'Tsvangirai a national embarrassment,' says Biti

National embarrassments cannot be a solution to Zimbabwe's economic anguish, former Finance Minister Tendai Biti said Saturday in apparent reference to MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai who has claimed that he was the solution to the country's problems.

Some of the reasons cited by MDC-T deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma, in letter urging Tsvangirai to step-down, included the issue of the many "women in your life" and allegations that he used his time in the coalition government for "personal aggrandizement, personal wealth accumulation as symbolized by the current impasse on the Highlands residency".

Biti did not mention Tsvangirai by name - and did not need to, as he addressed hundreds of his Renewal Team's Harare supporters, the first time he has convened such meeting in the capital since the April split of the MDC-T.

Speaking about his party, Biti said they were in the process of filling the gaps created by the failure by other MDC-T office holders to join his breakaway and were on course for the first ever party congress early next year.