Villagers want Moyo to explain his ZANU PF return

The villagers reportedly want to summon Moyo, who is their independent representative as an MP in parliament, in the next two weeks to explain his decision. They have even said they will bar him from visiting the constituency if he ignores their summons.

Moyo was unceremoniously kicked out of ZANU PF after he was fingered as the architect of the so-called Tsholotsho Declaration in November 2004, which sought to plot ZANU PF leadership changes. But his return to ZANU PF had long been speculated and it was revealed last month that he had approached the party about his re-admittance as a member. Ephraim Masawi, the party deputy spokesman, told reporters earlier this month that the Politburo had unanimously endorsed Moyos readmission.

The Politburo considered the application by Professor Jonathan Moyo to rejoin ZANU PF which was unanimously endorsed, Masawi said.

Moyo retained the Tsholotsho North seat last year by a slight margin after beating a candidate from the splinter MDC formation led by Arthur Mutambara and a ZANU PF candidate. According to the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper, villagers said they were shocked to hear that Moyo had since rejoined ZANU PF, after he repeatedly vowed during his campaign last year that he would never rejoin the party. But some of the villagers reportedly said they still doubt the authenticity of the information and now want Moyo to personally address them.

We are not 100% convinced by reports that our MP has gone back to that party. We only heard it on radio stations. We will only believe it when Moyo comes down here to address us, said Mbonisi Ndlovu, who told the Zimbabwe Independent that he was in Moyos campaign team last year.

It is understood that villagers from the constituency met recently to discuss Moyos political about-face and resolved to summon him in the next two weeks. A letter is set to be sent to Moyo on Monday to inform him of that decision.