Msika rejects Moyo's overtures

Msika rejects Moyo's overtures

MOYO

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By Staff Reporter

JONATHAN Moyo has made a last-ditch effort to save his flailing political career by deploying THREE chiefs and TWO headmen to pursuade Zanu PF leaders to allow him to represent the party in next month's parliamentary elections.

He was sidelined from the ruling party's agenda-setting central committee and politburo following accusations of orchestrating a palace coup and defying party leaders.

Moyo -- Zimbabwe's Information Minister for five years -- appears not to have given up on his dream for public office in his home district of Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North Province.

Last week, he launched his latest charm offensive -- three traditional chiefs and two headmen, all from Tsholotsho and surrounding areas.

The chiefs -- Chief Tegulu, Chief Gagu and Chief Siposo -- met Vice President Joseph Msika in Harare last week. Sources have told New Zimbabwe.com that the chiefs tried to pursuade Msika that Moyo was the best candidate for Tsholotsho.

"Msika was having none of it. He basically told them that they should concentrate on their village politics and leave Moyo's issue to the Zanu PF politicians," the source said.

The move comes amid growing despondency within Zanu PF over President Robert Mugabe's delay in kicking the voluble political science professor out of government.

Reports say former army commander Solomon Mujuru exchanged harsh words with Mugabe at a politburo meeting this week over why he had not axed Moyo, in line with growing demands within the party hierachy.

However, Mugabe is said to have let it be known that Moyo's fate would be decided by only him alone.

Observers say Mugabe appears to have developed cold feet in axing his information supremo fearing a possible backlash from the man credited with engineering his election in 2002.

"Moyo served Mugabe for five years and you would expect that Moyo knows some very damaging secrets or probably got hold of important documents which would make Mugabe think twice about firing him," political journalist Dumisani Muleya said.
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