In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Air Marshal Perence Shiri said that Professor Jonathan Moyo is lying about his liberation war history and that he deserted the war.
Shiri states that Jonathan Moyo is lying by pointing out that he trained at none existing training points. Said Shiri:
Chekutanga, time yaari kutaura, arikuti June 1976; hakuna reinforcement kana trainee yakauya ku Tanzania during that time. Kwanga kusina…he mentions two camps that he says were in Tanzania: hakuna macamp akadaro e Zanla ku Tanzania. Anozotaura futi about going to Kenya. Kenya kwanga kusina Zanla camp zvachose, kana representative tanga tisina ku Kenya. Anotaura nyaya yekuenda kuUganda. KuUganda kwanga kusina Zanla camp, kwanga kusina representative.
He also narrates how Prof Moyo deserted the war. Said Shiri:
Jonathan was at Mgagao before 1976. He must have come nemareinforcements akanga auya early ‘75. Akatiza ku camp; ndobva abatwa; ndobva adzoswa ne TPDF (Tanzania People’s Defence Forces). Pasina any problem, pasina chinongedzerwa akango tiza from the camp. Adzoswa, akaiswa mu chikaribotso for purposes of interrogation. Any security organisation would want to know kuti problem yacho chi, une different agenda here?
Shiri also implies that Moyo joined part of Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole’s team which he said was an extension of the Selous Scouts. Said Shiri:
He was released and he disappeared again. After the Mgagao Declaration (in October 1975), Sithole aitwa discredited, pakabuda information yekuti mukomana uyu (Prof Moyo) anga achionekwa ari mu team dza Sithole ku Dar-es-Salaam. Hence nyaya dzake dzekuzoenda kunana Zanla Kampala idzo. Ndiyo nyaya ya Jonso.
More: Sunday Mail
I GUESS I AM AMONG A NUMBER OF READERS WHO CANNOT READ SHONA.
IMAGINE HOW FRUSTRATING IT IS WHEN AN INTERESTING ARTICLE APPEARS THEN A QUOTE IS PRINTED IN THE VERNACULAR.
I WANTED TO READ THE WORDS OF THE TOCKY VIBES SONG AND THEN WHAT SHIR WAS SAYING ABOUT PROF. MOYO.
PLEASE CONSIDER READERS WITHOUT LANGUAGE SKILLS. I WOULD GUESS THAT TEENAGERS IN THE DIASPORA WHO LEFT BEFORE STARTING SCHOOL MAY SPEAK SHONA WITH THEIR PARENTS YET THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TO WRITE IT.
PLEASE ACCEPT THIS AS CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. I UNDERSTAND PINDURA NEWS IS A ZIMBABWEAN PUBLICATION.
KIND REGARDS
DEREK