MDC’s Eddie Cross backs Mnangagwa to beat Chamisa




Eddie Cross
Spread the love

TOP MDC-T politician and legislator Eddie Cross says President Emmerson Mnangagwa was headed for a thumping defeat of his main rival, Nelson Chamisa of MDC Alliance.

Cross was speaking to NewZimbabwe.com in Redcliff at a Friday commissioning ceremony of ZimCoke, a coking company within Ziscosteel.

“We will see that on Monday, but I think Emmerson will get a majority.

“I think Chamisa has done a good fight, but he is not going to win the majority,” Cross said.

The MDC legislator is retiring from active politics end of his tenure this month aged 78.

Since his shock seizure of power from his former boss and President Robert Mugabe, Mnangagwa, Cross said, has restored sanity in the troubled country.

“Mnangagwa has made a good beginning; this country was lost.

“The country was in the wilderness; the corruption was endemic. There was no investment. People had no confidence, but I think confidence is coming back now,” he said.

Before the first vote is even cast, the MDC-T legislator and businessman already had advice for Mnangagwa, telling the 75-year-old leader he must staff his next cabinet with competent individuals.

“I think that what Emmerson has got to do is to appoint competent executives. We don’t want corrupt people in government,” he said.

Addressing a campaign rally in Chitungwiza on Thursday, Chamisa ruled out prospects of forming a government of national unity with his Zanu PF rivals if he proceeded to win Monday’s presidential election.

He however said he was prepared to engage with his rivals in a manner which did not tie down either party to conditions.

But Cross, in his comments, said a transitional administration was appropriate in the Zimbabwean circumstances.

“What Chamisa said is very interesting that he is not prepared to go into a GNU but he is prepared to collaborate. I think the best thing for us in the next five years is a national transitional government.

“We put our plans together. Let’s forget politics. Let’s build the country,” he said.

Commenting on plans to retire, Cross said he has seen better days in politics and was prepared to relinquish the occupation to pursue business opportunities.

“I am going to retire from all positions in the party. I am now old; the future is the young and I am 78. It’s time to go.

“Nelson is the next generation…my generation failed Zimbabwe,” he said.

The veteran politician said it was his wish to see a united MDC which did not have Chamisa and his former MDC-T co-deputy Thokozani Khupe going separate ways.

“MDC is the biggest opposition and there is only one MDC; there is no Khupe. If Khupe gets one percent, I will be surprised.

“(Tendai) Biti has come back; (Elton) Mangoma is going to come back. There is no future outside the MDC. I think they will remain the most viable opposition group,” he said.

“I wish the Alliance will coalesce into a party but the problem is that Zimbabweans are power hungry. John Makumbe once said to me if you send three Zimbabweans to the moon they will come back with five political parties.” – New Zim