via Moyo threatens to sue Mutsvangwa – NewsDay Zimbabwe February 3, 2016
Zanu PF factional wars could spill to the courts after Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo yesterday threatened to “teach” War Veteran minister Christopher Mutsvangwa “a court lesson”.
by Everson Mushava/Silence Charumbira
Moyo, who has been brawling with Mutsvangwa in recent weeks over the hot Zanu PF succession issue, took to micro-blogging site Twitter and promised the war veterans boss a dose of his own medicine in the courts.
“Some statements attributed to Chris Mutsvangwa in this piece are patently unlawful. I will teach him a court lesson,” Moyo warned.
Last week, Moyo had a serious verbal fight with President Robert Mugabe’s spokesperson, George Charamba after the Information secretary accused the minister of being a “successionist”.
War veterans responded by threatening to bar Moyo from attending politburo meetings, accusing him of undermining Mugabe.
But Moyo on Monday said no one except Mugabe could stop him from attending Zanu PF politburo meetings and accused Mutsvangwa — who has been accusing him of being a liberation war deserter — of being a “coup plotter”.
Moyo is believed to be one of the architects of G40, a Zanu PF faction reportedly opposed to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe.
The Higher Education minister yesterday poured scorn at the Mnangagwa faction, particularly Mutsvangwa, war veterans’ secretary-general Victor Matemadanda, and Charamba, whom he said could find themselves as victims.
“Perhaps, but who knows? They might just find themselves holding the wrong end of the stick. Watch the space,” Moyo tweeted.
He said Mutsvangwa, Matemadanda and Charamba were “successionists”, not nationalists.
“This account defends Mugabe, the party, government and country, and opposes successionists without any apology whatsoever!,” Moyo said, at the same time querying why the meeting addressed by Matemadanda — to attack him — was held at the Presidential Guard Barracks in Dzivaresekwa.
Mutsvangwa, however, said there was nothing sinister about their meeting at the army barracks, justifying it on the basis that war veterans were retired members of the defence establishment.
“War veterans are all retired members of the defence establishment, so we have an umbilical cord, even as the reserve force,” he said.
“Moyo has scant knowledge of military conduct and is scornful of us, the hardened war veterans who finished off the war business he cowardly abandoned.”
COMMENTS
Instead of playing to the gallery, why not sit down and ventilate. This country is very small both in geographical size and population, but there is enough space for all of us. VaMutsvangwa should be allowed to protect and promote the interests of our freedom fighters, and VaMoyo be allowed to run with his portfolio of education. There can be no conflict. If either of them aspire for higher office, or have preferred successors, that’s fair and fine. I am sure we still have rules of engagement within the party. Let’s not wash our linen in public gentlemen. We only have one Zimbabwe, let’s build it together. VaMugabe woye garisai makurukota aya and all the other cadres down. Tanzwa nekunyara isu.
Whilst constructive criticism is healthy, it is key that everything be done in terms of gwara remusangano.