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Professor Jonathan Moyo

Sydney Kawadza Senior Reporter—
SOCIAL media was yesterday abuzz with reactions to the statement by Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Constantino Guveya Chiwenga calling on turncoat detractors of the Command Agriculture Programme to stop their subversive activities. The statement, which was apparently directed at Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo who has been on a spirited campaign against Command Agriculture, saw a cross-section of Zimbabweans calling on President Mugabe, as the appointing authority, to show Prof Moyo the door.

Read More…….

• Analysts slate Moyo over Command Agric attacks
• EDITORIAL COMMENT: Command Agric, STEM, sides of same coin
• Moyo admits benefiting from Command Agric
• Prof Moyo statement on Command Agriculture
• EDITORIAL COMMENT: Moyo, Kasukuwere hoist by own petard
• Mnangagwa reprimands Moyo on Command Agriculture
• Knives out for Jonathan Moyo
• Command Agric on the ground, not Twitter: VP
• Moyo attacks VP, lauds Sekeramayi
• EDITORIAL COMMENT: Bellicose Moyo needs disciplining
• Outrage over Moyo utterances

The reactions on Twitter were in sharp contrast to the silence on Prof Moyo’s usually overactive Twitter handle @profjnmoyo where the only other post, apart from two on the demonstration by medical students at the University of Zimbabwe, was an ambiguous, ‘‘Kuvhunduka chati kwata hunge uine katurike!’’ that was posted in the evening.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) chairman Mr Christopher Mutsvangwa saluted Gen Chiwenga for defending President Mugabe and Zimbabwe’s integrity that he said were under attack from malcontents within the party and Government.

“It is about time,” said Mr Mutsvangwa.

“ZNLWVA is on one and the same page with Gen Chiwenga. Jonathan Moyo has carved a notorious reputation as the James Bond 007 knock-off of the celluloid spy.

“He started his treacherous journey as a ZANLA wartime deserter from Mgagao Camp. He turned traitor as commander of Chimwenje, the ill-fated rag tag army of (Ndabaningi) Sithole . . .

“Of late, he is a WikiLeaks spy morphed into kleptocratic thief of ZIMDEF funds.”
Mr Mutsvangwa said Prof Moyo should resign from both Zanu-PF and Government.

“Jonso is an incorrigible deviant who trashes all that has attributes of history and the Chimurenga pedigree,” he said.
“Even as the success of Command Agriculture rings loud and clear, Jonso runs amok in sulking opposition.”

Zanu-PF provincial chairman for the Midlands, Cde Daniel Mackenzie Ncube, said Gen Chiwenga was right in defending Government’s integrity and programmes.

He called on the party to take necessary steps to deal with the errant ministers.
“These malcontents should be censured and brought to book,” he said.

Tanzanian-based Zimbabwean political analyst Mr Tafadzwa Mugwadi described Prof Moyo’s behaviour as treasonous.
“It should be treated and handled as a serious security breach for Cabinet members who have sworn to their confidence, all matters discussed therein.

“This is serious breach in a sovereign, the world over and smacks of fatal treason.”

Mr Mugwadi said command agriculture was a success.

“No amount of factional malice and Twitter rants will erase it,” he said. “However, it is ironic that Zanu-PF has allowed a parallel Government to exist with its own parallel agenda that is documentarily, historically and factually nurtured around Professor Moyo whose ‘full of I know it all’ approach to policy discourse is both academically disproved and realistically errant to say the least.”

Mr Mugwadi said Prof Moyo’s behaviour illustrated “how gate-crushers, late-comes and sell outs turned revolutionaries in a people’s revolution behave.”

Mr Goodwine Mureriwa of Harare said Gen Chiwenga was guided by the principles of the liberation struggle.

“No-one can doubt the historical narrative between Government and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces,” he said. “It is premised on the liberation struggle where cadres where guided by strict disciplinary measures.

“These are the principles that guided the fighters. The principles of honesty to the people. The attacks are coming from Politburo members who are in Cabinet, hence betraying the people.”

Mr Mureriwa said Gen Chiwenga noticed the indiscipline that could breed chaos in Zimbabwe.

He said Zanu-PF should take a stance against those trying to destablise the party and Government.

Another political analyst Mr Elton Ziki said people should understand Gen Chiwenga’s constitutional mandate and other State security agents.

“It is necessary for these arms of the State to defend and work towards the success of Government spearheaded programmes,” he said. “For the CDF to issue that statement is to make sure that these programmes reach fruition.

“He is key and integral to what is happening in the country because when such a programme fails there would food shortages leading to strife.”

Mr Ziki said Zimbabwe fought for land so that people would be productive, hence programmes like Command Agriculture.
“Criticising programmes aiming to ensure food security and stability with a potential for economic development leaves a lot to be desired,” he said.

Prof Moyo has been on rabid campaign against Command Agriculture deriding it as “Ugly-Culture’’ and equating reports of its success as ‘‘Command Lies’’.

Minister Zhuwao has also rapped Zimpapers, accusing the group’s titles of promoting Command Agriculture at the expense of Zim-Asset.

This is despite that Command Agriculture falls under the Food and Nutrition Cluster of Zim-Asset.

President Mugabe is on record hailing the success of Command Agriculture, amid indications that the programme would exceed the projected yields.