Jonathan Moyo: A cancer Zanu PF cannot deal with

Jonathan Moyo: A cancer Zanu PF cannot deal with

MOYO: Planning next move

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• Moyo escapes censure as Mugabe drags feet

• Moyo, and the art of beautiful propaganda

• Moyo splashes cash in race for Tsholotsho

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• Sky News debacle tears Zanu PF apart

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• Moyo 'to fill jails with lying journalists'

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By Staff Reporter

HOW many political lives does Information Minister Jonathan Moyo have?

For never has a man caused so much chaos, concern and outcry in Zanu PF and gone on to survive.

Never has a man plotted so openly against Robert Mugabe, defied his closest aides and controlled national news output and all facets of our lives, and still remained at the heart of government.

While Moyo's detractors ran away claiming victory after he was reprimanded by Mugabe in midweek, the man who was never Zanu PF until five years ago loomed large at the Zanu PF Congress which opened in Harare on Thursday.

As Mugabe expressed his frustrations at Moyo's defiance of every standing order in the Zanu PF rule book, there was an underlying element of fear of the 47-year-old political science professor who once called Mugabe a "national problem which needs containment".

And as his punishment - described as a "strong reprimand" by Nathan Shamuyarira - was announced, Moyo was telling the state-owned media which he controls that he was a victim of "ugly lies" before drawing parallels between allegations against him and George Bush's faulty intelligence in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq.

The problem for Moyo's opponents in Zanu PF is that where his opponents use revolutionary rhetoric to be noticed, Moyo uses his intelligence to outwit them at every turn. They fear his intelligence, while Mugabe is a little bit dazed and confused by Moyo's intellectual industry.

For how do you explain Moyo getting away with a ticking-off, while six Zanu PF provincial chairmen he invited to his "illegal" meeting in Tsholotsho were suspended from the party for up to four years?

The truth is Zanu PF doesn't know how to deal with Moyo, largely credited with keeping them in power two years ago when it seemed to be heading for doom after that disastrous Constitutional Referendum.

In the four years he has been directing government policy as Information Minister, Moyo has clashed with Shamuyarira, angered Dumiso Dabengwa, infuriated Solomon Mujuru, upset Joseph Msika and fought pitched battles with John Nkomo - and still survived.

Petched on the top level of a Harare hotel's conference room while Mugabe addressed the party faithful below, Moyo who tried in vain to thwart Joyce Mujuru's elevation to vice President in favour of Emmerson Mnangagwa, and in defiance of Mugabe, was plotting his next move.

Nobody in Zanu PF wants to have Moyo for an opponent, and that includes Mugabe himself. That single factor has bought Moyo more time to ruffle a few more feathers.

He will go away from Congress and start scheming. Pitched against ageing geriatrics, don't bet against Moyo winning the next and most crucial round. He might be down, but he is a man on top of his game.
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