HARARE – ZANU PF has dropped Simon Khaya Moyo as its spokesperson and replaced him with Paul Mangwana in an acting capacity “until further notice”.
In a statement, the party’s director of administration Dickson Dzora said the decision had been made “due to the fact that the secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Simon Khaya Moyo is currently seized with campaigning for the Bulilima Mangwe Senatorial seat.”
Khaya Moyo is one of a few survivors of a purge that followed the ouster of former President Robert Mugabe in a military coup last November, and his replacement by Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Former Higher Education Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, who now lives in exile, said Zanu PF was being dishonest with the explanation.
“SK Moyo is not the only Politburo member contesting in the July 30 poll,” Moyo said on Twitter.
Anyone who believes that SK has been dropped as ZanuPF spokesman to give him time to campaign for a "Senatorial seat" in Bulilima Mangwe will believe anything. 1. There's no Bulilima Mangwe senatorial seat & 2. SK Moyo is not the only PB member contesting in the July 30 poll! pic.twitter.com/z9OvNauUnF
— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) July 19, 2018
The move would appear to suggest that Zanu PF fears it is losing the information war ahead of elections on July 30, with a forthcoming national survey by Afrobarometer set to show MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa neck-and-neck with Mnangagwa after closing a 13-point gap.
