Moyo: 'Zanu PF sweating in their pants'

Moyo: 'Zanu PF sweating in their pants'

MOYO on the campaign trail in Tsholotsho

• Moyo warns Zanu PF may lose poll

• Mugabe says Moyo plotted coup

• MDC, Zanu PF take on Moyo in Tsholotsho

• Moyo vacates government house, moves to Byo

• Moyo accuses Mugabe of intimidation

• Moyo launches major push for Tsholotsho

• Moyo's new coalition to challenge Mugabe

• High Court gives Moyo 2 weeks to vacate

• Mugabe's former spin doctor battles eviction

• Tawanda Hove: 'No tears for Moyo'

• Tamborinyoka: 'Let Moyo stew in his unpublished views'

• Your Shouts!: Moyo a hero? Are crazy?

• OPINION: 'Moyo just a village hero'

• ADMORE TSHUMA: Jonathan Moyo, my hero

• PROFILE: JONATHAN NATHANIEL MOYO

• Moyo angers ex-Cabinet colleagues with tribal slur

• Full text of Moyo's reply to dismissal from government

• Moyo slams Zanu PF 'politics of patronage'

• Mugabe drops Moyo from Cabinet

• Mugabe's spin doctor quits, goes independent

• Msika snubs Moyo's Tsholotsho plea

• Moyo bombshell: Gukurahundi killed my dad

• Matsanga delights in Moyo's misfortunes

• Moyo sues Dabengwa, Nkomo for $2bln

• Zanu PF lifts Langa, Ncube's suspension

• Moyo: 'Tsholotsho will hold Nkomo to account'

• Moyo lays into Nkomo, Dabengwa as Zanu PF stalls on Tsholotsho

By Emelia Sithole

FORMER Zimbabwe Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, once a staunch ally of President Robert Mugabe, denounced the ruling party on Tuesday, calling it a "tribal clique" with no respect for democracy.

Moyo was expelled from the ZANU-PF party last month after defying Mugabe to stand as an independent in parliamentary elections on Thursday. He has since turned against the party and leader he served as a faithful propaganda chief.

In an interview with Reuters, Moyo said he hoped voters would deny ZANU-PF the two-thirds parliamentary majority it is seeking. Such a result would give the party the power to amend the constitution and strengthen its grip on power.

"If ZANU-PF gets two-thirds and given that we are talking about a dangerous ZANU-PF that's being run by a tribal clique, that would be unwise, very unwise," Moyo said at his rural home in his southern Tsholotsho constituency.

Moyo dismissed Mugabe's suggestion last week that he had sought to engineer an army coup after he left the ruling party.

"The president has an unfortunate habit of always accusing opponents of plotting a coup. That might demonstrate his attitude to the democratic process. He might have a problem with that," Moyo said.

He said the remarks were scare tactics by a leadership nervous about the outcome of Thursday's contest, which he described as too close to call.

"I think that Zanu PF people are sweating in their pants…What's possible just from reading the sentiment is that it's a close contest," he added.

"The president has an unfortunate habit of always accusing opponents of plotting a coup"

JONATHAN MOYO

Moyo's expulsion from ZANU-PF was the most visible pointer to unprecedented splits in the party, mainly over the issue of who will succeeds Mugabe when he retires in 2008 as promised.

Analysts say the succession row has left ZANU-PF weaker ahead of the March 31 poll, when Moyo will face a ruling party candidate and another from the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change, which won the seat in 2000 - Reuters
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