via Mangoma: I’m no Biti poodle, respects ex-PM 07 September 2014
FIREBRAND MDC politician Elton Mangoma says he still holds great respect for party leader Morgan Tsvangirai but insists he will never reconcile with a man he describes as a coward.
The former energy minister early this year penned Tsvangirai a letter, persuading him to relinquish the leadership position he has held since the MDC’s formation 15 years ago.
NewZimbabwe.com caught up with Mangoma who said he had no regrets for demanding Tsvangirai to leave, despite this having provoked the MDC split, with the breakaway faction now calling itself the Renewal Team.
“I have got great respect for him and if l met him today l would repeat my call to him to say ‘please save the people of Zimbabwe’ step into the founding president role. You are no longer capable of taking the fight forward’,” said Mangoma, also a chartered accountant.
Biti and Mangoma were the MDC-T negotiators during interparty talks that brought the 2009-2013 inclusive government in Zimbabwe.
“I did not sell out as you can see l am a very principled person; l am not as poor as other people would have liked me to be and therefore if l was selling out, what could be the reason that l was selling out for,” he said.
Mangoma also denied claims by his MDC-T rivals that Biti was the brains behind the MDC-T split April this year and that he was merely a front runner.
“People can have their own fantasies. Why would I be a puppet of Biti? Can l not think for myself? I am a chartered accountant. Why do l need someone else to think for me?”
The former opposition MP said he got frustrated by Tsvangirai’s failure in the inclusive government to use his executive powers he had been afforded by the coalition agreement.
“When you are given executive power you must create your own means; just as much as when l was minister l created my means to say ‘this l won’t have, that l would have’ and so forth, rather than saying ‘l don’t have this’. You have been given the power to lead,” he said.
“Tsvangirai had more power but simply did not know how to use it. If anybody sold out the people, it’s him because he could not use his executive powers to help the people.”
Mangoma also denied accusations he is among the biggest beneficiaries of Tsvangirai’s leadership, having been appointed minister ahead of other MDC leaders.
“In fact when a person like me goes into politics, l actually sacrifice more than life and limb, l would also be sacrificing my earnings because when l am there l actually earn far less than when l am running business, all l did was to have that opportunity to serve, which l did.
“It’s those people with small minds who think that when you become a minister you are actually going a step up, when in fact for me you will be going down.”
Mangoma denies Tsvangirai was pulling huge crowds to his rallies as compared to the Renewal Team.
He says Tsvangirai himself has also been ditched by some of his lieutenants.
COMMENTS
“FIREBRAND MDC politician Elton Mangoma says he still holds great respect for party leader Morgan Tsvangirai but insists he will never reconcile with a man he describes as a coward.” Politicians.. what a contradiction. How do you respect someone you regard a coward? The man speaks with a forked tongue.
This Mangoma is Stupid, why ask Tsvangirai to save people of Zim by stepping down from what? MDC is not the ruling party,they dont hold majority in parliament. if he thinks he is a man whom he pretends to be why doesnt he take ZANU headon like what Tsvangirai did then and see if he will last for one week! nxaa mbwa yemunhu
Firebrand what is a firebrand? If he is his own man why is he now a scum of Biti.
Yes I think its possible to respect a coward and there is nothing contradictory about that. In part he mentions that he is a party ‘founding father’, just like you can respect President Mugabe and still call him other names, some respect Ian Smith and still call him a racist.
tapiwa sorry man. I will never ever say I respect a coward. I also have no respect for President Mugabe. This is the definition of respect:
a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements.
The synonyms for respect are as follows:esteem, regard, high regard, high opinion, acclaim, admiration, approbation, approval, appreciation, estimation, favour, popularity, recognition, veneration, awe, reverence, deference, honour, praise, homage. There is no way someone you respect can be the above if he is a coward.
English is a very hard language.As usual you have summed it up Doctor.
Thanks DR I suppose it depends on what and how one defines coward, as one’s coward can actually be another person’s hero, and also circumstances can also bring a variation. Also when I said ‘you can’ I did not mean anyone in particular was alluding to ‘one can’ so I do understand and appreciate that the Dr might not respect President Mugabe, maybe I don’t as well but that was not my point. And when you “There is no way someone you respect can be the above if he is a coward” are you saying the converse is i.e. one would respect someone who is all those things. One’s father might be a coward but I think one would still be inclined to respect them so again thanks for the enlightment Dr
He respects Tsvangirai as a man who made a lot of sacrifices to be the first leader of the biggest democratic movement in Zimbabwe, and at the same time he is also a coward because he is unwilling to step down and let others lead the party for fear that they might actually go where he failed.
tapiwa I know where you are coming from with what you say.My point is that if he had said I used to respect then I would understand. My point being although I did respect President Mugabe at one stage when he gave his independence speech and said” “Tomorrow we shall be celebrating the historic event, which our people have striven for nearly a century to achieve. Our people, young and old, men and women, black and white, living and dead, are, on this occasion, being brought together in a new form of national unity that makes them all Zimbabweans. Independence will bestow on us a new personality, a new sovereignty, a new future and perspective, and indeed a new history and a new past. Tomorrow we are being born again; born again not as individuals but collectively as a people, nay, as a viable nation of Zimbabweans.” I lost all respect for him when he went the opposite direction.
Lucy says “He respects Tsvangirai as a man who made a lot of sacrifices to be the first leader of the biggest democratic movement in Zimbabwe, and at the same time he is also a coward because he is unwilling to step down and let others lead the party for fear that they might actually go where he failed” In my thinking he should say he lost respect.
He goes on to say ““When you are given executive power you must create your own means; just as much as when l was minister l created my means to say ‘this l won’t have, that l would have’ and so forth, rather than saying ‘l don’t have this’. You have been given the power to lead,” he said. That has a touch of arrogance and dictatorial connotation. A true leader has to say “this is what the people won’t have” you need to leave out the I’s. It is all about the people. He may make his point here and there but as a Politician your first point of respect has got to be for those that elect you, the people.
Good point Doc especially on the arrogance. I thought the arrogance was only confined to Mafume but it seems to permeate throughout the whole group. How do you then expect people to vote for you when you exhibit such arrogance? On the issue of respect, Mangoma is just trying to appear contrite, you can’t have it both ways.
Thank you Dr for at least for understanding where I am coming from I guess thats why you are a Dr
Saunyama rambai makadaro , pamberi nemi mheta chirema svowa .You are doing it for the poeple of zimbabwe not only Manicaland(Tanda)Dewerwi.
Do you know what I find so sad: tragic would be a better word. We all want a better Zimbabwe and yet we spend copious amounts of time and effort tearing each other to pieces. And every day I see or read about the formation of yet another superfluous opposition party. What are we doing??? What is the opposition doing? What does it mean when the Lord says that if you say you love Me yet hate your brother you are a liar and I am NOT in you. And what does the Lord mean when He says that if we have a grudge against a brother we are to leave our gift at the altar and go and fix the problem first before we offer the gift. What are you guys doing? And just who is the enemy here? We do not need Zanu PF to destroy us any further; we are doing a great job all by ourselves. No wonder God said ‘self’ should die and be nailed to the cross of Christ. SELF has become a very BIG problem in our opposition politics. For a Christian nation???? we are very dense spiritually. let each one of us repent.
The truth that liars can’t read through to the end….this leaves me with the question, “IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND POLITICIAN AT THE SAME TIME AND BE TOTALLY HONEST??….we don’t love each other and the worst example in this is the President of Zimbabwe himself. He hates and he doesn’t hide it.
my own opinion its possible to be a politician and christian and there are examples in the Bible but again even in the Bible the end for this hybrid is ‘loosing the basics of christianity’ and finding themselves self serving
Mangoma must tell the nation what they are renewing in his party and stop talking about Tsvangirai
That wont bring votes.
Everyone is opposition to everyone.
Unity nd fear of God immensely help creat a united loving nation.lets burry our differences nd make our beautifil country work again .our patriotic doctors nd proffessors whr r u???
PRIDE COMES BEFORE DESTRUCTION……..BEING A SERVANT LEADER REQUIRES SERVING OTHERS. BITI MANGOMA WILL SOON FIGHT FOR LEADERSHIP
PRIDE COMES BEFORE DESTRUCTION……..BEING A SERVANT LEADER REQUIRES SERVING OTHERS. BITI MANGOMA WILL SOON FIGHT FOR LEADERSHIP
IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND POLITICIAN AT THE SAME TIME AND BE TOTALLY HONEST??@ALMOST THERE Being human we are exposed to the possibility of being influenced, either physically or emotionally by the things around us.Being a Christian is admitting that you can err and basically excepting that Jesus is the Saviour and through him you can have life eternal.You must believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, and live in light of the implications of that event.In other words you have to also follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. It is a difficult road to follow but I have no doubt it can be achieved as a politician.During our Labour days there was not a meeting that we went to where we did not open in prayer and close in prayer. I cannot say with any certainty who was a practising Christian and who was not. Some of the people that were with us were politicians in a way. I won’t lie to you and say I was a good Christian but I will say there were some good people like the late Gibson Sibanda who was a gentle soft spoken soul and I considered him a friend. Would he have changed if he had become the Vice President of Zimbabwe? I don’t think so but then that is only an opinion. I think Mandela if he was a Practising would have been an example because he had compassion for other human beings. I think with God all things are possible and what Zimbabwe needs is a God fearing leader who cares about people in general. My friend I honestly think that it is possible, but is it probable? I do not know.
Great Zimbabweans! I think we must emancipate ourselves from this religious mental slavery. Who said Christianity is purity? Christians have killed and still kill today for not believing in their doctrine. My ancestors Nehanda Nyakasikana and Kaguvi were executed for resistance to Christian rule. They were hanged by a man holding a Christian Bible.
So, my point is you can become an effective politician while being a Christian because the honesty is only demanded from followers and not leaders.
Christianity is only a doctrine like an anesthetic used to ply the patient so that an operation can be carried out without pain during and only to feel it later.
It just made colonization less painful but we feel the pain today.
Sabhuku I disagree with that analogy.Those that you speak about used the name of Christianity to carry out their deeds.”Christians have killed and still kill today for not believing in their doctrine. My ancestors Nehanda Nyakasikana and Kaguvi were executed for resistance to Christian rule. They were hanged by a man holding a Christian Bible.” That did not make them Christians. A clearer definition of Christianity would be those that follow the teachings of Jesus.Those teachings are enshrined in the new testament. Those that were doing what you say did not do that. Anyone can hold a Bible and twist the writings there in. Nobody can change the fact the the New testament is against violence, hatred and all the things that have turned the world into a living hell in some parts of the world.You only have to read or investigate the teachings of Jesus Christ to realize how difficult it is to follow this way of life. The other great part is that it is against forcing people to follow this way of life so those that done what you say they done say they were Christians but that is a lie and is a lie that is used by many crooks to this day as is evident in Zimbabwe as a whole, and Africa at large. Only these days the crooks have a Black skin like me.
Tsvangirai made no mistake, in each and every movement there is a brand. Tsvangirai and Gibson Sibanda created a brand and there is no way they may pass the royalties to the next person until those that are part of the brand say its enough. Who is Biti and Elton Mangoma or any other person. The common MDC which the majority knows locally and abroad in MDC Tsvangirai. So is Mugabe and ZANU PF with Mugabe, Samora Mashel and Ferelimo, ANC and Mandela. Joshua Nkomo and ZAPU. originators are not easily replaceable.