By Staff Reporter

INFORMATION minister Monica Mutsvangwa has praised late Foreign Affairs minister for carefully managing the transition that saw the November 2017 ouster of late former President Robert Mugabe by the military.

The former top soldier-turned-government minister died from Covid-19 Wednesday.

Moyo is famed for going live on national television on the night of November 14, 2017 to make a brave announcement Mugabe had been placed under house arrest in what culminated into a tense one week of back-and-forth negotiations to try and persuade the former leader to step down.

There were apparent signs the Zimbabwean military was at pains to camouflage a bloodless coup that would have seen the country ostracised by other world nations with dire consequences.

Similarly, any clumsy handling of the military action could have easily plunged the country into some form of armed conflict or banditry.

In a statement Wednesday, Mutsvangwa praised the former top soldier for using his deft dexterity and knowledge of international law to calm nerves and convince an outside community the situation was under control.

“His meticulous planning and execution of pertinent events saved the nation from chaos and bloodshed. He would go on to tackle the pariah status of the nation on his appointment as Foreign Minister,” said Mutsvangwa.

The minister said “This is a terrible and painful loss of a great patriot! He was central to the peaceful transfer of power through the 2017 November restoration of the revolution.”

She added, “He cultivated a symbiotic relationship with my Ministry as we worked to rebrand the image of the nation. To both traditional friends and erstwhile adversaries, he was easy to work with because we shared the common bonds as cadres of the national war of liberation!

“We will forever be indebted to Comrade Dr SB Moyo!

“Once again, the nation is indebted to a patriot of a rare personal calibre, outstanding military capability and remarkable political acumen.”