‘I warned ED about Jonathan Moyo but he did not listen’ – Clive Malunga

Veteran musician Clive Malunga has claimed he warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa more than 12 years ago to “watch out for Professor (Jonathan) Moyo for I foresaw him causing a great deal of damage to the party (Zanu-PF)” but the then Speaker of Parliament did not listen.

Malunga, a Zanu-PF member who has since launched a series of articles rebuking his party for maladministration, corruption and dictatorship, claims that the fallout between Mnangagwa and Moyo, building up to the 2017 military coup was inevitable.

The top musician said he went to Mnangagwa when he was Speaker of Parliament to complain about the abuse of Great Zimbabwe, a national symbol and a sacred place.

He said that Moyo organised a music festival at the Great Zimbabwe monuments and the day after the concert, he was saddened to see hundreds of condoms scattered all over the performance area.

Malunga said he reported the issue to Mnangagwa but he did not comment showing his support for Moyo who was the minister without portfolio. This is where he claims he warned Mnangagwa about Moyo.

Malunga believes that Mnangagwa did not support him because the Tsholotsho Declaration, a clandestine meeting organised by a faction loyal to Mnangagwa in 2004 to plot Zanu-PF’s succession was being hatched.

“…… I went to his (Mnangagwa) office. Security details told me that they were aware that I was coming. They led me to Cde Mnangagwa ‘s office. I knocked at the door and I was told to come in.

“I walked into his office which was very lavish. I was not offered a seat: I was told to present my story to him whilst standing,” Malunga wrote on his website clivemalunga.co.zw.

“I repeated what I had initially told him at Zanu-PF headquarters. I described to Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa how our sacred place had been desecrated during the national musical gala held there.

“I suggested that it would be better to take future music galas in Masvingo to alternative venues such as Mucheke Stadium rather than the Great Zimbabwe monuments.

“I also reminded Cde Mnangagwa how Professor Jonathan Moyo had been barred from staging a similar musical gala at Matopo Hills by all the chiefs of that area.

“I further advised Cde Mnangagwa that the party should watch out for Professor Moyo for I foresaw him causing a great deal of damage to the party.

“Professor Moyo at that time was annoying many ministers because he would comment on health issues, education issues, agricultural issues, mining issues, energy issues, everything: in short he had become a de facto president.

“Unbeknown to me, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa and Professor Moyo were then the best of friends. I was later informed that the two were at that time working together on the Tsholotsho Declaration.

“When I finished my presentation, I was shown the way out. I did not get any comment from Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa,” Malunga wrote.

He added: “A few years later I reminded Cde Mnangagwa through a tweet what I had said about Professor Jonathan Moyo. We were now in the G40 versus Lacoste era. I had foreseen problems emanating from the professor and what I had told Emmerson Mnangagwa had come to fruition.

“Up to this day Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa and Professor Jonathan Moyo do not see eye to eye. Leaders must learn to listen to anyone whether rich or poor. Never judge a book by its cover.” Malunga added.

After the failure of the Tsholotsho Declaration, Mnangagwa and Moyo became fierce enemies. The two split Zanu-PF into two factions; the Generation 40 led by Moyo and loyal to Mugabe’s wife Grace and the Lacoste led by Mnangagwa.

The latter had started laying his ground for succeeding Mugabe.

In November 2017, Mnangagwa, after capturing the army and the central intelligence units, led a military coup that ousted Mugabe and sent to exile Moyo and his colleagues who include former cabinet ministers Walter Mzembi, Patrick Zhuwao, Saviour Kasukuwere among others.

Mugabe died in 2019 in a hospital in Singapore from prostate cancer. He was 95 years old.