Presidential hopeful Simba Makoni told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee that the United States should try to influence President Robert Mugabe’s closest supporters -the military and Emmerson Mnangagwa- if it wanted a solution to Zimbabwe’s political crisis.
He had been asked by McGee how a deal could be brokered between the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and the Movement for Democratic Change after the MDC had won the crucial post of Speaker of Parliament, a move that was seen as strengthening the MDC’s bargaining power.
Makoni agreed with McGee that contact with the Zimbabwean generals by a senior US military leader could be productive if a way were found to arrange this.
Tsvangirai was working with the Mujuru faction within ZANU-PF to keep Mnangagwa out of the deal but Mnangagwa was proving a force to reckon with though technically he was only Minister of Rural Housing.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE757, AMBASSADOR’S MEETING WITH SIMBA MAKONI
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Reference ID |
Created |
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Classification |
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VZCZCXRO1431
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0757 2420830
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 290830Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3357
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2245
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2365
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0895
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1642
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1998
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2419
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4851
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1514
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000757
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR G. GARLAND
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2018
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR’S MEETING WITH SIMBA MAKONI
REF: HARARE 747
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
¶1. (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador on August 28, Simba
Makoni gave his anlysis of the current political situation.
While Makoni acknowledged that he is not now a political
player, as someone who has been involved in Zimbabwean
politics and government over the years, his views are worth
noting.
¶2. (C) After MDC Tsvangirai (MDC-T) triumphed in Monday’s
election for House of Assembly speaker, Makoni said there was
“less and less” of a chance of a deal between ZANU-PF and
MDC-T. Morgan Tsvangirai had demonstrated his strength and
would dig in his heels. Although difficult to predict,
Makoni did not see an early end toQimbabwe’s crisis.
¶3. (C) With both Mugabe and Tsvangirai insisting on holding
the lion’s share of executive power, the Ambassador asked
Makoni how a deal could be possible between their two
parties. Makoni said it would be important for the U.S. to
try to influence Mugabe’s closest supporters–the military
leaders and Emmerson Mnangagwa. He agreed with the
Ambassador that contact with the Zimbabwean generals by a
senior U.S. military leader could be productive if a way were
found to arrange this.
¶4. (C) Makoni said there had been internal opposition to
Mugabe from within ZANU-PF for over 10 years. This
opposition was now at a peak. Nevertheless, Mugabe had been
able to hold on to power through fear. Makoni saw no
immediate threat to Mugabe, but noted that a potential
coalition between the Mujuru faction and ex-ZAPU ZANU-PF
members from Matabeleland could leave Mugabe without a
working majority in the ZANU-PF Politburo and Central
Committee. Makoni said Mugabe was aware of his problems and
was seeking to intimidate and quiet his internal opposition.
Illustrative of this was his recent appointment of governors;
he replaced four governors thought to be allied to Solomon
Mujuru.
¶5. (C) On the subject of the MDC, Makoni said Tsvangirai
continued to make the mistake of operating regionally and
internationally, rather than consolidating his support in
Zimbabwe. He noted that after the March elections,
Tsvangirai almost immediately left Zimbabwe rather than
working to marshal support within the country. More
recently, after the SADC Summit in South Africa, Tsvangirai
traveled in the region rather than returning to Zimbabwe to
explain why he had not signed an agreement with Mugabe.
Makoni recommended that Tsvangirai make Zimbabwe his
priority, then the region, then the wider international
community.
¶6. (C) As we have suggested (reftel), Makoni said that
within Zimbabwe, Tsvangirai, as the principal opposition
leader, needed to do a much better job of reaching out to
civil society and non-MDC leaders such as himself. Makoni
pledged he and others would willingly work with Tsvangirai,
but Tsvangirai had to indicate his interest in being
inclusive.
MCGEE
(31 VIEWS)
