Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South)-Former advisor to Morgan Tsvangirai, Dr Alex Magaisa has dismissed Prof Jonathan Moyo’s volatile SAPES lecture as a biased and non-academic take that is more political than academic as befitting and required of the stage at which it was delivered.
The lecture which was as meant to be an academic delivery under the title Zimbabwe: Whither the Nationalist Project ended up being a corrosive political attack upon his enemies which has worsened the factional fight in ZANU PF.
SAPES Trust regularly holds academic lectures at which leading scholars from various places speak on different issues such as politics and economics.
However Prof Moyo’s recent political lecture has come under the spotlight after it ignited a divisive debate in the ruling ZANU PF with some advocating that he be disciplined for attacking senior members.
Responding to the issue Magaisa, who is a law lecturer said there is nothing academic about the lecture delivered by Moyo as he has a direct interest in the matter and what he gave was a mere political statement.
“But which Moyo are we dealing with here? Moyo the politician or Moyo the intellectual? It’s a fine line but the two must not be conflated”
“I fear you guys are placing too high a premium on the intellectual aspect. To me my mind, this was a political statement by a politician”
“We will go round and round on this one. You’re expecting an academic lecture from a politician in a matter in which he has direct interest”.
“He’s a practicing politician, chief, with a direct interest in the subject. Its all politics. Don’t expect anything more than that”, he said.
Magaisa said the whole noise about Moyo’s statements is misplaced as the person people should focus on is President Mugabe.
“Im still surprised that people just see one man making a political statement. People are focusing on the barrow boy, not the architect!”, he said.
According to the prominent lawyer President Mugabe is using the front of Prof Moyo to fight off his perceived enemies.
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