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Professor Jonathan Moyo

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter—
Zanu-PF Politburo member Professor Jonathan Moyo has come under fire for his unprovoked attack on Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, with some party affiliates and political analysts calling on the revolutionary party to take decisive action against him. Prof Moyo launched a verbal onslaught against VP Mnangagwa on Thursday night during a SAPES Policy Dialogue, saying the VP was unfit to succeed President Mugabe, while heaping praises on Defence Minister Dr Sydney Sekeramayi with some superlatives.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators Association chairman Cde Pupurai Togarepi said they were shocked by Prof Moyo’s utterances and urged Zanu-PF to take decisive action against him.

“As ZLWACO, we are very shocked that a senior member of the party has the courage to tear apart the constitution of the party,” he said.

“We have a sitting President and there is no need to talk about succession, saying I prefer this one to that one.

“This attack on VP Mnangagwa is not attack on him, but an attack on the President, who is the appointing authority.

“I think the leadership of the party should rein him in.

“Nobody should be allowed to challenge the decisions we make at Congress because the Central Committee, the Politburo and the Vice Presidents were all appointed through the processes of Congress.”

On what action he thought should be taken against Prof Moyo, Cde Togarepi said it was up to the leadership of the party to either suspend or expel him.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) chairman Mr Christopher Mutsvangwa said Prof Moyo’s successionist project had failed and had now resorted to tarnishing the images of national leaders.

“His theories of Zimbabwe as archetype of the failed African State have been shredded,” he said.

“By the same token, his successionist agenda has been shattered. He has a litany of soiling the reputations of noted public figures as he promoted his beloved Saviour Kasukuwere to ignorant stardom.

“ . . . Now he is preying upon Sydney Sekeramayi. Report Mphoko is mentioned as the insurance fall back in that litany of trialled national leaders.

“All these notables being Jonso’s pontoon boats to ferry him across to his boundless political fortunes across the deep, but narrow river of undoing Chimurenga II and its pregnant and eternal prospects of national hope.”

Mr Mutsvangwa said Prof Moyo and the embattled national political commissar Cde Kasukuwere, his brother Mashonaland Central chairman Cde Dickson Mafios and Cde Patrick Zhuwao, embarrassed themselves during the SAPES Policy Dialogue.

“The trio of G40 made for a pitiable lot at SAPES,” he said.

“Imagine Judas Iscariot sitting in judgment over the 12 apostles that stuck all the way to the cross with Jesus Christ.

“Now, Jonso had his mark sheet doling out scores to self chosen recipients of the equivalent of Oscars of the Zimbabwe Revolution.

“All in all, a phoney undertaking that reeks of apostasy and treachery through and through.

“The inescapable reality is that the lonesome G40 is now out on a limb.

“Wads of cash by gullible Western donors have all but disappeared.

“The G40 have found their last political refugee is narcissism at SAPES. Jonso, the wartime deserter and treacherous spy, never was Zanu-PF. The people’s struggle has finally winnowed him away like chaff of the grain harvest.”

Tanzanian-based analyst Mr Tafadzwa Mugwadi said Prof Moyo’s utterances were not an attack on VP Mnangagwa, but an attempt to undermine the legacy of the liberation struggle.

“His disdain for VP Mnangagwa should not be taken lightly as personal attacks, but an orchestrated and well thought strategy to undermine and devalue the liberation legacy epitomised by its living stalwarts inclusive of the appointing authority whom VP Mnangagwa deputises,” he said.

“In his warped mentality, he views Cdes VP Mnangagwa and Sekeramayi as competitors and not as sons of the Zimbabwean revolution, which they fought for with complementary valour and vision.

“The danger, however, is that he is being arrogated unusual and unfettered freedoms to be off-rail and offside without reprimand.”

Political analyst Mr Goodwine Mureriwa said Prof Moyo was trying to drive a wedge between two liberation war luminaries.

“These two have worked together for a long time, in fact since the liberation war up to day and Prof Moyo and his cabal after seeing that their ambitions for power have all but gone, they want to rope in Cde Sekeramayi into their project,” he said.

Political analyst and lawyer Mr Tendai Toto said Prof Moyo should be investigated for misconduct, as his opinions were against Zanu-PF’s position on discussing succession.

“If there is evidence of misconduct, then appropriate disciplinary action can be taken,” he said.

“However, if Professor Moyo was merely expressing opinion on who he prefers to succeed President Mugabe in Zanu-PF, such opinion on preferences are still against party directives not to publicly debate succession issues.”