News / National
Eddie Cross dumps Tendai Biti
07 May 2014 at 08:28hrs | Views
MDC-T Bulawayo South MP Eddie Cross, one of the party's senior officials to call for an early elective congress to address the party's leadership crisis, has dumped Tendai Biti's renewal team that is calling for Morgan Tsvangirai's ouster.
He also spoke against the suspension of deputy treasurer general, Elton Mangoma, another key figure in the anti-Tsvangirai group saying his fate should have been settled by congress.
Cross together with a number of senior MDC-T founding members such as Ian Kay, Roy Bennett and Elias Mudzuri campaigned for a fresh elective congress in the aftermath of Tsvangirai's heavy defeat to President Mugabe in last year's harmonised polls.
In an interview with Chronicle yesterday, Cross said Biti and his team stood no chance against Tsvangirai as they did not command much support.
The legislator added that today the MDC-T finds itself in the same quagmire it was after the 2005 split when Welshman Ncube, the late Gibson Sibanda and other senior figures broke ranks with Tsvangirai.
He suggested the renewal team was headed for the rocks.
"In 2005, Tsvangirai had the support of the majority and today he still commands a lot of support from majority. Clearly Biti, (Elton) Mangoma and their team don't attract support for the majority and they have no choice but to form a new party with a new identity," said Cross.
"I count Biti out basing my argument on the reality on the ground. Look at Welshman Ncube and his MDC. Where are they? What is left of him? That is the same way the renewal team will go."
Cross said Biti and his lieutenants' call to oust Tsvangirai was undemocratic as they should have called for an early congress to effect leadership changes, if any, in the party. In the same vein, Mangoma should not have been suspended, but the matter should have been taken to congress, he added.
The lawmaker denied ever calling for leadership renewal, saying he only suggested the holding of an early elective congress.
"It's not true. I never ever called for that (leadership renewal). It has been reported in the press yes, but I called soon after the elections (2013 harmonised elections) that the party should have a congress to decide on leadership changes and policy. That was in Bulawayo South at a meeting in Tshabalala. I still think that we should hold a congress soon since the congress has the power to change leadership," said Cross.
Recent reports indicate that the MDC-T is facing financial problems as its western donors have dumped the party amid the squabbling. With foreign financial support having dried up, Tsvangirai has appealed for local donations.
In a recent article Cross revealed that the 2005 split had left them penniless.
"We rebuilt the party from scratch - after the split we did not own a motor vehicle, a bank account nor had any staff. The only asset we were able to retain was our head office building in Harare," Cross wrote.
He also spoke against the suspension of deputy treasurer general, Elton Mangoma, another key figure in the anti-Tsvangirai group saying his fate should have been settled by congress.
Cross together with a number of senior MDC-T founding members such as Ian Kay, Roy Bennett and Elias Mudzuri campaigned for a fresh elective congress in the aftermath of Tsvangirai's heavy defeat to President Mugabe in last year's harmonised polls.
In an interview with Chronicle yesterday, Cross said Biti and his team stood no chance against Tsvangirai as they did not command much support.
The legislator added that today the MDC-T finds itself in the same quagmire it was after the 2005 split when Welshman Ncube, the late Gibson Sibanda and other senior figures broke ranks with Tsvangirai.
He suggested the renewal team was headed for the rocks.
"In 2005, Tsvangirai had the support of the majority and today he still commands a lot of support from majority. Clearly Biti, (Elton) Mangoma and their team don't attract support for the majority and they have no choice but to form a new party with a new identity," said Cross.
"I count Biti out basing my argument on the reality on the ground. Look at Welshman Ncube and his MDC. Where are they? What is left of him? That is the same way the renewal team will go."
Cross said Biti and his lieutenants' call to oust Tsvangirai was undemocratic as they should have called for an early congress to effect leadership changes, if any, in the party. In the same vein, Mangoma should not have been suspended, but the matter should have been taken to congress, he added.
The lawmaker denied ever calling for leadership renewal, saying he only suggested the holding of an early elective congress.
"It's not true. I never ever called for that (leadership renewal). It has been reported in the press yes, but I called soon after the elections (2013 harmonised elections) that the party should have a congress to decide on leadership changes and policy. That was in Bulawayo South at a meeting in Tshabalala. I still think that we should hold a congress soon since the congress has the power to change leadership," said Cross.
Recent reports indicate that the MDC-T is facing financial problems as its western donors have dumped the party amid the squabbling. With foreign financial support having dried up, Tsvangirai has appealed for local donations.
In a recent article Cross revealed that the 2005 split had left them penniless.
"We rebuilt the party from scratch - after the split we did not own a motor vehicle, a bank account nor had any staff. The only asset we were able to retain was our head office building in Harare," Cross wrote.
Source - chronicle
