Law to prevent foreign funding of political parties

Zimbabwe has passed a law forbidding foreign funding for local political parties, PANA reported on Monday. The Political Parties (Finance) Act, which was passed on Friday, forbids political parties from soliciting or receiving funding from foreign sources and provides for stiff penalties, including disqualification for those violating the law. “No political party, member of a political party or candidate shall accept any foreign donation, whether directly from the donor or indirectly through a third person,” PANA quoted the law as saying. Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa was quoted as saying that the law “would deliver a deathblow to those who act as spokespersons for foreign interests”. The government has accused European countries, particularly Britain, of interfering in Zimbabwe;s domestic affairs by financing opposition parties.