ZANU PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo is next on the party’s firing line, as he is accused of continuing to fraternise with the purged “gamatox” faction, party insiders revealed yesterday.
SILAS NKALA/ EVERSON MUSHAVA
The insiders said the Zanu PF axe was hovering over Moyo’s head following his alleged continued association with the faction reportedly fronted by former Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
“Khaya Moyo will be the next to be fired,” a Zanu PF source said.
“He is said to be linked to the gamatox and has failed to denounce them in his statements as spokesperson.
“His plight has been made worse because he is alleged to have been spotted in the company of ousted former Mashonaland East provincial chairperson Ray Kaukonde.
“He is accused of failing to denounce the MDC-T in his statements.”
It is understood that Moyo could have been axed before or soon after the December 2014 congress alongside Mujuru and several other party bigwigs, but survived after he and Defence minister Sidney Sekeramayi “privately” apologised to President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace.
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Zanu PF insiders close to the developments said Moyo’s reprieve could be short-lived as moves were underway to relieve him of his duties, a week after Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti was fired for working with the Mujuru camp.
“The First Lady wants everyone who was working with Mujuru relieved of his or her duties, both in the party and the government,” the source said.
“Obviously, her wishes will prevail.
“Moyo is perceived as one of them and allegations that he was spotted in the company of Kaukonde, the First Lady’s worst enemy, have made his situation more precarious.”
Moyo was said to have been working with Mujuru and was tipped for the vice-president post before the congress.
Efforts to contact him were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Meanwhile, expelled former Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa yesterday vowed to defend his Headlands parliamentary seat in a by-election which he said he would contest on the ruling party ticket, a development likely to rekindle the party’s factional fights.
Mutasa, who was fired from Zanu PF last week for publicly denouncing the party’s December 2014 congress, said he still regarded himself a bona fide party member and would contest any by-election in his constituency under the party’s banner.
“Yes, I shall contest, I do not want to let my members down,” the former Presidential Affairs minister said.
“I will contest as a candidate of the original Zanu PF.”
Mutasa was expelled alongside his nephew, Hurungwe West MP Temba Mliswa, who has since announced plans to contest the constituency by-election as an independent candidate.
President Robert Mugabe’s ex-close aide was initially relieved of party and government posts after he described the Zanu PF elective congress held last December as unconstitutional and threatened to file a legal challenge at the High Court seeking nullification of its resolutions.
This angered his erstwhile comrades who urged him to drop the planned court challenge and remain subservient to the party leadership.
But Mutasa remained defiant, a stance which led to his expulsion from Zanu PF last week before even appearing before a six-member disciplinary tribunal tasked to handle his case.
Following his expulsion, Mutasa dug in saying no one in the current ruling party hierarchy could expel him as he belonged to the original Zanu PF.
“They are not able to expel me from the original, law abiding and constitutional Zanu PF, which puts people and the country first,” Mutasa said last week.
“That is where I belong and shall happily stay.”
Mutasa and Mliswa’s seats are yet to be declared vacant and Mugabe has not yet proclaimed a by-election date.
