Elson Moyo

Elson Moyo
Commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe
Assumed office
18 December 2017
President Emmerson Mnangagwa
Preceded by Shebba Shumbayaonda (Acting)
Chief of Staff for Joint Operations and Plans of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces
President Emmerson Mnangagwa
Robert Mugabe
Deputy Commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe
In office
30 October 2003 – 2007
President Robert Mugabe
Military service
Allegiance Zimbabwe Zimbabwe
Service/branch Air Force of Zimbabwe
Rank Air Marshal

Elson Moyo is a Zimbabwean air officer who serves as commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe since December 2017 and one of the main figures in the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état attempt. He was previously deputy commander of the air force. At the time he was appointed air force commander, Moyo's military rank was upgraded from air vice-marshal to air marshal by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. In 2003 he was promoted from air commodore to air vice-marshal by former president Robert Mugabe.

Bio

Elson Moyo achieved some notoriety after he was sued for allegedly committing adultery with the wife of a policeman.[1][2]

After Zimbabwe gained independence, Moyo was a flying instructor at Thornhill Airbase in Gweru. During this time he trained many pilots who went on to become senior officers in the AFZ.[3] Moyo was promoted from air commodore to air vice-marshal in November 2003.[4] In early 2007, he held the post of Chief of Staff - Operations.[5] Unlike the Air Force Commander, Perence Shiri and the other high-ranking AFZ officers, Moyo is able to fly an aircraft and as such he commanded a degree of personal loyalty from those senior officers whom he instructed during their flying training.[3]

Death escape

Following what were reported as clashes with Shiri,[6] in March 2007 Moyo had become critically ill as a result of suspected poisoning. He later recovered.[4]

Controversy

Moyo was arrested on 7 June 2007 along with Major General Engelbert Rugeje and around 400 other military personnel for allegedly plotting to overthrow the Mugabe administration.[1] It was later noted that Moyo was under 24-hour surveillance and had been removed from his public roles.[7] In 2015, Moyo was still in military service and reported to be the Chief of Staff for Joint Operation and Plans.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 Coup attempt nipped in bud Ocnus.Net
  2. ↑ Air Force chief sued for adultery by cop newzimbabwe.com
  3. 1 2 Sibanda, Tichaona (2007-06-14). "Zimbabwe: Army Investigates Reports of Coup Plot". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
  4. 1 2 'Air Force commander poisoned' newzimbabwe.com
  5. ↑ "Elson Moyo". African Development Information Services. 2008-01-09. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
  6. ↑ "Death of a general". Africa Confidential. London, UK: Asempa Limited. 48 (16). 3 August 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  7. ↑ INSIDE STORY OF ZIM COUP PLOT The Zimbabwean - reproduced on ever-fasternews.com
  8. ↑ "Zim, China military ties reaffirmed". zimbabwesituation.com. 2 August 2015.
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