KEY POINTS
- Ex-CIO boss Isaac Moyo accused of ties with French Intelligence.
- Activist claims Moyo sabotaged anti-sanctions and economic reform efforts.
- President Mnangagwa’s move seen as a step toward cleaning up security.
ZANU PF activist Rutendo Matinyarare has accused recently dismissed Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) director-general Isaac Moyo of collaborating with French Intelligence to undermine Zimbabwe’s security.
Matinyarare alleges that Moyo’s relationship with French operatives dates back 15 years to his time as the African Union’s (AU) executive secretary.
Speaking shortly after President Emmerson Mnangagwa removed Moyo from his post, Matinyarare described the dismissal as a decisive move to cleanse Zimbabwe’s security apparatus.
“For years, insiders within the AU and intelligence networks warned of Moyo’s ties to French Intelligence,” he said. “But as the head of intelligence, he was untouchable—until now.”
Allegations of betrayal and sabotage
Matinyarare, who also leads the Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Movement (ZASM), claims that Moyo actively worked against the group’s efforts to fight sanctions and restrictive measures imposed on Zimbabwe.
“The greatest opposition to our campaigns came not from foreign enemies but from the CIO under Moyo’s leadership,” he said.
According to New Zimbabwe, he alleged that Moyo’s inner circle included individuals on foreign payrolls who sabotaged the nation’s economy and undermined the President’s agenda.
“Rumor has it that Moyo and his associates were financially backed by GMO smugglers and forex externalisers to derail our efforts,” Matinyarare added.
President Mnangagwa’s decisive action
Moyo’s removal, though not officially explained, has sparked speculation about its significance. Matinyarare said the dismissal highlights President Mnangagwa’s readiness to take decisive action against threats to Zimbabwe’s sovereignty.
“This marks the beginning of a critical cleanup within our security apparatus,” he remarked.
Also, he urged the President to extend the purge to other corrupt elements within the system, accusing them of sabotaging the national currency and the country’s economic recovery efforts.
Demands on responsibility and change
Matinyarare is optimistic that Moyo’s dismissal is part of a process to rid Zimbabwe of corruption and renew its institutions’ integrity.
“Now that Moyo is gone, we look forward to seeing the President clear out the remaining elements of his corrupt regime,” he said.
Despite that the accusations have not been substantiated, such claims have brought back into the public arena the issues of outsiders and insiders as sources of Zimbabwe’s economic and political woes.
