THE MDC-M has failed to secure a share of the US$8 million set aside for political parties in the 2012 national budget despite frantic appeals by its leader and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.

Mutambara has twice appealed to Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, arguing his party was entitled to the money which is shared between the parties according to the number of MPs they have in Parliament.

“I have written letters to the minister twice and he has not responded. He has probably decided that we are not a party but at least he should have responded to our letters,” the party’s secretary general Maxwell Zimuto told The Herald.

“Our argument is based on the premise that we have some MPs who have expressed allegiance to us in writing.

“No one can just dismiss us because we are a legitimate party entitled to anything that the MDC-M must get as a party that signed the Global Political Agreement.”

But Chinamasa said his hands were tied.

“The (Political Parties Finance) Act provides that I should deal with secretaries-general or secretary for administration (with respect to Zanu PF),” he said.

“We have therefore disbursed money to Welshman Ncube in the same account that we have deposited. Until there is a court order to the contrary, we will continue disbursing the funds in that manner.”

Ncube, who is also industry and commerce minister in the coalition government, replaced Mutambara as MDC leader at a party congress in 2010, prompting a legal challenge by the deputy premier.