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Mr Tsvangirai

Hebert Zharare Political Editor
DAGGERS are drawn against MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, with party members accusing him of heartlessness and double standards for ordering the party’s councillors and legislators not to co-operate with Zanu-PF in Parliament and councils at a time when he has expressed his wish to engage President Mugabe to discuss the package for his tenure as Prime Minister in the inclusive Government.

As part of the package, Mr Tsvangirai is keen to buy the US$4.5 million mansion in Highlands, which was his official residence, at a time his party is retrenching workers citing cash constraints.

MDC-T has since retrenched 55 of its 150 staff members, with retrenchees going away with paltry US$3 000 packages despite having served the party for up to 14 years in some cases.

While MDC-T former ministers have readily left Government accommodation, Mr Tsvangirai is still ensconced at number 4 Kew Road, Highlands amid reports he was ready to splash US$4,5 million for the mansion as he does not want to go back to his party residence in Strathaven.

“We do not understand why at a time when the party is facing a serious financial crisis that has seen workers being retrenched and going away with nearly nothing, (Mr) Tsvangirai is frantically looking for money to buy the mansion. As a former trade unionist, he has abandoned the people and is now pursuing self enriching agenda.

“The party bought him a house to use in Strathaven. It appears his new wife Elizabeth is putting him under pressure because we understand she is refusing to go to Strathaven, saying she does not want to stay in a house that was once occupied by Susan (Tsvangirai’s late wife),” said a highly-placed source at Harvest House.

Mr Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Mr Luke Tamborinyoka, yesterday said his boss would stay in the mansion as long as evaluators from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing were still to evaluate the house.

“As of this moment, the only exit package Mr Tsvangirai and the people of Zimbabwe want is a legitimate election. As to the issue of the house, it’s not pre-occupying the former Prime Minister’s mind.

“It’s a matter at the appropriate time he will discuss with President Mugabe as his exit package. He has been staying in that house and the regulations are very clear that he must be given the right of first refusal. After that he will buy the house if he wants,” he said.

Government bought the house for US$790 000 before it was renovated at a cost of US$1,5 million, of which Mr Tsvangirai reportedly took a whopping US$3million, US$1,5million apiece from the central bank and Treasury, which is why the house is today valued at US$4,5 million. Of the US$3million, US$1, 5 went to renovations while only Mr Tsvangirai is still to say where the other US$1, 5 million went.
Mr Tamborinyoka dismissed reports that Mr Tsvangirai raided the party account to build a war chest to buy the mansion with highly placed sources at Harvest House saying the MDC-T leader already had the funds in his account in an account administered by his daughter, Vimbai.

All is not well in the western-sponsored party as donor funds have dried after its humiliating defeat forcing it to lay off thousands of workers who are being sent away with $3 000 envelopes.

Said one of the disgruntled party workers in a Facebook post on the MDC-T whistleblower page, Harvestiliks; “But it’s bad gentlepeople, to promise people and later renege. This is what contributed to our dismal electoral performance. We promised hefty salaries for civil servants but we did nothing about their salaries and working conditions.

“The party is very unfair. While these employees are being sent into the streets with meagre exit packages, vamwe varikutopihwa dzimba nekutotsvagirwa mabasa. Godfrey Muchineuta and Washington Gaga, former director of security and former head of security at Charter House respectively, are to be laid off along with Pearson Mbalekwa the former security advisor to the Captain.

‘’The party has requested a certain NGO to employ Gaga and Muchineuta. Ko vamwe ava nhai vaForomani? By the way our security is now going to be headed by Pascoe Gwezere as a Security Administrator.”

However, the other officials, Muchineuta, Gaga and Mbalekwa could not be reached for comment yesterday.