Government Hits Back After Eddie Cross Accuses First Family Of Looting
In a stunning rebuke, the Zimbabwean government has hit back at Eddie Cross — the biographer of President Emmerson Mnangagwa — for claiming that the First Family is involved in corruption and steals more money than the national budget. Government officials say Cross’ remarks expose a lingering “imperialist residue” and accuse him of being an “unrepentant Rhodesian.”
Cross under fire after TV interview
Eddie Cross, a former opposition member and longtime political commentator, stirred controversy on 31 March 2025 when he appeared on South Africa’s Newzroom Afrika channel. During the interview, he alleged that under President Mnangagwa, looting of public funds “exceeds the national budget” and that the President’s children were “involved in criminality.”
The backlash was immediate and fierce.
“His outrageous, unsubstantiated, wild and defamatory statements reflect the imperialist residue that is still in his mind that black people can only succeed because of assistance of white people,” said Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, speaking to The Sunday Mail on 6 April 2025.
“He is an excitable charlatan,” the Minister added bluntly.
Cross has since issued an apology, acknowledging that he could not provide concrete evidence for his claims.
“I apologised unreservedly to the First Family, as I did not have the evidence to substantiate my claims,”
Cross said in the statement that has since circulated widely on X (formerly Twitter).
“Although I promised to give the President a dossier on the allegations, I could not provide firm evidence to support the allegations and rumours,”he added.
Government brands Cross a “chameleon”
Minister Muswere accused Cross of hiding behind his past proximity to power and abusing his perceived insider status.
“He is an unrepentant Rhodesian who is a beneficiary of racist Rhodesian policies, who confuses proximity to power as real power,”
said Muswere.
“During the day, he pretends to support us, but when at night or before rolling cameras, his true chameleon-like character becomes manifest and he becomes excitable to the extent that he masquerades as a fountain of knowledge,”
the Minister stated.
He called on Cross to stop making “megaphone advisories” and urged him to respect all citizens.
“That behaviour of undermining other people should stop forthwith. We are all equal because God,”said Muswere.