Staff Writer
Journalist and opposition activist, Hopewell Chin`ono has been accused of showing abrasive behaviour towards a fellow female activist after his love advances were turned down.
Chin`ono who has framed himself as a paragon of virtue, tried to self-cleanse on matters relating to writer and activist Thandekile Moyo.
In an interview with The NewsHawks, a local publication Chin`ono made curious insinuations over his relationship with Moyo.
“I do not want to say a lot, but Thandekile was actually a friend who used to come into my home, I do not want to say a lot but some of these things are driven by personal issues,” the 50 year old said.
Chin`ono`s revelation was interpreted by most observers online as a tacit confession of a romantic relationship, a glimpse into the incest that characterizes most opposition movements.
Moyo`s reaction however, showed that Chin`ono might have communicated less than what actually obtains.
In a tirade, prompted by what she described as lies, the pro-opposition writer, said Chin`ono had resorted to abuse after love advances were rejected.
Writing on her Twitter account (@Mamoxn) she said; “ Hopewell is right in saying we used to be friendly,He asked me out & I turned him down.
He then became extremely abusive & combative. Many of you witnessed that abuse here on social media,” said wrote Moyo.
“She threatened to share more details about the nature and detail of the relationship they had.
For him to insinuate there was something more that happened between us that he doesn’t want to divulge is rubbish &a continuation of his abuse. If he has more to say he must say it in full since he has opened the door,” said Moyo.
Chin`ono spent the better part of yesterday, on the receiving end of widespread rebuke in what appears to be divisions among anti government writers, journalists and activists.
Edmund Kudzayi, a journalist urged Chin`ono to mature.
“Someone violates another person’s dignity, falsely claiming the existence of a relationship to a newspaper, and when challenged by their victim the guy runs away, hoping the problem will just disappear. It’s unacceptable behaviour from a 50-year-old,” said Kudzayi.
Academic Dr Milayo Ndou penned an Op-Ed in which she candidly described Chin`ono`s actions as out of line.
“For a man unwilling to say a lot, Hopewell managed to have said just enough. Sometimes reputational damage is done by withholding pertinent facts and leaving statements open to nefarious interpretation. Insinuation can be a deceptively innocuous but devastatingly effective way of imperilling someone’s reputation, and by extension, smearing them,” said Ndou.
There is a lot of undocumented abuse of women in activism circles which are swept under the carpet for expediency, key figures have been named in harrowing tales which make for a chilling reading.
As the marriages of convenience mounted by activists start disintegrating, it may be a long summer as revelations of the dirty per diem world keep emerging
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