FOREIGN Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo on Thursday appeared at a State House function in a healthy and jovial mood, sending Zimbabweans across the political divide into a frenzied buzz as they congratulated him on his good health.
His one tweet yesterday triggered an avalanche of good health wishes from Zimbabweans worldwide,as his last tweet had been a rather jaded 29 November photo of him recovering from a couch at home.
“UK and Northern Ireland Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Melanie Robinson presents her credentials to President Mnangagwa,” is all that Minister Moyo posted, to wild delirium.
UK and Northern Ireland Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Melanie Robinson presents her credentials to President Mnangagwa @Michellehakata @HChikwanha @TafadzwaMugwadi @nickmangwana @caesarzvayi @JoramNyathi @UKinZimbabwe pic.twitter.com/tIzrZEDu4X pic.twitter.com/qiptiISdIg
— SB Moyo (@MinisterSBMoyo) January 3, 2019
One Patricia Chinyoka said: “Welcome back Minister, glad you’ve recovered. Even though I’m not pro Zanu PF, I wish you well.”
“Thank you God bless you,” SB Moyo responded. But he could not respond to all other messages of goodwill which immediately began popping into the timeline.
But of course, there was bound to be something like this: “Welcome back @MinisterSBMoyo I wish you good health so that you will enjoy life during Chamisa’ s leadership, not the kind of command Leadership being proffered by Mr Chiwenga. Please I know you are a dignified man who can tell him the truth. Mentor him on +leadership styles. “
Affectionately known as SB, Minister Moyo had an emergency surgery at a Harare hospital for a kidney-related ailment, before being flown to South Africa. When he came back, he took time off social media streets and the public glare as he recovered from home.
He did not see much of his office since being inaugurated as Foreign Affairs Minister in September last year.
The medical condition also forced ‘General Bae’ to miss the crucial United Nations General Assembly meeting in the United States, where Zimbabwe was represented by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The retired lieutenant general became an instant celebrity when he announced live on State television in the 2017 November’s military intervention which led to the popular ouster from power of former long-ruling leader, Robert Mugabe.
This saw the affable and articulate former senior military officer, virtually an unkown quantity in Zimbabwean politics before the coup, earning the monicker “General Bae” or “the people’s soldier” among his admirers.
During the military operation of November 2017, SB Moyo was labelled the only credible source of politcal developments during those five days that gripped the whole world on happenings behind Zimbabwe’s political curtain.
“Let’s wait for the address by Major-General Sibusiso Moyo, everything else is fake news,” was a common statement across Zimbabwe, as social media rumours competed for space with genuine updates on the unfolding events.
The Major-General also went to pay tribute to the hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans who filled the streets of Harare on a Saturday in a solidarity march lauding the huge crowds for their discipline throughout the march.
“Ndauya kuzotenda nerutsigiro rwenyu rwamaita kumauto enyu eZimbabwe. Rambai makadaro nerutsigiro irworwo. Mauto enyu navanhu zvakafanana, saka tinotenda chaizvo nezvamaita nhasi.
“Nyaya yamaratidza yediscipline, kuzvibata nekuterera kwaratidza nyika yese kuti vanhu vemuZimbabwe vakafunda.”
Many were demanding to get into State House and have a “taste of the guavas in the orchard” after a march to the perimeter of the Number 1 residence during the march and it was tough for members of the ZDF to stop the onslaught.
But one humble word from Major-General Sibusiso Moyo and people went home in smiles.
“Zvichemo zvenyu tazvinzwa, mukati umu hamuchapinda . . . chidzokerai kumba,” he said and people were on their way.
His own father described him as follows: “Sibusiso, tachiwona, chichangozvagwa, chakanga chakasimba – chakanaka, chichingonwekurira chisinga nyanyo chema kana kuita dambudziko sevamwe vekutanga asi ichi chaingoratidzika kusmile-a chakasimba muviri wacho.
“Tichimuwona ari chanana akatifadza saka takamupa zita – Ropafadzo muchishona ndozvarinoreva zita rake Ropafadzo, muchiNdebele Sibusiso”
May mercy, goodness and good health follow ‘General Bae’ forever more!
Source Zoom zim written by Felix Chiroro.