News / National
Billionaire tells Tsvangirai to step down
09 Mar 2014 at 08:06hrs | Views
AMERICAN billionaire Mr George Soros and some Western diplomats, including British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Deborah Bronnert, have told troubled MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai to step down as he continues to tiptoe through a political minefield ahead of the party's congress in 2016.
Mr Soros, believed to be one of the main financiers of the Western-sponsored party, is said to have phoned Mr Tsvangirai last month during the same period that Botswana President Mr Seretse Khama Ian Khama also added his voice against the former prime minister's continued leadership of the party.
Contacted for comment, Ms Bronnert defended her meeting with Mr Tsvangirai, saying: "It is normal practice for the British Ambassador to meet with representatives from across the political spectrum."
She, however, would not be drawn into discussing details of her meetings with politicians.
"We do not comment on the ambassador's diary or the subject of individual meetings," said Ms Bronnert.
"The leadership of political parties is not an issue for the UK government, we do not have a position on this matter. The UK remains committed to supporting the aspirations of the Zimbabwean people for a more democratic, stable and prosperous Zimbabwe. A vibrant political scene, with an opposition and civil society, is part of that."
However, in private briefings with MDC-T standing committee members last week, it emerged that even Mr Tsvangirai's trusted Western backers were fed up with his tainted political image, bed-hopping and lack of stamina to win elections against President Mugabe, who viciously trounced him in the July 31 polls.
Mr Tsvangirai's situation was worsened by the violence which rocked his party last month after his die-hard supporters bashed deputy treasurer-general Mr Elton Mangoma after he had penned a letter calling on his boss to leave office.
The violence - in which some intolerant party youths were arrested - angered Mr Soros and Ms Bronnert who openly told Mr Tsvangirai to give up his post.
"Apart from President Khama, the American billionaire, Mr Soros, also added his powerful voice in the growing calls for the president (Mr Tsvangirai) to step down as our leader.
"This just goes to show that Mr Tsvangirai's backers have since deserted him despite his clinging to office," said a top MDC-T official.
MDC-T insiders told The Sunday Mail that Mr Tsvangirai met Ms Bronnert last month where he was urged to give up power "to pave way for democracy", much to the chagrin of the former trade unionist who has lost three successive presidential elections to the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Mugabe.
Mr Tsvangirai's spokesman, Mr Luke Tamborinyoka, denied that his boss was told to step down by donors and diplomats.
"Soros is not a stakeholder in the MDC-T . . . He didn't phone the president (Mr Tsvangirai)," he said.
"In fact, all those people don't matter in the affairs of the MDC-T, the most important body of the party is the congress, which the president has already said is likely to be brought forward so that every leader is elected."
The party's funders, sources added, are strongly convinced that Mr Tsvangirai has nothing to offer to enhance the party's chances of ever winning elections.
Mr Tsvangirai has been at the helm of the MDC-T since its inception 1999. At last week's rally in Harare's sprawling Budiriro suburb, he fired a broadside at "some donors and Western diplomats" whom he accused of meddling in his party's affairs - in apparent reference to Mr Soros and Ms Bronnert.
Donors have since ditched the MDC-T as the party struggled to finance its election campaign while about 100 workers in the party were retrenched due to the biting financial crisis. The workers who were laid off are still to receive their retrenchment packages.
Even donor-funded civil society organisations have been hit hard by fatigue as it has become abundantly clear that the Western-sponsored regime change agenda has hit a brickwall.
But despite Mr Tsvangirai's determination to cling on to power, Mr Mangoma, together with the party's treasurer, Mr Roy Bennett, former Marondera Central legislator Mr Ian Kay and former Harare mayor Elias Mudzuri, are also convinced it is time up for their boss.
Mr Mangoma has so far penned two letters calling for Mr Tsvangirai's exit.
In one of the letters, he wrote: "There is no denial that Morgan Tsvangirai has embossed his name into the history books of this country. There is also no denial that he has played a pivotal role in Zimbabwe's quest for democracy and socio-economic transformation.
"However, it is my humble submission that, at this juncture, it is time you consider leaving the office of the president of the movement."
Party officials have since lobbied for an early congress to choose new leadership and Mr Tsvangirai seems to be in panic mode as he has embarked on a whirlwind tour of districts, pleading for support.
He has even invited his former colleagues, MDC leader Professor Welshman Ncube and National Constitutional Assembly leader Professor Lovemore Madhuku, among others, to rejoin the MDC-T.
Mr Soros, believed to be one of the main financiers of the Western-sponsored party, is said to have phoned Mr Tsvangirai last month during the same period that Botswana President Mr Seretse Khama Ian Khama also added his voice against the former prime minister's continued leadership of the party.
Contacted for comment, Ms Bronnert defended her meeting with Mr Tsvangirai, saying: "It is normal practice for the British Ambassador to meet with representatives from across the political spectrum."
She, however, would not be drawn into discussing details of her meetings with politicians.
"We do not comment on the ambassador's diary or the subject of individual meetings," said Ms Bronnert.
"The leadership of political parties is not an issue for the UK government, we do not have a position on this matter. The UK remains committed to supporting the aspirations of the Zimbabwean people for a more democratic, stable and prosperous Zimbabwe. A vibrant political scene, with an opposition and civil society, is part of that."
However, in private briefings with MDC-T standing committee members last week, it emerged that even Mr Tsvangirai's trusted Western backers were fed up with his tainted political image, bed-hopping and lack of stamina to win elections against President Mugabe, who viciously trounced him in the July 31 polls.
Mr Tsvangirai's situation was worsened by the violence which rocked his party last month after his die-hard supporters bashed deputy treasurer-general Mr Elton Mangoma after he had penned a letter calling on his boss to leave office.
The violence - in which some intolerant party youths were arrested - angered Mr Soros and Ms Bronnert who openly told Mr Tsvangirai to give up his post.
"Apart from President Khama, the American billionaire, Mr Soros, also added his powerful voice in the growing calls for the president (Mr Tsvangirai) to step down as our leader.
"This just goes to show that Mr Tsvangirai's backers have since deserted him despite his clinging to office," said a top MDC-T official.
MDC-T insiders told The Sunday Mail that Mr Tsvangirai met Ms Bronnert last month where he was urged to give up power "to pave way for democracy", much to the chagrin of the former trade unionist who has lost three successive presidential elections to the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Mugabe.
Mr Tsvangirai's spokesman, Mr Luke Tamborinyoka, denied that his boss was told to step down by donors and diplomats.
"Soros is not a stakeholder in the MDC-T . . . He didn't phone the president (Mr Tsvangirai)," he said.
"In fact, all those people don't matter in the affairs of the MDC-T, the most important body of the party is the congress, which the president has already said is likely to be brought forward so that every leader is elected."
The party's funders, sources added, are strongly convinced that Mr Tsvangirai has nothing to offer to enhance the party's chances of ever winning elections.
Mr Tsvangirai has been at the helm of the MDC-T since its inception 1999. At last week's rally in Harare's sprawling Budiriro suburb, he fired a broadside at "some donors and Western diplomats" whom he accused of meddling in his party's affairs - in apparent reference to Mr Soros and Ms Bronnert.
Donors have since ditched the MDC-T as the party struggled to finance its election campaign while about 100 workers in the party were retrenched due to the biting financial crisis. The workers who were laid off are still to receive their retrenchment packages.
Even donor-funded civil society organisations have been hit hard by fatigue as it has become abundantly clear that the Western-sponsored regime change agenda has hit a brickwall.
But despite Mr Tsvangirai's determination to cling on to power, Mr Mangoma, together with the party's treasurer, Mr Roy Bennett, former Marondera Central legislator Mr Ian Kay and former Harare mayor Elias Mudzuri, are also convinced it is time up for their boss.
Mr Mangoma has so far penned two letters calling for Mr Tsvangirai's exit.
In one of the letters, he wrote: "There is no denial that Morgan Tsvangirai has embossed his name into the history books of this country. There is also no denial that he has played a pivotal role in Zimbabwe's quest for democracy and socio-economic transformation.
"However, it is my humble submission that, at this juncture, it is time you consider leaving the office of the president of the movement."
Party officials have since lobbied for an early congress to choose new leadership and Mr Tsvangirai seems to be in panic mode as he has embarked on a whirlwind tour of districts, pleading for support.
He has even invited his former colleagues, MDC leader Professor Welshman Ncube and National Constitutional Assembly leader Professor Lovemore Madhuku, among others, to rejoin the MDC-T.
Source - Sunday Mail
