Competition for donor cash rages

As the general election approaches, with all the attendant activities, many rivalries of a political nature crop up.

The motor for these rivalries appears to be the credit that is to be given by who, to whom, for doing what, and when.

There seems to be plenty of money to go with the credit coming from the state through the commissions, the donors, and the UNDP.

The capacity of the commissions is at times supplemented by “donors” who offer to fund particular projects.

The funding is either multilateral or bilateral as long as their intended results are achieved.

In multilateralism, donors pool their resources often through the UNDP as the umbrella body to assist various activities through commissions, other state organs, and civil societies and NGOs.

The UNDP is perceived to be impartial, non partisan, credible and therefore acceptable across the board.

In multilateralism, donors are not interested in being seen to donate, but in ensuring that a particular objective is ultimately achieved.

In bilateralism, individual donors want to be seen to be the official sponsor of a particular activity by an identified NGO or CSO and it is even better if there is media coverage of that sponsored event.

Many bilateral donor agencies are appendages of specific Euro-governments and are thus unofficial organs of the foreign policy of those governments.

The political partisanship in each is evident in the funding of their favourite CSOs and NGOs and individuals.

Whatever the mode of funding, multilateral or bilateral, competition for the funds is on the rise.

It is the case with one critical aspect of the new electoral system, the offering of “civic education” often coupled with “voter education”.

For a long time, civic and voter education appeared to be the preserve of CSOs and NGOs which in turn gave political prominence to individuals who then found their way to parliament.

It became tradition that donors will fund and “activists” will be seen to be activating whatever is donor acceptable.