Harare, December 10, 2011 - The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) has raised a complaint with the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) over Zanu-PF politburo member Jonathan Moyo’s use of abusive language and hate speech against their Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

The complaint was raised over an article published in the Sunday Mail edition of the 4th-10th of December 2011 headlined “Morgan’s open zip and shut-mind approaches” in which the former minister of Information and Publicity slated Tsvangirai over his perceived bed-hopping.

Moyo is a member of JOMIC after he was seconded by Zanu-PF in October this year.

“If Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has one fatal character weakness which defines his persona and leadership or lack thereof, it is that just like he typically approaches national issues with an open mouth, he now routinely approaches women anywhere and everywhere at places such as political rallies, airports and offices with an open zip and a shut mind,” reads part of Moyo’s article.

“… when Tsvangirai promiscuously opens his zip in the privacy of his bedroom or space he invariably comes out claiming foul play and wondering who opened his zip to get him to sleep with any of the many women alleged to be in his life with his dirty finger pointed at some of his advisors, media, CIO agents and Zanu-PF members.

“Morgan Tsvangirai is a promiscuous politician who cannot be trusted by voters in particular and women in general.

" Tsvangirai’s open-zip approach to the women he meets anywhere and everywhere including at places such as political rallies, offices, supermarkets and airports poses a clear and present danger to Zimbabwe’s otherwise successful and internationally respected fight against HIV and Aids to the detriment of Government policy,” said Moyo.


Moyo charged that Tsvangirai was promiscuously seeking the votes of Zimbabweans to be president of Zimbabwe by approaching all national issues “with an open mouth while he is promiscuously seeking women by approaching them with an open zip for his sexual gratification without caring about moral consequences including the scourge of HIV.”

But MDC-T Secretary General Tendai Biti, in his letter of complaint to JOMIC over Moyo said the Zanu-PF spin-doctor’s Sunday Mail article was clearly defamatory against Tsvangirai.

 “The article in question is not only defamatory but scurrilous and malicious. It hits below the belt and represents the worst of ourselves,” reads part of Biti’s letter to JOMIC dated 7 December, 2011.

Biti reminded JOMIC co-chairpersons Elton Mangoma (MDC-T), Nicholas Goche (ZANU-PF) and Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga that Article XIX.1 (e) of the GPA obliged that the public and private media should refrain from using abusive language that may incite hostility unfairly undermined political parties and organizations.

“The article in question is clearly not favourable and is indeed abusive, incites hostility against the President of our political party and therefore a fortiori to the MDC. What is most disturbing is that the article has been authored and penned by a member of JOMIC the very same body that in article XXII of the GPA is tasked with ensuring full and proper implementation of the letter and spirit of the GPA” added Biti.