Columnist / Eddie cross
Money is the root of all evil
We all use money every day and yet few of us really understand what these bits of paper or cotton or simply figures in a ledger really mean. But we know the stuff is important.In economic term...Published: 12 Nov 2018 at 05:38hrs | 926 | by Eddie Cross
We told you so!
SOMETIMES it's nice to be right, that does not often happen, but in this case I am sorry that those of us who had said we are headed for trouble, were right.I am referring to the first stateme...Published: 18 Oct 2018 at 06:59hrs | 1373 | by Eddie Cross
Overhaul social security
I GOT a phone call from a man in Bulawayo who said he wanted to see me on a personal matter. We arranged to meet and he told me that he had worked for a major and well-known company for 40 years. The ...Published: 02 Oct 2018 at 09:47hrs | 261 | by Eddie Cross
Zimbabwe's state of emergency
I CAN recall times when a state of emergency was declared and almost always it was in response to violence or political events.But when conditions reach the point where the very livelihoods of...Published: 26 Sep 2018 at 16:35hrs | 1806 | by Eddie Cross
Mnangagwa beat Nelson Chamisa by over 300 000 votes, says Eddie Cross
All of us have a stake in what is going on right now in Zimbabwe.When I say all of us - I mean everyone, every Zimbabwean from the peasants in the Tribal Areas, the Zimbabweans in the Diaspora...Published: 12 Sep 2018 at 15:11hrs | 6212 | by Eddie Cross
Zimbabwe's uncertainties clouding everyone's vision
SOMETIMES in this game, the safest route into the immediate future is to keep your head down and wait for the dust to clear before looking over the wall to see what has happened. It is impossible to p...Published: 22 Aug 2018 at 06:14hrs | 392 | by Eddie Cross
Even Mugabe voted for Nelson Chamisa and the MDC Alliance
Well the elections have come and gone, Mugabe voted for Nelson Chamisa and the MDC Alliance and the rest of us queued on average for about 3 hours to cast our votes. I voted in a tent and could hardly...Published: 04 Aug 2018 at 09:42hrs | 1485 | by Eddie Cross
Turning dream of a $10bn budget into reality
IT is now 24 days to D-Day - the day of democracy, when we all go to a polling station and at the cost of about $50 each (the cost of an election in Zimbabwe) we are asked to appoint our next batch of...Published: 06 Jul 2018 at 07:07hrs | 362 | by Eddie Cross
A new day dawns
ZIMBABWE is caught up in election fever, especially the national leadership.However, it's not the outcome of these elections that concerns me - it's what will happen after the elections. The p...Published: 28 Jun 2018 at 07:10hrs | 305 | by Eddie Cross
2018 elections promise to be 'smart'
The Military Assisted Transition (MAT) took place in November last year. It is now six months into 2018 and seven months since the MAT. How are we doing? Our world has certainly changed and it is very...Published: 19 Jun 2018 at 07:20hrs | 1665 | by Eddie Cross
Reminder to Grace Mugabe on Mazowe farm invasion
This article was first published on Eddie Cross official website I HAVE just heard the news on BBC that you are a victim of a farm invasion. I am devas...Published: 02 Apr 2018 at 07:13hrs | 1531 | by Eddie Cross
Zimbabwe six months on: Life in the fast lane
In October 2017, just six months ago, Robert Mugabe was state president and it looked as if we were stuck with him for another five-year term after elections in 2018.There seemed to be no poss...Published: 29 Mar 2018 at 13:50hrs | 513 | by Eddie Cross
Freedom is important
I will always recall a statement in a national executive meeting of the MDC in its early days when one of our elder statesmen, who was a senior Zanla war veteran, stood up and simply stated "freedom i...Published: 09 Feb 2018 at 07:23hrs | 1252 | by Eddie Cross
All change and no change
It now looks as if South African President Jacob Zuma's days in power are nearing closure. He simply can no longer carry on as if it was business as usual.The weight of the 800 odd charges of ...Published: 24 Jan 2018 at 13:36hrs | 476 | by Eddie Cross
The dilemma facing Zimbabwe
A new year has dawned and I think all Zimbabweans suffered over this past festive season from a hangover caused by the unscheduled departure of Robert Mugabe from the presidency.Former preside...Published: 12 Jan 2018 at 06:15hrs | 478 | by Eddie Cross, economic analyst
Many Zimbabweans thought any president would be better than Mugabe
Many Zimbabweans thought any president would be better than Robert Mugabe. What's more, they high hopes that the Crocodile - Emmerson Mnangagwa - had undergone a Dama...Published: 05 Dec 2017 at 14:25hrs | 2387 | by Eddie Cross
What has really gone wrong?
When the Government of National Unity (GNU) was formed in February 2009, the Zimbabwe economy was not just in crisis, it was in meltdown.Real revenues in US dollar terms were a paltry 22 milli...Published: 25 Nov 2017 at 14:53hrs | 1179 | by Eddie Cross,economist
Ndebeles are divisive
Over a 1000 years ago three of my distant relatives who were tribal leaders on the Scottish Border with England, were taken prisoner by English troops and hanged for treason. Their crime? Supporting R...Published: 02 Oct 2017 at 06:33hrs | 2942 | by Eddie Cross
Reflections on tribalism in Zimbabwe
OVER a 1000 years ago three of my distant relatives who were tribal leaders on the Scottish Border with England, were taken prisoner by English troops and hanged for treason. Their crime? Supporting R...Published: 01 Oct 2017 at 12:04hrs | 754 | by Eddie Cross is MDC MP for Bulawayo South
The land question in Africa
BEFORE Africa was carved up and occupied by the European colonial powers, land in Africa was largely under populated and human population growth was slow and could quite easily be accommodated....Published: 23 Mar 2017 at 06:23hrs | 767 | by Eddie Cross
Zanu-PF leading Zimbabwe back to 2008
SINCE the end of 2015, the country has seen its cash crisis escalate to the point today when Banks cannot pay out clients more than a small proportion of what is in their accounts.In a "no...Published: 15 Mar 2017 at 07:29hrs | 521 | by Eddie Cross
Zimbabwe water crisis - The background
In the pre Independence era the Town planning authorities and Central Government planned that each City/Town should have roughly 3 years supply in storage at any one point in time. At that time with p...Published: 16 Jan 2017 at 14:41hrs | 541 | by Eddie Cross
The Zimbabwe Cash Crisis
At the beginning of this year the Reserve Bank suddenly imposed cash withdrawal limits on local bank accounts. The limit was US$10 000 a day. That may not be enough for Grace Mugabe, but for most of u...Published: 04 Nov 2016 at 14:44hrs | 977 | by Eddie Cross
Zimbabwe: How to rob a country
TRANSPARENCY International issued a briefing this week claiming that corruption is costing Zimbabwe US$1 billion a year. I have no doubt that they are right.The question that needs answering i...Published: 20 Oct 2016 at 09:22hrs | 1778 | by Eddie Cross
EXPOSED: Mnangagwa to assume control of all levers of the State
Eddie Cross finally gives a credible account of the rumours plaguing the country regarding the health and status of the President and what the immediate implications of these are. This does offer ...Published: 02 Sep 2016 at 21:54hrs | 7380 | by Eddie Cross
Mphoko must be brought to order - MDC-T
On July 13, 2016 at just after 18.00 hrs the Acting President of Zimbabwe, Phelekezela Mphoko, arrived unannounced at Avondale Police Station in Harare and demanded that "his boys" be released from th...Published: 28 Jul 2016 at 08:59hrs | 2400 | by Eddie Cross and Obert Gutu
Statement by the MDC-T Shadow Minister for Local Government
In the past decade the Ministry of Local Government has settled some 300 000 families in urban areas of land in and around the urban councils. Most of this land was in the form of farms acquired by th...Published: 08 Jul 2016 at 12:31hrs | 3703 | by Eddie Cross
Zimbabwe headed for another tipping point
The past sixteen years in Zimbabwe can now be divided into two distinct phases - both 8 years in duration; 2000 to 2008, which we could call the hyper inflationary period and 2009 to 2016 which I woul...Published: 22 Jun 2016 at 08:23hrs | 5814 | by Eddie Cross
Statement by the MDC-T Secretary for local government
Since MDC won control of the urban Councils the Minister of Local Government has abused his powers under the Urban Councils Act and the Town and Country Planning Act to subvert and control the MDC...Published: 16 Jun 2016 at 15:12hrs | 1971 | by Eddie Cross
The only difference between Zimbabwe and Botswana is leadership
I HAVE just completed reading two books on the Second World War. The first was by an American soldier who spent 4 years in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp and the second was an overview of the War fro...Published: 02 Sep 2015 at 16:26hrs | 3172 | by Eddie Cross
Warning to Ian Khama: Zimbabwe crisis will pull down region
I know everyone is fed up with the continuous state of crisis in Zimbabwe but that is no reason for not paying attention to its implications. In 1976 it was an intervention by the American Secretary o...Published: 23 Aug 2015 at 11:30hrs | 3685 | by Eddie Cross
Zimbabwe change is imminent, but how?
Zimbabwe is an enigma to many. The country presents itself as a clean, modern State with friendly people, little crime and small pockets of prosperity and wealth. A small country blessed with a great ...Published: 25 Jul 2015 at 16:13hrs | 6838 | by Eddie Cross
Collateral damage of Mugabe's poor governance
WHEN a government fails to conduct its duties as the principal centre of authority in a State, the consequences are often borne, not by the residents alone, but by other States and regions.The...Published: 11 Jun 2015 at 09:07hrs | 4777 | by Eddie Cross
Zimbabwe: Living in a Lunatic Asylum
Eddie Cross contrasts the achievements of Lee Kuan Yew with the ruin Robert Mugabe brought to his countryThe man who created Singapore died a few days ...Published: 07 Apr 2015 at 14:12hrs | 2694 | by Eddie Cross
Zimbabwe crisis as an opportunity
Political societies do not seem to be capable of making the decisions that are necessary to put their governments or countries onto a self sustaining path to prosperity and stability.Eddie Cro...Published: 29 Mar 2015 at 08:21hrs | 3750 | by Eddie Cross
Mnangagwa skating on thin ice
The political transition initiated last year by the attacks on the Mujuru faction in Zanu-PF leading to her dismissal from the post of Vice President and the appointment of Emmerson Mnangagwa as senio...Published: 22 Feb 2015 at 09:50hrs | 4469 | by Eddie Cross
Zimbabwe's ghosts from the past
Every country in the world has its ghosts from the past. I am part Irish (150 years ago), but am affected in my personal and family life by the historical conflicts that affected the Irish people, di...Published: 03 Feb 2015 at 12:07hrs | 5467 | by Eddie Cross
Chombo's demands on vendors ridiculous
The MDC is deeply concerned with the demand made by the Ignatius Chombo that councils should curb the activities of informal traders at a time the Zanu-PF regime has failed to provide jobs for the pe...Published: 02 Feb 2015 at 16:33hrs | 3819 | by Eddie Cross
MDC-T condemns statement by Obert Mpofu
The MDC condemns the reported statement by Obert Mpofu to a gathering of Zanu-PF supporters in Binga to the effect that the people of Binga District would be denied development assistance because ...Published: 16 Jan 2015 at 15:59hrs | 3838 | by Eddie Cross
Is Zim entering post-Mugabe era?
CAN you believe it is Christmas again? It seemed that just yesterday we were celebrating the New Year; I know I am at an age when time seems to rush by, but this is ridiculous. For th...Published: 27 Dec 2014 at 05:21hrs | 7654 | by Eddie Cross
Chinamasa's budget is hopeless
When the GNU Government was sworn in 2009, the new Minister of Finance had a daunting task - total revenues to the State from all sources in 2008 had been just US$280 million. All schools were closed...Published: 03 Dec 2014 at 23:30hrs | 3720 | by Eddie Cross
Zanu-PF is disintegrating
Zimbabwe is again at an "interesting" place. The outcome will determine the immediate events in my country and maybe even in the longer term.The past determines the future and we need to quick...Published: 24 Nov 2014 at 18:37hrs | 4661 | by Eddie Cross
How Robert Mugabe turned Zimbabwe into global pariah
WHEN Mr. Mugabe stood to speak at the UN General Assembly last week it was to a nearly empty hall. What a change from 1980 when he had the admiration and respect of the whole world and was regarded as...Published: 09 Oct 2014 at 09:12hrs | 3516 | by Eddie Cross
'Real power with Mnangagwa group'
IN Asia they have a saying that you must be careful when you try to ride a Tiger - if you fall off you may be eaten. In Zimbabwe the Tiger is the struggle for political power and this has been going ...Published: 09 May 2014 at 06:58hrs | 4493 | by Eddie Cross
How Zanu PF stole the election
They have done it again Like so many conflicts in Africa, the political situation in Zimbabwe is very complex and difficult to interpret into the media and common understanding. I once told th...Published: 07 Aug 2013 at 07:56hrs | 7247 | by Eddie Cross
Lets re-gear ourselves for a dramatic 2013
IT is never easy to predict what is going to happen in Zimbabwe. Perhaps it is foolish to try but I think we should give it a go, because in my view, the outlook for 2013 has changed and we should all...Published: 31 Dec 2012 at 22:16hrs | 3233 | by Eddie Cross
How Zanu-PF will avoid an election defeat
The opinion polls all say the same thing, Zanu PF, once the Mammoth of Political Parties in Zimbabwe, could only command less than 5 per cent support in urban areas and about 15 per cent in its stron...Published: 31 Aug 2011 at 06:14hrs | 703 | by Eddie Cross
Islands of Excellence
My two recent postings – the first on why I would invest in Zimbabwe and the second titled “Marvellous Zimbabwe” caused quite a stir in the Diaspora. M...Published: 16 Aug 2011 at 04:48hrs | 579 | by Eddie Cross
Why investing in Zimbabwe makes good sense
A friend has to make a presentation to potential investors on the opportunities for investment in Zimbabwe today. She asked me to outline what sort of case I would make if I were in her shoes. Tough c...Published: 01 Aug 2011 at 05:28hrs | 1179 | by Eddie Cross
What the recent SADC summit means for Zimbabwe
The SADC summit held in Sandton last weekend delivered more than was anticipated. Although the propaganda machine is trying to muddy the waters, the basic facts are that the summit endorsed the report...Published: 19 Jun 2011 at 12:40hrs | 683 | by Eddie Cross
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