Zimbabwe war vets bay for minister's blood

WAR veterans are demanding the axing of Matebeleland North Provincial Affairs minister Richard Moyo over a basket of charges that include disrespecting the Zanu-PF leadership.

Moyo, who is also the Zanu-PF Matebeleland North provincial chairperson, is accused of costing the party crucial votes in the disputed August 2023 elections.

Ruling party sources said Moyo and his counterparts Kazembe Kazembe and Mangaliso Ndlovu are also in a dilemma as they risk losing some of their influential posts.

Kazembe, the Mashonaland Central provincial chairperson, also doubles up as Home Affairs minister.

Ndlovu presides over the Industry and Commerce ministry and is also the Matebeleland South chairperson.

Sources said President Emmerson Emmerson Mnangagwa summoned the trio recently where he spoke about how they should balance their government and party duties.

This follows a letter of complaint where Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) members in Matebeleland North complained against Moyo's leadership style.

"Zanu-PF has lost leadership that has the spirit of unity, peace and development in Matebeleland North," reads in part the letter of complaint signed by ZNLWVA Matebeleland North secretary for administration Albert Ncube and addressed to the Zanu-PF leadership.

"Looking at the August 2023 elections we lost crucial seats to the opposition due to the current leadership of Honourable Richard Moyo.

"He created a lot of confusion and disunity that gave birth to disgruntled party members vowing not to vote for the party, and the result speaks volumes.

"R Moyo accused war veterans and the national secretary-general (Obert Mpofu) of not voting for the party Zanu-PF; to us as warveterans it was an insult.

"R Moyo disregarded the role played by our national SG in the top leadership calling him a fake war veteran and not acknowledging that Dr O. M. Mpofu is the secretary general of the party Zanu-PF."

Moyo was appointed provincial minister in 2017 having been Zanu-PF chairperson of the province since 2012.

In 2018, Zanu-PF won eight out of 13 parliamentary seats in Matebeleland North compared to only six in last year's elections.

An analysis of the results shows that the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) made inroads even in constituencies where it lost to the ruling party.

"This continued post elections causing disorder amongst the province Matebeleland North where Richard Moyo is attacking war veterans openly and not respecting senior leadership of the province," the letter added.

"As the war veterans in the province, we are the bedrock of the party and we cannot sit down and watch the party crumble."

Moyo refused to comment on the claims when contacted for comment yesterday.

"Go back to the war veterans for a comment," he said before terminating the call.

The war veterans said they had tried to engage Moyo without success.

"Being a Member of Parliament (Umguza), minister and provincial chairman has made R Moyo see himself as untouchable and above everyone," the ex-combatants said.

"Zanu-PF Matebeleland North is in shambles because of his poor leadership skills.

"In conclusion, as Matebeleland North war veterans league, we demand an urgent attention to this matter.

"He (Cde. R Moyo) has to be brought to order as we cannot continue under his leadership in the province."

Zanu-PF political commissar Mike Bimha and Mpofu were not reachable for comment.

Moyo is alleged to have recently resettled some Zanu-PF youths in the timber and wildlife rich Emmergroon Estate in the Gwayi area in the province where the ex-combatants have some A1 plots.