via Bulawayo24 NEWS | Mugabe ‘gags’ Jonathan Moyo. 16 June 2014 by Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has reportedly gagged Information minister Jonathan Moyo from making disparaging public comments against his Zanu PF counterparts and government officials over the next four years as part of efforts to contain him, NewsDay has learnt.
The alleged order was made at a private meeting at State House last Monday between Mugabe and Moyo following the veteran leader’s successive vitriolic attacks on his Information minister last week describing him as “a weevil” and a divisive element bent on destroying the party from within.
Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa also attended the meeting.
“It is in that meeting that Mugabe admonished Moyo to stop making comments against other party members until the next elections in 2018,” a source close to the developments told NewsDay.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba confirmed that Mutasa was part of the meeting, but declined to give further details.
Although Mutasa could not be reached for comment yesterday, he last week told a party meeting in Mutare to shun Moyo and Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, describing them as “weevils” and divisive elements.
Sources told NewsDay the sharp-tongued Moyo’s political career was now hanging by a thread after Mugabe ordered him to zip up his mouth for the next four years or lose his ministerial position.
According to sources, a section in the military opposed to Moyo is believed to have approached Mugabe demanding an explanation on why Moyo had been pardoned.
Mugabe is said to have defended his decision by saying he would not fire Moyo because he was not the only divisive element.
Moyo had on several occasions clashed with top Zanu PF officials, among them Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Temba Mliswa, over his anti-corruption drive which was viewed as targeting officials linked to Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s camp.
Moyo has ruffled feathers with Indigenization minister Francis Nhema over the interpretation of the country’s indigenisation laws, former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono, and Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri over the ban on a proposed march to commemorate World Media Freedom Day.
Addressing mourners at the late national hero Nathan Shamuyarira’s burial two weeks ago, Mugabe accused Moyo of using the public media to divide the party.
COMMENTS
Yes of course RGM will do that. He thinks that God can’t see what is going on in the dark. Everything that is being done in the dark will be shouted from the rooftops. God will not allow Zimbabwe’s evil to be covered. He will expose. He does NOT need JM to do this!
Come to think of it, if you gagged everyone in govt, the country could do no worse than its doing now.
Article just meant to portray JM as a victim when he is a key driver of the mechanism of oppression in Zim. People will not be fooled and depicting the architect of Zimbabwe’s repressive laws and vandalizer of ZBC and other state media as a ‘knight in shining armor’ will not wash!If there is hell, the hottest part of it must be reserved for JM! We will never forget the suffering he has caused and how he has been masterminding processes to subvert the legitimate will of the people.
Gag the poor fellow. Moyo is a confused brat! ! No sympathy for this clever for nothing fool.
Some gullible idiots or plain bare faced liars would have us believe that what is spoken behind doors by that hyena called Mugabe ever sees the light of day.It is, l suppose,part of the game to get most of us brain dead zimbos yapping about irrelevances while the country burns…
If you want to see something funny, google “gagging videos” and see what turns up. Then, if you will, imagine Bob gagging the Professor! Life imitates art, indeed.