Mahere warns Jonathan Moyo

Outspoken former opposition legislator Fadzayi Mahere has warned exiled former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo against returning to Zimbabwe, cautioning that he would regret making such a move.

Moyo, once a senior figure in the G40 faction within ZANU PF during the party's bitter succession battles, fled the country in 2017 amid the military intervention that brought an end to the nearly four-decade rule of Robert Mugabe.

The debate over his possible return was reignited on Thursday after businessman Wicknell Chivayo, a close ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, publicly offered Moyo a brand-new car and encouraged him to come back home.

Writing on X, Chivayo said it may be time for Moyo to return, pledging to personally collect him from the airport in his 2026 Rolls-Royce and ensure his safe arrival. He further suggested that Moyo would be able to collect a new vehicle of his choice upon his return, framing the offer as a gesture of reconciliation consistent with what he described as ZANU PF's principle of being "a friend to all and an enemy to none."

Mahere, however, responded with a strongly worded warning. She cautioned Moyo that accepting the offer could expose him to serious risks, urging him to remain in exile and not to return under current circumstances. In a social media post, she referenced past cases of political figures who returned to Zimbabwe only to encounter legal or political challenges shortly thereafter.

Mahere appeared to allude to the case of former cabinet minister Walter Mzembi, another figure associated with the G40 faction, who was previously arrested following his return to the country to face outstanding charges.

In her remarks, Mahere also resurfaced an earlier post by Moyo in which he sharply criticised President Mnangagwa, alleging that the head of state does not forgive political adversaries. The revived tweet accused Mnangagwa of holding longstanding grudges against perceived opponents.

The exchange highlights ongoing tensions linked to the fallout from the 2017 political upheaval and continued divisions within Zimbabwe's political landscape, as former allies and rivals weigh the prospects of reconciliation or continued exile.