruption, they need to be embedded in a broader strategy that promotes intra-party democracy, party competition, transparency, and monitoring by a free press, an informed public and an active civil society. Alas in ZANU PF if one tries to invoke the laws is labelled a factionalism pig and corrupt one hides behind love for the president to avoid prosecution. Democratic ways in a competitive political framework, however, can perform valuable political and social functions as links between citizens and government, in voter representation and information, policy-making, and human development.
While corrupt cadres can thus stall or even destroy processes of democratization, members that are not distorted by corruption, but which are part of a well-institutionalized and competitive political framework can play a vital role in democracies and perform valuable political and social functions. UnFortunately such people are very few. Parties are supposed to provide a link between citizens and government. Parties should mobilize voters on behalf of certain goals and interests, select and train candidates for public office, organize election campaigns, send representatives to parliament, organize legislatures, formulate political agendas and policies, manage policy processes and steer or, monitor government activities. However in The current situation cadres have a core duty to please the leaders and to fleece the poor. They forget that they are supposed to provide voters with substantial information about current political issues, the general workings of government, and citizens’ democratic rights. They must actively contribute to voter education and human development, and should function as builders of national capital. This role of political parties can become even more important in in Zimbabwe which is in the process of defining and stabilizing the rules and institutions of democratic government and market economies. ZANU PF now wages wars against themselves and against the voters. People are threatened or even intimidated all this is not done for the parties interest but for the interest of the few corrupt ones who burry their corrupt activities in the name of the leaders.
To win a majority of seats and to thus control government, parties compete with each other for votes. In the struggle to win favours individual candidates often try to outspend each other, and under financial pressure, both candidates and party leaders might be willing to accept payoffs or illegal donations offered by wealthy donors in exchange for promises of future favors. In this way the wealth of the nation is plundered by those who donate to the party. Instead of competing against other parties they compete against each other and they actively divide the party to avoid attention on their corrupt dealings.
Politicians are therefore tempted to spend as much money as possible on their campaigns to be recognised. The idea behind is to make sure that they are favoured by the powers that be regardless of the effects of these actions to the party. In political systems with weak party competition, or in states with long-term one-party rule and party control over the public sector and society, parties also might be tempted to extort contributions from businesses.
Those who refused encountered problems when applying for government credit, licenses or business loans, and they also could expect regular tax audits by financial authorities whose personnel was often appointed on the basis of their party connections. Similarly, regular campaign contributors could expect lenient treatment and get awarded in a way which destroys the nation. To fill their pockets corrupt cadres not only accept donations from wealthy donors or extort them from the business community, but often also demand contributions from individual candidates and parliamentarians. Those who fail to oil the bearing of those powerful members they are categorised as factionalists. So factionalism is a way of stopping any one to talk against corruption of those in the strong positions. This does not only destroy the party but it destroys the nation.
Vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk