Mthwakazi wades into Moyo saga, claims tribal victimisation

By Dumisani Nyoni

The secessionist Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) has come to the defence of embattled Higher and Tertiary Education Minister, Jonathan Moyo who is in the eye of the storm for allegedly siphoning over $400,000 from Zimbabwe’s Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef).

Moyo and his deputy, Godfrey Gandawa, are alleged to have diverted the funds towards both personal and Zanu PF activities.

However, MRP on Tuesday said the former information minister was being targeted for political reasons linked to Zanu PF’s fierce succession wars.

“We believe Moyo is being targeted for political reasons linked to Zanu PF succession. Lacoste members have been stealing billions of dollars in diamond scandals and (Emmerson) Mnangagwa’s boys have also been stealing millions in state funds,” it said in a statement.

Zanu PF is reportedly split into two camps, the so-called Team Lacoste which is fronted by Vice President Mnangagwa and Generation 40 (G40) which is thought to be pushing for President Mugabe’s wife, Grace to succeed her 92-year-old husband.

Both camps aim at succeeding Mugabe.

MRP said the likes of Zimbabwe Liberation War Veterans Association chairman Christopher Mutsvangwa; Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services minister Supa Mandiwanzira; former Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa; musician and Zanu PF apologist Energy Mutodi; and security chiefs are some of the beneficiaries of the diamond scandal but nothing has so far happened to them.

“This brings us to the conclusion that Professor Jonathan Moyo is being targeted for political reasons. His only crime is that he is Ndebele and belongs to the wrong faction within Zanu PF,” MRP said.

The party said it had been informed that Moyo was still being pursued despite the fact that Mugabe in his capacity as Zimbabwean president ordered his security chiefs to leave him alone.

“(This) prompts us to believe the long standing rumour that Robert Mugabe is no longer in charge of this country. Instead it’s the members of the Joint Operations Command where Mnangagwa plays a key role who are now in charge of the day to day running of the country as proven by the Jonathan Moyo issue,” reads part of the statement.

Moyo himself has also said that he was being targeted for his Ndebele origins.

However, Dumiso Dabengwa’s Zapu has dismissed Moyo for attempts to hide his alleged criminal behind ethnicity. Radio VOP