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Dr Masimba Mavaza Correspondent

Zanu PF spokesperson Cde Chris Mutsvangwa has responded to exiled former cabinet ministers Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao’s letter of apology to the party.

In his response, Cde Mutsvangwa said the two former cabinet ministers were welcome.

“This is the most welcome development. I salute the courage and candor coming from the two as penned in their joint letter,” he said. “This is an endorsement of the sincere and visionary policies and programmes a President Mnangagwa-led Zanu PF is undertaking.”

This came after Moyo and Zhuwao wrote a letter to the ruling party, apologising for having gone astray by promoting and agitating for Zanu PF to be removed from power.

During the recent 7th National People’s Congress in October the President and the First Secretary of Zanu PF Cde ED Mnangagwa invited people to come and join the party.

He extended his invitation to the members who have left or resigned from the party.

He described Zanu PF as a big pocket that accommodates everyone, hence the inclusion by appointment of former ZANU Ndonga leader Wilson Khumbula into the Central Committee.

The invitation to join or rejoin Zanu PF was embraced by many, resulting in Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao penning a widely circulated apology, sending shockwaves in both Zanu PF and opposition camps.

The apology marks a first step towards coming to the big tent.

One would believe that they have realised that outside the big tent is very cold and there is no other political party in Zimbabwe with a people centred ideology.

As said by Cde President Mnangagwa: “Ukabuda mu ZANU-PF unounyana seshizha rabva pana mai varo.”

Jonathan Moyo, a renowned political scientist, has had ample time to assess and evaluate President Mnangagwa’s performance and hard work, not that he did not know already.

When we assess Zimbabwe’s political and economic reform efforts in the Second Republic, we appreciate that President Mnangagwa has done the work of 100 years in one day.

The country’s trajectory over the next five years will be a wonder to be appreciated beyond the borders of Zimbabwe.

The developments executed by President Mnangagwa are breath taking.

President Mnangagwa has become a household name with every organisation amazed by his development now stampeding to be associated with ED as he is affectionately known.

With President Mnangagwa, genuine reforms have taken place since his ascendancy to power.

Politics and economics were inextricably linked in Zimbabwe, and the country was unable to recover, but on the advent of ED, Zimbabwe experienced real visible peace.

This could have motivated Jonathan Moyo to come back to the fold.

As much as Zanu PF welcomes him, Jonathan Moyo could be effective, but very destructive if not well managed.

When close colleagues become a political liability, the party stands by them instead of cutting them loose. But with Jonathan caution is needed.

None of the bigwigs have endorsed “the pot on the stove boiling” because the issue could become a political liability.

Jonathan Moyo’s tardiness may become a political liability and Zanu PF has to enter this route with care.

He has seen that development can still happen in his absence.

President Mnangagwa has helped the country recover and even international actors, including the United States, have acknowledged the strides he has taken in a coordinated fashion to implement genuine political, economic, and security reforms.

Now, there is greater free space and freedom of speech also means freedom after speech.

President Mnangagwa’s government has taken serious steps that are clearly an indication of progress, particularly on the economic front.

There has been roads rehabilitation and infrastructural development. Many areas have been developed without loans from the outside world.

President Mnangagwa’s re-engagement drive has bone good results, with him being invited to various international platforms including World Trade Forum in Davos and several other countries.

Zimbabwe has adopted a slogan and a moto: “friend to all, enemy to none”.

We have looked North, West, East and South. And President Mnangagwa is doing a brilliant job of it.

He has arrested several ministers for corruption, some are still in prison and others awaiting trial.

President Mnangagwa’s government continues to provide a good democratic space and we have seen political parties coming together for the good of Zimbabwe under POLAD.

We have seen a new crop of free journalists working without fear of being in trouble. The political protesters are now allowed to protest even though they will be lying.

Despite the private media remaining heavily biased against the ruling party, their political space has not been shrieked.

Tangible steps have been taken towards reconfiguring Zimbabwe’s economic and political arena.

Of note, Zimbabwe has launched a satellite in the orbit to remove pressure on phone bills, putting us a step ahead of natural disasters and having an accurate weather focus plus many more.

Some people were expecting President Mnangagwa to at least reach out to the G40 members after assuming state power and Moyo’s letter puts that question to rest.

During the Congress, President Mnangagwa made a call to all those outside Zanu PF to come back to the party.

He has instructed everyone in leadership not to discriminate people because of their previous affiliation. This shows that Zanu PF is gunning for its disgruntled and lost members.

All G40 members are free to come back to the party.

What Jonathan Moyo admired is that when President Mnangagwa assumed power, he raised hope for many Zimbabweans, even the opposition embraced his ascendancy.

President Mnangagwa has lived to his promises. Those who invested their trust in him were not and are not disappointed.

Never in our life time had a leader become so popular.

President Mnangagwa has kept his promises. He has given women their quota in Parliament. He has brought the political actors together in POLAD.

“If we want to move our party and our country forward it has to be through dialogue, not deadlock,” he once said. “It’s time to deliver the new approach to party politics that millions of Zimbabweans have been waiting for.”

The move taken by Jonathan Moyo, although a small step, will see many politicians rejoining Zanu PF.

This should be credited to recent developments sprouting all over Zimbabwe. President Mnangagwa’s charm has influenced politicians to defect to Zanu PF.

Analysts have predicted that some politicians who defected from Zanu PF in the last four years will return to it as the next general election gets closer.

The letter of apology by Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao showed that CCC lacked a clear long-term vision and is still struggling to garner support from the grassroots.

With such a weak opposition, Jonathan Moyo has realised that home is best.

The return of stability after the whirlwind for which Jonathan Moyo was an architect, pushed aside any reservations people might have had about voting for Zanu PF.

It is, therefore, not surprising that politicians from other parties have chosen Zanu PF because it has long been established that the party is for economic development.

So, here we go; we do accept the coming back of Jonathan if it does happen, but doing so cautiously.

It should be understood that Jonathan Moyo has an alternative or extrinsic reason for doing something, especially when concealed or when differing from the stated or apparent reason.

Will we be safe with Jonathan Moyo in the fold in Zanu PF?

In a huge about-turn, Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao said they regretted supporting opposition leader Nelson Chamisa ahead of the 2018 elections, saying opposition parties lacked direction and capacity to develop the country.

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