Eddie Cross
| Eddie Cross | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Edward Graham Cross April 17, 1940 Bulawayo |
| Known for | Being a politician |
| Spouse(s) | Jeanette Staples |
| Children | Gary and Susan |
| Website | www |
Edward Graham Cross (born 1940) is a prominent Zimbabwean economist and politician. He is a former member of parliament for Bulawayo South. He was also a founding member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T). Following the Military Coup in November 2017, Cross became a supporter of the new Emmerson Mnangagwa government and critical of the MDC. In mid-2019 however, he started criticising Mnangagwa's government for failing to lead the country out of an economic crisis.
Background
Cross's great grandfather came to southern Africa in 1867 as a Baptist missionary to the Eastern Cape. He played a significant role there and founded several Baptist Churches in South Africa. His grandfather became a Magistrate and rose to become Chief Magistrate of the Republic of South Africa and at one stage played a key role in the Smuts administration that was defeated by the Nationalist Party in 1949, paving way for the formal adoption of apartheid - an ideology that was to dominate South African politics until 1994. His father then left South Africa in the early 1930s at the height of the depression and went to Bulawayo in the then Rhodesia where he became general manager of an oil company while playing a role in the development of the theatre in Rhodesia. He died in his 80's in what became Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. He married Jeanette in 1963 and together have two children, Gary and Susan. Gary is the Pastor of Northside Community Church in Harare and Susan was married to Charlie Haley (deceased) and has a son Keith. Gary is married to Sarah and they have 4 daughters. Cross and his family are dedicated christians.[1]
Educational Background
Cross has an Agricultural Diploma from Gwebi College in 1962 and a degree in Economics from the then the University of Rhodesia (now University of Zimbabwe) in 1968.
Economic career
Eddie Cross started working in Gokwe/Zhombe District resettling people in that area. Then was employed by Agricultural Marketing Authority in 1976 and became a Chief Economist in 1976. During the transition period in 1980, he played a role as an economist by helping the two leading political parties Zanu-PF and Zapu PF prepare for government and then subsequently in the preparation for the first, post Independence donors conference. He wrote the agriculture paper presented at that conference. In 1979 he was appointed Chief Executive of the then Dairy Marketing Board (DMB). Then in 1983 was made Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Cold Storage Commission(CSC), then the largest meat organization in Africa. In 1987 he became the Managing Director (MD)of the Beira Corridor Group (BCG) and worked in the BCG until 1990. He then entered the private sector and has run his own group of companies ever since. [1]
Service/Career
Eddie Cross was opposed to the Rhodesian minority rule led by the now deceased Ian Smith. He joined the Movement for Democratic Change in 1999 and was made Secretary for Economics in 2000. He was the Policy Coordinator General for the MDC-T and sats on the National Executive. In 2008 he stood for the Constituency of Bulawayo South and won the seat resoundingly against other candidates. In February 2009 MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai designated Cross for the position of minister of State Enterprise and Parastals as part of the government of national unity. He was later replaced prior to the cabinet swearing in.
In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Bulawayo South returned to Parliament:
- Eddie Cross of MDC–T with 6 364 votes or 66.40 percent,
- Bafana Andy Dube of Zanu PF with 1 787 votes or 18.65 percent,
- Esnat Bulayani of MDC–N with 1 078 votes or 11.25 percent,
- 4 others with 355 votes or 3.70 percent.
Total 9 584 votes
In Parliament he sat on both the Budget and Finance Committee and the Public Accounts Committee.
Events
Racism Accusation
Nkululeloko Ndlovu a suspended Bulawayo MDC-T provincial administrator accused Eddie Cross of 'racist insults' and the matter went on trial where he pleaded not guilty. In January 2014, magistrate Gladmore Mushove found Cross not guilty of the alleged racial slur and acquitted him. “It seems there was an exchange of words between the complainant and the accused and there is no evidence that the accused made that call and hence he is found not guilty and acquitted,” said Mushove. [2]
Books
- A life of Sacrifice-The Biography of Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa (2021)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Eddie Cross's Website, Published December 1, 2013, Retrieved: July 4, 2014
- ↑ MDC-T burdens courts with trivia: Magistrate, The Chronicle, Published: January 25, 2014, Retrieved: July 4, 2014
