Moyo’s Twitter account hacked – family member

Professor Jonathan Moyo
Spread the love

HARARE – A relative of controversial Zimbabwean minister Jonathan Moyo, purged from the ruling ZANU-PF party along with President Robert Mugabe, said on Monday that a tweet on his Twitter handle earlier saying that he was outside of the country was the work of a hacker.

“While he remains safe, he is not the one who posted that,” the family member told the media, adding that Moyo remained in Zimbabwe. The tweet was subsequently deleted.

It is believed the Account has always been handled by his two sidekick who are former Editors of the State media.

No automatic alt text available.

President Robert Mugabe has called his cabinet for a meeting at his State House offices, the chief secretary to the president and cabinet says in a notice and is believed Professor Moyo will attend.

The meeting is called for Tuesday, the same day his ruling party members plan to impeach him.

Mugabe faced the threat of impeachment by his own party on Monday, after his shock insistence he still holds power despite a military takeover and a noon deadline to end his 37-year autocratic rule.

Robert Mugabe has addressed Zimbabweans in a televised speech, pledging to preside over the ruling party’s upcoming congress in December.

The address has fuelled confusion over his future, after he was removed as leader of the country’s governing party and given a deadline to step down as head of state.

This is the first time the ministers are set to meet for their routine weekly meeting with Mugabe since the military took power on Wednesday.

Cabinet meetings are usually held at Munhumutapa Building in the centre of town, but an armoured vehicle and armed soldiers are camped outside the offices.

Mugabe’s end game

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has defied expectations by not resigning, but the 93-year-old veteran leader will now face an impeachment process initiated by his own party.

Following the army’s seizure of power last week, the ruling ZANU-PF party sacked him as its leader over the weekend and the influential veterans’ association has called for further mass demonstrations.

Here are some of the possible routes by which Mugabe could leave power:

Resignation

Article 96 of Zimbabwe’s constitution says that the president can resign if he submits a letter to the parliament speaker, who must publicly announce it within 24 hours.

Resignation would be the fastest, simplest and least risky way for Mugabe to leave power — but that looks unlikely.

During his first meeting on Thursday with the general who led the military takeover, he bluntly refused to step aside.

And on Sunday he showed once again that he intends to resist all calls to resign.

Another sticking point is political. The constitution says that in the event of a presidential resignation, he will be replaced by the vice president.

But the military’s preferred candidate to succeed Mugabe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was sacked by Mugabe on November 6 in a move which triggered the current crisis.

There is, however, a second vice president — Phelekeza Mphoko, who is loyal to First Lady Grace Mugabe — who would automatically be named as interim leader in a development the army would want to avoid.

If Mnangagwa was to have any chance of taking over, the army would first have to persuade Mugabe to reappoint him.

Impeachment

The National Assembly and the Senate can begin proceedings to remove the president if both pass simple majority votes against him — either on grounds of “serious misconduct”, “violation” of the constitution or “failure to obey, uphold or defend” it, or “incapacity”.

Once the votes are passed, the two chambers must then appoint a joint committee to investigate removing the president.

If the committee recommends impeachment, the president can then be removed if both houses back it with two-thirds majorities, according to section 97 of the constitution.

But Mugabe would first have a right to reply to parliament’s accusations under section 69 of the constitution, according to the Veritas legal group.

That could set the scene for a fiery showdown between the veteran leader who has controlled every aspect of political life for 37 years and lawmakers, many of whom Mugabe himself handpicked and groomed over the decades.

But ultimately the vast majority of elected ZANU-PF representatives, like the opposition, are now in favour of removing Mugabe — even though the process could be slow.

And like the resignation route, it would also result in Mphoko becoming head of state.

Forcing him out

The military seized power late on November 14 but has been at pains to give the impression of obeying the law, seeking to play down suggestions their intervention amounted to a coup.

“We wish to make it abundantly clear that this is not a military takeover… We are only targeting criminals around (Mugabe),” said Major General Sibusiso Moyo in an address shortly after the takeover.

The African Union and the Southern African Development Community regional bloc have warned the army not to try to remove Mugabe by illegal means.

The generals appear to have heeded their warnings and have instead pushed for dialogue with Mugabe, appearing alongside him at Sunday’s TV address. It is unclear how long they will tolerate his apparent stalling tactics.