Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) President Mugabe saves Biti from dismissal

President Mugabe saves Biti from dismissal
By: Nancy Pasipanodya
Posted: Friday, June 25, 2010 5:36 pm

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe helped Finance Minister Tendai Biti to escape the sack from his post in Cabinet in this week’s shock reshuffle by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

President Mugabe refused to approve the sacking of Mr Biti saying it was not healthy for the continuity of the agenda of the inclusive Government. Donors view Mr Biti as a key individual in the inclusive Government and have developed a rapport with the maverick minister.

Sources within the MDC-T party led by the prime minister told this reporter that Mr Tsvangirai was under pressure from the likes of Roy Bennett, the party's treasurer and Eddie Cross, that party's policy coordinator to fire Mr Biti.

Bennett blames Mr Biti for embezzlement of party funds during his time in self-imposed exile in South Africa. Several thousands of US dollars are said to have gone missing when Bennett was in hiding in South Africa.

Prime Minister Tsvangirai is also reportedly "concerned" about Mr Biti's "insurbodination".

"(Prime Minister) Tsvangirai is concerned about Biti's behaviour and he feels that he (Biti) is undermining his authority. He also blames him for insurbodination," said the insider who requested anonymity.

President Mugabe is said to be indifferent to Mr Biti holding the post of minister of finance; but advised the prime minister that sacking Mr Biti would take the inclusive Government a few steps back.

Party financiers, Theresa and Ian Makone are also said to despise Mr Biti with whom they have had various policy clashes in the party and have recommended his dismissal or demotion. As key funders of the party, they feel that they, and not Mr Biti, should be more aligned with donors; a view also shared by Bennett.

Mr Biti last week walked out of a Cabinet meeting citing irreconcilable policy differences with "various members of the Cabinet" including some from his own MDC-T party and President Mugabe's Zanu-PF. PM Tsvangirai is said to have been upset by Mr Biti's walkout, which served to undermine him.

Mr Biti and other fired ministers in the reshuffle, former Energy minister Elias Mudzuri, and former Social Amenities Minister Fidelis Mhashu are said to form the "brainbox" of the MDC-T party; and PM Tsvangirai is said to be uneasy about their closeness.

They were, therefore, targeted for removal or demotion by PM Tsvangirai in the reshuffle.

PM Tsvangirai and Mr Biti recently clashed over civil servants’ salary freezes.

Mr Biti announced that there would be a wage freeze and the PM dismissed that statement. Public Service minister Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, a close Tsvangirai ally, also openly attacked Mr Biti accusing him of being a “super minister”.

Mr Biti is also said to have indicated that he will run for the party's leadership at the party’s congress next year. PM Tsvangirai and his "Kitchen Cabinet" do not want a change of leadership.

Labels: MDC, MDC FACTIONS, MUGABE, TENDAI BITI

posted by MrK @ 8:22 PM