By Patrick Guramatunhu- “Khaya Moyo was troubled and conflicted by sad events of November 2017,” said Professor Jonathan Moyo.

Of course, Khaya Moyo was deeply troubled by the November 2017 military coup because he had supported Joyce Mujuru and was forever grateful when Mugabe forgave him when Mujuru and company were booted out of the party in 2014. To show his gratitude he had pledged his dying loyalty to Mugabe and G40. 

There is a photograph of Simon Khaya Moyo extending to shake Robert Mugabe’s hand with Mugabe and his wife looking at the extended hand with contempt and bemusement. What some people will do for power! 

When Mnangagwa was booted out of the party on 5 November 2017, it was Khaya Moyo who had announced the firing to the nation with a Cheshire-cat grin on his face. He must have been content that this time he had backed the winning horse. 

Khaya Moyo had held ambition of being one of the VP in the Mujuru led government but that went up in smoke when Mujuru lost the rat race. Khaya Moyo was lucky to retain a senior position after 2014 and must have even began to hope he might still be VP after all.

The military coup must have come as a lighting bolt out of a clear blue sky. There was his hopes of becoming VP up in smoke once again! Indeed, he must have been worried sick that the coup leaders may consider him one of the G40 leaders and go after him big time. 

G40 leaders like Professor Jonathan Moyo , Saviour Kasukuwere, etc. found themselves trapped like rats in a house on fire; they very lucky to escape with their lives. Many of the G40 supporters quickly switched their allegiance and kept their head down.

Khaya Moyo must have deleted all text messages, e-mails, etc. he had received from Mugabe, Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere and all the other G40 leaders. He did not know them and did not want to speak or hear from any of them.  

Mnangagwa and his coup plotters have failed to revive the economy and so the political unrest is in the air and the infighting for power in Zanu PF itself is still as intense as ever. The Lacoste faction divided into two soon after the coup and the G40 is threatening a come back. Poor Khaya Moyo must have felt being pulled hither and thither forever fearful of finding himself in the wrong basket again! 

“Zanu PF ichatonga kuzvika madonki amera nyanga!” (Zanu PF will rule until donkeys have horns!) Khaya Moyo once boasted. I bet he never ever imagined that ruling could ever be so stressful!