The Movement for Democratic Change was ecstatic when it won the Speaker of Parliament post giving it control of the House of Assembly prompting the United States embassy in Harare to comment that Mugabe had been shocked and humiliated by the MDC twice in two days.
“First by the MDC’s success in electing a parliamentary speaker–the first time in Zimbabwe’s history that ZANU-PF has not controlled the speakership–and second by the disrespect shown him in Parliament today,” the embassy said in a cable released by Wikileaks.
The embassy, however, warned the party not to over play its hand.
“It’s still unclear how ZANU-PF will react to these events beyond the arrest of a handful of MDC MPs. While we still believe Mugabe is in control of ZANU-PF, the last two days have demonstrated significant weakness on Mugabe’s part that may well exacerbate fissures in the party which were covered up in a united effort to win the June election.
“As for MDC Tsvangirai, it has become emboldened by its victory as evidenced by its behaviour in Parliament today. It must be careful, however, not to overplay its hand; Mugabe has a well-deserved reputation for irrationally lashing out when he feels cornered or humiliated.”
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE741, MDC TAKES LEAD ROLE IN PARLIAMENT, EVEN AS 5 MPS
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|
Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO8935
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0741/01 2391546
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 261546Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3335
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2230
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2350
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0880
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1627
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1983
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2404
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4836
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1499
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000741
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: 08/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM KDEM ZI
SUBJECT: MDC TAKES LEAD ROLE IN PARLIAMENT, EVEN AS 5 MPS
ARRESTED
REF: A. A. HARARE 622
¶B. B. HARARE 621
Classified By: Ambassador James McGee for reason 1.4(d).
—————————————–
MDC Defiant as Mugabe Convenes Parliament
—————————————–
¶1. (C) President Robert Mugabe convened Parliament today.
The MDC, which had earlier indicated it would not attend in
order to avoid recognition of Mugabe, was in attendance. The
decision came after a heated discussion. According to Nelson
Chamisa, MDC spokesperson, the MDC ultimately concluded that
since it had won the election for speaker, it had more right
than Mugabe to be present in Parliament.
¶2. (SBU) The convening of Parliament was broadcast on
Zimbabwean television. MDC parliamentary members arrived
early and took seats on the side historically occupied by
ZANU-PF as the majority party. When Mugabe arrived, ZANU-PF
members stood; MDC members remained seated. In his 30-minute
speech, Mugabe, as is his custom, lambasted the West and
blamed sanctions for Zimbabwe’s economic predicament. He
ironically accused the West of using food as a tool for
regime change. He also promised Zimbabwe would import
necessary foodstuffs and would undertake a farm mechanization
program to improve Zimbabwe’s agricultural production.
¶4. (SBU) In what one veteran Zimbabwean reporter told us was
an unprecedented spectacle, MDC MPs jeered Mugabe throughout
his speech, sang songs, and otherwise attempted to drown him
out. At times, he appeared rattled. As he left the chamber,
ZANU-PF MPs again stood while MDC MPs remained seated.
———————————–
MPs arrested after being on the run
———————————–
¶5. (SBU) At least five MDC MPs were arrested today and
yesterday. Two had been arrested previously; the three new
arrests bring the total of MDC MPs arrested since May 1 to
thirteen. These are also the first MDC MP arrests since the
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on July 21
(reftel B). At the time the MOU was signed, it was believed
that the “wanted” list had been suspended to allow political
space for the talks.
¶6. (SBU) Only one MP (Eliah Jembere) was prevented from
being sworn in and casting his vote for Speaker of the House
of Assembly yesterday. All of the arrested MPs had been
either listed as wanted or were re-arrested for old charges
(reftel A). The August 26 edition of The Herald indicated
that police are looking for eight MDC-T officials: Pearson
Mungofa (Highfield East), Broadwin Nyawude (Bindura South),
Edmore Marima (Bikita East), Elton Mangoma (Makoni North),
Mathias Mlambo (Chipinge East), and Peter Takaringofa (Ward
11 councilor for Bikita East). Trevor Saruwaka, one of those
arrested today, was not listed in The Herald as wanted. Four
of those listed in The Herald have not — yet — been
arrested.
The details of the most recent incidents of confirmed MP
arrests are as follows:
Shuwa Mudiwa, MP from Mutare West
First arrested: June 18, 2008
Charges: Kidnapping a 13-year-old girl. Police allege he
kidnapped the girl on June 7 and locked her in a house; hte
girl escaped and reported it to police. Mudiwa is a former
HARARE 00000741 002 OF 003
ZANU-PF member and Central Intelligence Organization (CIO)
operative who defected to the MDC.
Released: Date uncertain
Re-arrested: August 25, as he was en-route to parliament. He
was held for several hours and then released. He made it
back to Parliament in time to be sworn in and to vote.
Charges: Same as above.
Eliah Jembere, MP from Epworth. (previously on the “wanted”
list)
Charges: Rape. The charges were initially thrown out by a
Harare court, but the Zimbabwean Government appealed and put
him on a wanted list on the same charges. According to the
August 26 The Herald, Jembere is charged with raping the wife
of an MDC-T councilor. The article further states that he
was supposed to appear in court on May 27 to face these
charges, but failed to appear, and a warrant for his arrest
was subsequently issued.
Arrested: August 25, 2008. As of August 26, police have not
divulged his location to his lawyer.
Broadwin Nyawude, MP from Bindura South (previously on the
“wanted” list)
Charges: Inciting political violence
Arrested: August 26, 2008. His lawyer has had access to him,
but police report that he will be moved from Harare Central
to his home constituency, where the charges arose.
Mathias Mlambo, MP from Chipinge North (previously on the
“wanted” list)
Charges: Inciting political violence
Arrested: August 26, 2008. His lawyer has had access to him,
but police report that he will be moved from Harare Central
to his home constituency, where the charges arose.
Trevor Saruwaka, MP from Mutasa Central
Arrested: May 11, 2008
Charges: Inciting violence. Saruwaka had gone to Penhalonga
Police Station to look for an MDC youth abducted by war
veterans. He was ordered arrested at the police station
Awarded bail: May 14, 2008
Released from jail: May 20, 2008
Re-arrested: August 26, 2008.His lawyer has had access to
him, but police report that he will be moved from Harare
Central to his home constituency, where the charges arose.
Charges: Inciting political violence. (NOTE: It is unclear
if these are new charges. END NOTE.)
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶7. (C) Mugabe has been shocked and humiliated twice in two
days: First by the MDC’s success in electing a parliamentary
speaker–the first time in Zimbabwe’s history that ZANU-PF
has not controlled the speakership–and second by the
disrespect shown him in Parliament today. It’s still unclear
how ZANU-PF will react to these events beyond the arrest of a
handful of MDC MPs. While we still believe Mugabe is in
control of ZANU-PF, the last two days have demonstrated
significant weakness on Mugabe’s part that may well
exacerbate fissures in the party which were covered up in a
united effort to win the June election.
¶8. (C) As for MDC Tsvangirai, it has become emboldened by
its victory as evidenced by its behavior in Parliament today.
It must be careful, however, not to overplay its hand;
Mugabe has a well-deserved reputation for irrationally
lashing out when he feels cornered or humiliated. What is
important is a well-thought out and deliberate strategy to
HARARE 00000741 003 OF 003
use its new parliamentary strength in negotiations to achieve
power. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
(20 VIEWS)
