By Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has fired party spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo and replaced him with politburo secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana.
Khaya-Moyo has hardly said a word as the ruling party is savaged by the opposition for allegedly trying to rig the July 30 elections.
Former Zanu PF politburo member and ex-higher education minister Professor Jonathan Moyo claimed that Khaya Moyo was “accused of collapsing ZanuPF’s propaganda ahead of the July 30 poll”.
Mangwana, a lawyer, confirmed he was now the ruling party’s spokesperson.
“Yes I am acting spokesperson. I will be speaking generally on issues concerning the party,” said Mangwana.
In a statement, the ruling party’s director of administration Dickson Dzora said Mangwana would be the party’s spokesperson until further notice.
“This communication serves to notify members of the media and other stakeholders that Cde Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana is the Acting ZANU PF spokesperson until further notice.
“This is due to the fact that the Secretary for Information and Publicity, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo is currently seized with campaigning for the Bulilima-Mangwe Senatorial seat,” Dzora said.
Professor Moyo dismissed the explanation, saying on Twitter;
“Anyone who believes that SK has been dropped as Zanu PF spokesman to give him time to campaign for a “Senatorial seat” in Bulilima Mangwe will believe anything. 1) There’s no Bulilima Mangwe senatorial seat & 2) SK Moyo is not the only PB member contesting in the July 30 poll!”
Sources claimed that Zanu PF might be preparing for “long winter ahead; with elections just over a week away, a lawyer will serve the ruling party better in the spokesperson’s position given possible legal wrangles likely to arise.”
Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has already raised a red flag over the way the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is handling the election process, raising fears he will reject the poll outcome which could trigger another dispute.
Khaya Moyo serves as energy minister and has also been acting information minister after Mnangagwa’s bid to appoint war veterans chairperson Christopher Mutsvangwa in the latter job failed over a constitutional quota.
