Zimbabwe: State media takes another dig at MDC

The ZANU PF controlled Herald newspaper attempted Monday to force division within the MDC while also counteracting any possible change of position on sanctions by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. In a speculative article, plastered on the Monday’s front-page, the paper alleges that MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai has succumbed to pressure from elements within his party and will now backtrack on calling for the lifting of economic sanctions on Zimbabwe.

 

The writer, a certain Tendai Mugabe says that he understands that Tsvangirai has now changed tune after getting a lot of flak from some sections of his party, led by Eddie Cross, who he claims said funding for MDC-T would dry up immediately if Mr Tsvangirai decided to go ahead with the anti-sanctions line.

 

His article continues:

 

‘The Herald is reliably informed that the retrogressive hawks have also warned Mr Tsvangirai that he and his party would face a media onslaught “the likes of which they have never seen” should he decide not to listen to them.

 

An MDC-T source said: “Barely a week after Mr Tsvangirai told the visiting Danish Minister for Development Co-operation (Soren Pind) that sanctions should be removed, he went on to address foreign diplomats at the party’s headquarters intimating that his party’s position regarding the lifting of what he termed ‘restrictive measures’ had not changed.

 

“This was after he was taken to task by the financiers, who were organised by Cross, over his public remarks.

 

“They told him it was too early to call for lifting of sanctions and that they could be used as a weapon against Zanu-PF in the event of an early election.

 

“The president (Mr Tsvangirai) was forced to abandon his position on the lifting of sanctions by Cross, who together with Roy Bennett, represents a formidable constituency in the party.

 

“They argued that the party should not give in to Zanu-PF pressure in such a humiliating way and that is why he was quick to address Western diplomats and reassure them that the position had not indeed changed.”

 

Another source added: “We were told that if we decided to sound like Zanu-PF the Western media and the private media here would treat us like Zanu-PF and Mr Tsvangirai like (President) Mugabe.”

 

Cross is economic advisor to Mr Tsvangirai, while Bennett as the party’s treasurer general is believed to be a major fund-raiser.

 

Recently, Cross was reportedly suspended from the party for indiscipline stemming from unauthorised confidential information.

 

Yesterday, Cross’ mobile number was not reachable while MDC-T spokesperson Mr Nelson Chamisa tried to downplay the issue.

 

“Do you think that Eddie Cross is capable of putting pressure on us and change the party’s position? In fact, I am in a meeting. Please try to call after 30 minutes,” he said.

 

After that his cellphone was also unreachable.

 

Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo said they would not be distracted by MDC-T’s “chameleon tendencies”.

 

“We are aware that at one point Tsvangirai said sanctions should go and suddenly he has changed his position but that is not going to have any effect on our position.

 

“Our position has always been clear that there is no movement whatsoever on our side until sanctions are removed.

 

“Any further concessions will be made concurrently with the removal of sanctions. The nation should understand that MDC-T demands are not in the Global Political Agreement,” he said.

 

On Friday, Zanu-PF’s Central Committee passed a resolution to this effect.

 

Negotiators from Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations have been given up to the end of this month to finalise any issues attendant to the GPA.

 

Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa said they were meeting again today to try and find a way forward.

 

However, these efforts could come to nothing if MDC-T insists on refusing to fulfil its GPA obligation of lobbying for an end to sanctions.

 

Minister Chinamasa, however, expressed optimism that the deadline would be met.

 

An inter-ministerial taskforce is scheduled to leave for Belgium this week to engage European Union officials on the embargo that MDC agitated for.

 

President Mugabe has said he believes Mr Tsvangirai should take a leading role in fighting the sanctions while Britain has made it clear that it would only act on advice from MDC-T.  ‘

 

-March 28, 2010 by ZimEye

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Source: www.zimeye.org (accessed on 29.03.10)