Gokwe-Nembudziya Member of Parliament (Zanu-PF) Mayor Justice Wadyajena has warned his fellow Zanu-PF MP and Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Energy Mutodi that his recent conduct borders on criminal abuse of office. Wadyajena went on to tell Mutodi that he was destroying what President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government was building and that in future he may be called on to answer for his conduct.
This follows Mutodi’s public spat with Trevor Ncube, the owner of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), the publishers of NewsDay, The Standard and The Zimbabwe Independent. Mutodi warned Ncube that the government was going to cut off its business from AMH if Ncube continued attacking Mutodi. Ncube had accused the minister of organising thugs to attack newspapers vendors selling AMH titles after the group had refused to back and had defied the minister’s order to reverse a 100 percent increase in the prices of its papers.
Responding directly to Mutodi’s tweet, Wadyajena warned Mutodi that Mnangagwa was against such behaviour. Said Wadyajena,
Hon Mutodi you‘re misusing your Energy. This conduct borders on criminal abuse of office and may one day get you in serious trouble. I know for sure H.E @edmnangagwa disapproves this crap. We did not fight for this.This careless tweet will destroy what Zimbabweans are building!😔
https://twitter.com/mayor_justice/status/1051143518650060801
Mutodi, however, deed not heed the advice saying that he was surprised that Wadyajena was choosing to side with those who had declared that Mnangagwa was illegitimate. Said Mutodi,
I understand your predicament. Surprised you stand in the corner with those saying your president is illegitimate, stole goats from Chamisa and are now increasing the price of their goats. Read a bit more, listen more, wisdom is not common.
https://twitter.com/energymutodi/status/1051168995414564864
Mutodi also seemed to imply that Ncube had approached Mnangagwa seeking help. In an exchange with businessman Shingi Munyeza, Mutodi said
You know little yet you speak so much. Trevor has said ED is illegitimate, has stolen “goats” from Nelson & he has pegged his “goats” so high to cause panic & uprisings. Is ED now legitimate for Trevor who isn’t so clever to ask for help from him?
You know little yet you speak so much. Trevor has said ED is illegitimate, has stolen “goats” from Nelson & he has pegged his “goats” so high to cause panic & uprisings. Is ED now legitimate for Trevor who isn’t so clever to ask for help from him?
— Hon. Dr Energy Mutodi (PhD) (@energymutodi) October 13, 2018
The minister’s behaviour has been criticised by most people regardless of political orientation.
In a short period, Energy Mutodi has proved he is a square peg in a round hole. He has to “round” himself up, shape up or ship out.
He is out of sync with our vision. No1 wants another Mlevu in that ministry. @nickmangwana @edmnangagwa @energymutodi @ali_naka @ShingiMunyeza
— mmatigari (@matigary) October 13, 2018
🙄
A prospective investor will think:
"If the Zimbabwean Government can do this to one of their own, what about me?" 🤔@energymutodi, excessive government interference with business is one of the reasons that deter investors from coming to Zimbabwe.@TrevorNcube
👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/ZBa5IDSgzt
— Team Pachedu 🇿🇼 (@PacheduZW) October 13, 2018
I would be surprised if anyone is surprised by what a despicable character Energy Mutodi is. This scum of the earth ignited outrage after he insulted the distressed wife of abducted journalist turned activist Itai Dzamara.
— Lance Guma (@LanceGuma) October 13, 2018
* Energy Mutodi, @energymutodi , by now you should have realised that you are alone on that horrible path… Don't expect anyone to smile at your toxic rhetoric… Govt Officials serve all citizens, personal feelings or partisanship shouldn't be for govt Officials. Sit down man
— Kudzai Mutisi (@KMutisi) October 13, 2018
Have you heard of the “turtle on a fencepost” saying? It goes like this: if you’re walking along a fence and spot a turtle sitting atop a fencepost, you know it didn’t get there by itself.” @energymutodi is not where he is by accident. Someone put him there for a reason.😎 pic.twitter.com/ggP53GDt4n
— Majaira Jairosi (@MJairosi) October 14, 2018
He's an overzealous bootlicker who found himself cast way above his station. The appointment shows contradiction in E.D's grasp of comms & image-making: having slick PR on trade & economic re-engagement, yet installing a loudmouthed buffoon in information ministry to undo it all!
— Chofamba (@Chofamba) October 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/ZimLeadership/status/1051192849482620928
Herald 15 October 2018
I have no Twitter account : Mutodi
— Zwelinzima Maphosa 🇨🇿🇿🇼 (@Zwelinzima_Zim1) October 13, 2018
Energy Mutodi is a good example why we don't need Deputy Ministers in Zimbabwe.
— Wellence Mujuru (@WellenceMujuru) October 14, 2018
I have no side on @TrevorNcube and @energymutodi tug. Just on the terrace. One of them knew therez an orange in a hole but there is also a snake inside, he chose to wear latex gloves. Hushingi!!!
— Freeman (@freemanchari) October 14, 2018
Quite a bit of energy on Zim Twitter. If my memory is faithful, the first law of thermodynamics is that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; that it can only be changed from one form to another. It would be foolhardy therefore to overlook the source of this energy!
— Alex T Magaisa 🇿🇼 (@Wamagaisa) October 13, 2018