When propaganda fails, try scantily-clad women

When propaganda fails, try scantily-clad women

MOYO: Reading from Goebbels' script

• Moyo splashes cash in race for Tsholotsho

• Zanu PF set to grill Moyo

• Zanu PF editor at war with Moyo

• Nkomo declares war on 'saboteurs and infiltrators'

• Mugabe's spin doctor spends millions on album launch

• Moyo sings for his supper

• Mugabe's spin doctor eyes presidency

• Zanu PF at war over Mugabe's successor

• Deported Mugabe ally calls Moyo 'gay rant'

• Matsanga deported in Sky News row

• Moyo for President?

• Sky News debacle tears Zanu PF apart

• Moyo orders Sky News out, again

• Moyo 'to fill jails with lying journalists'

• Moyo clashes with Shamuyarira over Sky

• Moyo orders Sky News crew out

By Staff Reporter

JOSEPH Goebbels once said that if propaganda is repeated often enough, it gains the legitimacy of truth.

Not content with repeating propaganda, President Robert Mugabe's spin doctor Jonathan Moyo is taking a bus load of beauties to rural Tsholotsho district to blow off the minds of wary voters as he bids for a parliamentary seat in the area.

Moyo, a former university political science lecturer has meticulously followed Goebbels' style of information management, but he is seeking to outdo the man he is thought to privately admire as he pulls all stops to wrest the Tsholotsho seat from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

In the pages of a vernacular newspaper -- uMthunywa --which he reintroduced after it had folded, comes an advert for a "Miss Rural Matabeleland 2004" to be held in Tsholotsho, although the district has a run down infrastructure.

The beauties have been carefully hand-picked by a Bulawayo-based professional model agency, with $1 million prize money promised to the winner. They come from the two rural Matabeleland provinces and will be strutting their stuff in Tsholotsho at the finals on 4 September.

"MANTOMBAZANA!!! MANTOMBAZANA!!! (Girls!!! Girls!!!)," the advert screams, "Sidinga amatshatshazi alejwabu elibutshelezi, angela machatha, angela manxeba, amade okungaphezu kwe 1.73m, aleminyaka engaphansi kwe 24, avela kuzozonke indawo zasemakhaya eMatabeleland (We are looking for beautiful girls with gentle skin, no spots, no injury marks, height over 1.73m, below 24 years of age from all areas of rural Matabeleland)."

It reads like an SOS in an emergency situation, and for good measure, it adds at the bottom: "Sithinte eStrides ngocingo, Ungavilaphi. (Get in touch with Strides Model Agency without delay."

Sources close to the beauty contest's organisers say the winners will go on to take part in the main Miss Zimbabwe pageant.

A coterie of Moyo's associates and businessmen trying to curry favour with the powerful minister are expected to accompany him to Tsholotsho. The rich and the powerful shouldn't worry about damage to their luxury cars as they drive to Tsholotsho -- Moyo recently had the road tarred.

Besides worrying about the opposition, sources indicate that Moyo could be headed for a mighty clash with Bulawayo governor Cain Mathema, who is a former Tsholotsho MP himself. Zanu PF national chairman and Lands Minister John Nkomo is also said to be privately contemplating standing in the contituency, about 60km west of Bulawayo.

Moyo, a non-elected appointee in President Mugabe's government is said to be desperate to avoid Zanu PF primaries which could prevent him from representing Zanu PF.

Moyo is leaving nothing to chance and has displayed a curious streak of generosity towards the villagers, at one stage dishing out $100 million inside seven days.

He also donated over 700 blankets worth $90 million to several health institutions and followed that a day later with a donation of two computers and a printer worth $22,1 million to Tsholotsho hospital.

A few days later the minister followed with another donation of a computer and printer all worth $13 million to Tsholotsho police.

Apart from donations made in July, this year alone, Moyo donated medical equipment worth $28 million before donating 1000 bags of cement worth $40 million to various schools in the constituency.

He donated a further $2 million to cover funeral costs for a chief who died in Tsholotsho two months ago. The minister has also established what he termed multi-million dollar scholarship programme for disadvantaged children in the constituency. He also launched a football tournament in Tsholotsho sponsored to the tune of $15 million using 'personal funds.'
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