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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
The embattled MDC-T is set to lose almost $600 000 over the next three years under the Political Parties (Finance) Act if the party decides to stick by its congress resolution to boycott 14 by-elections scheduled for June 10 this year.

The opposition party will also lose all the money should it carry out its threat to pull out the remaining members from Parliament, thus handing Zanu-PF all the money and parliamentary seats.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa has earmarked $3 million in his 2015 National Budget to be shared proportionately by political parties that qualify for State funding in terms of the Act.

Under the Political Parties (Finance) Act, a political party that secures at least 5 percent of the total vote cast is entitled to receive funding.

Only Zanu-PF and the MDC-T are currently entitled to the money to be shared according to the number of legislators in Parliament.

MDC-T’s recent decision to withdraw 21 MPs from Parliament, 14 of whom had constituencies, has reduced the amount due to it with effect from this year up to 2018.

The money is meant to fund party activities, including election campaigns.

Including seats from proportional representation, Zanu-PF had 197, MDC-T 70 while the MDC has two after the July 31 harmonised elections.

A rough calculation shows that Zanu-PF is entitled to about $2,3 million and the MDC-T $700 000. The recall of the MPs will potentailly reduce the MDC-T’s entitlement by $200 000 per year.

MDC-T secretary-general Mr Douglas Mwonzora admitted that their allocation would be reduced but said the loss of money was better off than allowing legislators who had deserted the party to continue in Parliament.

“Yes, inevitably it has the effect of reducing the amount that we should get. As a party we had to make a decision between that money and the electorate,” said Mr Mwonzora.

He said the electorate was no longer being represented by the people of their choice in terms of what was envisaged by the law.

“The effect is not greater than being represented by people who are no longer representing the party. If Renewal Team members are as popular as they claim, they must be able to win,” said Mr Mwonzora.

Small political parties like the Zimbabwe Development Party led by Kisnot Mukwazhi have in the past lobbied, without success, Government to also allocate hem funds.