Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe says he suspects his former information minister plotted a coup against him.
The state-run Herald newspaper today (Thursday) quotes Mr. Mugabe as saying that Jonathan Moyo did in his words "a lot of terrible things", including meeting secretly with a top military commander (Lieutenant General Philip Sibanda).
Mr. Mugabe made the accusations during a campaign rally (Wednesday) in the eastern district of Tsholotsho where Mr. Moyo is running as an independent candidate in parliamentary elections.
The Zimbabwe leader said he tried to persuade Mr. Moyo not to run in the elections, saying the ruling ZANU-PF party would in his words "demolish him."
Mr. Moyo was fired from the cabinet after party officials accused him of organizing a secret meeting to oppose the president's choice of vice president.
Some information for this report provided by AP, Reuters and Herald.