Moyo Begs For Forgiveness Over Draconian Laws Enacted Under His Tenure

Exiled former Cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo has made a passionate apology for draconian laws and ruinous policies which were implemented during his time in government.

Moyo served as Information Minister 2000 to 2005 and again from 2013 to 2015 before moving to the ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education during former president Robert Mugabe’s reign.

He fled the country at the height of the 2017 military coup which ousted Mugabe after he had become a prime target by the army.

He has been roundly blamed for spearheading the enactment of draconian laws such as the Rhodesia-styled Public Order and Security Act (POSA), the Information and Protection of Privacy Act  (AIPPA), the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) (2001) and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (Commercialisation) Act (2003), which led to hundreds of job losses.

But posting on his Twitter account Tuesday, an remorseful Moyo said he regrets ever doing so.

“As I said on 3 Aug 2021 on #TwitterSpaces with @daddyhope, (Hopewell Chin’ono), I take full responsibility for all the policies and laws implemented under my watch in Information and Higher Education,” he wrote.

“I apologise for any bad and unintended consequences of these policies and laws on any person or group.”

He however denied any involvement in violent activities that characterised Mugabe’s tenure.

“There were heinous crimes committed against individuals and groups in the total of 8 years I served in Cabinet; on two separate occasions,” Moyo posted.

“There were no policies or laws to abduct, torture or kill anyone. I don’t take any responsibility for such as I was not involved in any,” he said. adding: “Political violence in Zimbabwe is committed by local players in their communities. The exception is in cases committed by State Security agents deployed away from their home areas. I’m proud to say I never got involved in violence anywhere in Zimbabwe, with seven elections in Tsholotsho. Anyone who abducted, tortured or killed anyone must be held accountable in terms of due process of law. Impunity in Zimbabwe will not end without a United Nations judicial process to investigate all cases of heinous crimes and hold the culprits accountable under domestic and international law.” New Zimbabwe