Movement for Democratic Change treasurer Roy Bennett told United States embassy officials that the party had obtained a US$1 million donation but only party leader Morgan Tsvangirai, secretary general Tendai Biti and himself knew about this funding. Bennett said he wanted to keep things that way to keep the “vultures at bay”.
The money was to be used in the 2008 presidential campaign. During the campaign Tsvangirai and Biti were to move out of the “chaos of Harvest House”, the party headquarters, into a separate headquarters.
It was also to be used to provide Tsvangirai and Biti the support they needed such as good personal assistants, schedulers and press secretaries.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 07PRETORIA1557, MDC LEADERSHIP MEETS IN SOUTH AFRICA, DECIDES TO
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|
Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO4646
RR RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSA #1557/01 1231508
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 031508Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9543
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 0987
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2074
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1094
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0518
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1189
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0468
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1077
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0077
RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 4271
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 001557
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR P, AF, DRL, AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2017
SUBJECT: MDC LEADERSHIP MEETS IN SOUTH AFRICA, DECIDES TO
LAUNCH CAMPAIGN
REF: A. HARARE 344
¶B. PRETORIA 1447
¶C. 06 PRETORIA 5084
Classified By: Charge d’Affaires Donald Teitelbaum. Reasons 1.4(b) and
(d).
¶1. (C/NF) SUMMARY. Meeting secretly in Johannesburg April
28-29, the leadership of the Zimbabwean opposition MDC party,
led by Morgan Tsvangirai, decided to launch the party’s
presidential campaign o/a June 1, while making clear they
will not participate in the elections without fundamental
reform. The MDC believes the public announcement will put
pressure on SADC Facilitator Mbeki to level the electoral
playing field. MDC Treasurer Roy Bennett (strictly protect)
told PolOff he had received a private donation of USD 1
million to support party activities from a group of donors
who prefer to remain anonymous. Only Secretary-General Biti,
Tsvangirai, and Bennett know about the donation. Talks on
SIPDIS
forming a coalition with the Mutambara-led MDC faction
continue at the grassroots, although Bennett has received
information that Gibson Sibanda, former MDC Vice President
under Tsvangirai, is considering returning to the Tsvangirai
camp. If so, Bennett believes this would ring the death
knell for the Mutambara splinter group. The MDC leaders are
skeptical about the Mbeki-led SADC facilitation, but believe
they must “play along.” Bennett is taking care of a number
of MDC leaders who have fled to South Africa after being
tortured in Zimbabwe. END SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) The senior leadership of Zimbabwean opposition party
the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), including President
Morgan Tsvangirai, Secretary General Tendai Biti, National
Chairman Isaac Matongo, and 11 other officials, met secretly
in Johannesburg April 28-29 to discuss strategy. MDC
Treasurer Roy Bennett (strictly protect) told PolOff April 30
that the meetings went “very well.” The group aired their
differences, and came away united and determined.
———————————–
MDC To Launch Presidential Campaign
———————————–
¶3. (C) The MDC leadership decided to launch their
presidential campaign soon, likely around June 1, according
to Bennett. The party formed committees to develop an
election manifesto and strategy. Bennett says they will make
it clear that the party will participate in elections only if
the GOZ levels the playing field by removing repressive
legislation and other steps outlined in their electoral
roadmap (septel). The MDC believes publicly launching their
campaign will keep the pressure on SADC Facilitator Mbeki to
create the conditions for free and fair elections. The
public launch will also put the MDC back in the news. During
the campaign, Tsvangirai and Biti would move out of the
“chaos of Harvest House,” in Bennett’s words, and into a
separate headquarters.
¶4. (S/NF) Bennett told PolOff (in the strictest confidence)
that the MDC has received a private donation of approximately
USD 1 million from a group of donors who prefer to remain
anonymous. With this new private funding, Bennett will help
ensure that Tsvangirai and Biti have the support they need,
such as good personal assistants, schedulers, and press
secretaries. (NOTE: Only Tsvangirai, Bennett, and Biti know
SIPDIS
about the private donation of USD 1 million to the party.
Bennett wants to keep it that way to keep the “vultures at
bay.” END NOTE)
——————————————— —–
Talks on Coalition with Mutambara Faction Continue
——————————————— —–
¶5. (C) On the coalition talks with the Mutambara MDC faction,
Tsvangirai stressed in the meeting that the grassroots
SIPDIS
structures must continue their discussions before the
leadership makes any decisions. Reunification or coalition
PRETORIA 00001557 002 OF 002
cannot be forced from the top. Bennett stressed that the
anti-Mutambara feeling is very strong in the Tsvangirai camp,
and the issue has to be treated delicately. Bennett told
PolOff that they have information that Gibson Sibanda, former
MDC Vice President under Tsvangirai, may return to the
Tsvangirai camp with as many as 12 MDC MPs very soon.
SIPDIS
Sibanda would become MDC Vice President. If this happens,
the “game is over” since Ncube and Mutambara would be
isolated.
——————————————
Skepticism of Mbeki, but Must “Play Along”
——————————————
¶6. (C) The leadership agreed that the Mbeki mediation was
unlikely to succeed. They believe Mbeki’s goal is a
government of national unity involving Welshman Ncube and
other Mutambara faction allies. That said, Tsvangirai and
the MDC leadership believe they have no choice but to “play
along.” Tsvangirai requested a meeting with Mbeki during
this trip to South Africa (ref A). Mbeki told him to see his
point person on Zimbabwe, Minister for Provincial and Local
Government Sydney Mufamadi, who never returned Tsvangarai’s
call (although it was not clear whether this was a timing
issue or an intentional snub).
—————————————
Torture Victims Fleeing to South Africa
—————————————
¶7. (C) Bennett said that a number of MDC leaders have fled to
South Africa after being tortured in Zimbabwe, including
“Mazoda” (Chair of Mashonaland East), “Shone” (Organizing
Secretary Harare), and “Mgodi” (Treasurer Harare). Bennett
SIPDIS
is trying to assist them with medical care and other basic
needs. He said that Mazoda and Shone both received
electrical shocks to their genitals, and were badly scarred
physically and psychologically.
————————————–
Lobbying to Continue, Success in ANCYL
————————————–
¶8. (C) In addition to engaging Mbeki and his team on the SADC
mediation, the MDC plans to expand their contacts with
opposition parties in South Africa and the region. Bennett
planned on bringing the National Chair, Isaac Matongo, to
South Africa to meet with all the South African opposition
parties, starting with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP),
followed by the South African Communist Party (SACP) (which
is not technically an opposition party since it belongs to
the ANC alliance), the Independent Democrats (ID), and
others. (Note: Embassy does not know how Matongo’s death on
2 May will affect these efforts. END NOTE).
¶9. (C) The MDC will continue its efforts to “work the ANC
from the bottom up.” Bennett was pleased that the ANC Youth
League (ANCYL) had issued a statement on April 23 following
its National Policy Dialogue that criticized the situation in
Zimbabwe (“no revolution can thrive on the degrading of the
people it supposedly seeks to serve”). The statement follows
months of lobbying by MDC student leaders, as well as MDC
Information Secretary Nelson Chamisa’s address to the
national student congress (ref B). It represents a marked
shift in the ANCYL position, which had previously supported
Mugabe. ANC Youth League head Fikile Mbalula told his
ZANU-PF counterpart as recently as October 2006 that “you
must go back and tell Mugabe we love what he is doing for the
people of Zimbabwe.” (COMMENT: While the ANCYL has limited
influence in the ruling party, its public statement is
another sign that attitudes in South Africa are shifting
against Mugabe and his violent rule, even among former
“friends.” END COMMENT.)
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