Amendment 2026 WILL impose de jure dictatorship - substantive issue Moyo's ad hominem fallacy is avoiding. W Mukori

 @ Professor J Moyo

“BEWARE OF THE AD HOMINEM FALLACY IN THE DEBATE ON CONSTITUTION AMENDMENTS, 2026: Scoundrels, charlatans and misfits of society respond to SPEECH whose logic and facts they cannot disprove or match by DEMONISING and BESMIRCHING the SPEAKER.

An ad hominem fallacy, from the Latin phrase meaning "to the person," occurs in arguments when someone attacks the character, motives, personal traits or situation of the person making an argument, rather than addressing the substance or merits of the argument itself.

The purpose of the tactic is to divert attention from the actual issue, without engaging the argument's evidence or logic. The personal attack doesn't refute the point being made. An example of this is when an academic trained at the highest level and published in economics, Professor Gift Mugano, was mocked and demonised - by social media malcontents who could not engage the data and methodology involved - for technically highlighting the announcement by Zimbabwe Treasury and The Reserve Bank Zimbabwe that January 2026 marked the first single-digit annual inflation rate in the ZiG currency in over three decades - a transformative 4.1% year-on-year drop that signals significant economic revival in the country.

The mockery and demonisation to which Prof Mugano was subjected is called an ad hominem fallacy, to describe the fact that it fails to provide a substantive, technical and logical rebuttal. It is trite that sound arguments should stand or fall on their own evidence, not on who presents them. Relying on ad hominem fallacy in lieu of insightful commentary demonstrates one's intellectual poverty, as it avoids substantive and informing debate.

There are three common types of ad hominem fallacies, especially on social media platforms, such as these streets. One is "abusive ad hominem", which uses direct insults, for example, "You're a mercenary, so your evidence or analysis is worthless."

Another type is "circumstantial ad hominem", which involves attacking a person based on his or her social situation or affiliations, for example, "of course you'd say that - you are Zanu-PF."

There's yet another type best described as, "tu quoque ad hominem" (you too) based on purporting to point out one's hypocrisy, for example, "you are supporting the proposed constitution amendments today, but in 2018 you criticised President Mnangagwa and called him unelectable," which doesn't address the substance and merits of the amendments.

This third type of ad hominem fallacy is particularly rampant here on "X", where some TL Scavengers, who scavenge posts or tweets from a donkey's years ago and use them with reckless abandon as their only "data" - without context or relevance—against speakers whose speech, on a current and topical issue, they cannot competently engage or challenge with substance, logic and facts!”

Professor Jonathan Moyo is not saying anything new other than giving us a the Latin name, ad hominem fallacy, to something we have known all along. The late Edisson Jonas Mudadirwa Zvobgo called this ad hominem fallacy, the Mozambique syndrome. 

"Whenever they (his fellow Zanu PF cronies) lost an argument when we were in Mozambique, they would accuse you of being CIA to avoid the substantive issues," he explained.

“Today they call you an American puppet to avoid responsibility.”

As Zanu PF’s chief strategist and propagandist, especially his days as Minister of Information, Professor Moyo horned and perfected Zimbabwe’s public media ad hominem fallacy tactics until they were as sharp as a Samurai sword! One memorable time when Professor Moyo and the Zanu PF propaganda machine was fully mobilised was in attacked Dr Nevers Mumba, the chair person of the SADC 2023 Zimbabwe Election Observer Mission. 

“Conclusion 13.3

The SEOM (SADC Election Observer Mission) noted that, as detailed in sections 6 and 7 of this report, some aspects of the Harmonised Elections fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021),” stated the SEOM report.

The torrent of criticism from Professor Jonathan Moyo and the Zanu PF hunting dogs were vicious and relentless but - as usual - never addressed the substantive issues that the 2023 Zimbabwe elections were flawed and illegal. Never! 

The truth is these Zanu PF thugs may think avoiding the substantive issues is being smart. They are wrong. Zimbabwe is a failed state precisely because we have repeated the same ill-advised policies born out of a political system that stifle debate and all meaningful democratic competition. 

The Mozambique syndrome allowed the scum like Mugabe and Mnangagwa to rise as party leaders at the expense of the cream, man like Edisson Zvobgo. 46 years of being ruled by the scum has let Zimbabwe a failed state whose economy is in ruins and millions of our people are living in abject poverty and millions more have left the country as economic and/or political refugee. 

As SEOM report rightly pointed out, Mnangagwa blatantly rigged the 2023 elections and is, per se, illegitimate. He only got away with it because Chamisa & co. conned millions of their followers to participate in flawed elections. It is an outrage that he should be seeking to extend his illegitimate stay in State House. 

The Zimbabwe Constitution Amendment 2026 seek to extend not only Mnangagwa’s stay in State House but the 5 year term of office of MPs and Senators to 7 years just to avoid the up coming 2028 elections. Zanu PF rigged 2023 elections and, with not even one reform implemented, was certain to rig 2028 too. However the regime is not so confident it will get away with it this time. 

Chamisa has lost a lot of political credibility following his pathetic antics during the 2023 elections. Millions believed his idiotic lie of plugging vote rigging loop holes and participated in the flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy. Many of the brain dead Chamisa chete chete brigade members have finally accepted that Chamisa lied to them. The penny has finally dropped. Chamisa was not going to con millions to participate in 2028 elections that much is clear as day!

Mnangagwa is a buffoon but he is not that stupid he cannot read the writing on the wall. The only way for Zanu PF to retain its iron grip on power is by pushing through Amendment 2026! And Professor Jonathan Moyo knows that too and being the master of ad hominem fallacy, tu quoque ad hominem fallacy, etc.; he gave us a lecture on all these fallacies without addressing the substantive issue - Amendment 2026 will deny the people of Zimbabwe their fundamental right to a meaning say in the governance of the country, the final nail in the people’s coffin, and making Zimbabwe a de jure dictatorship.