President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle in the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front refused to budge on the allocation of ministries for the new inclusive government because they wanted the Movement for Democratic Change to walk away from the talks so that ZANU-PF could hold on to power.
This was said by the United States embassy in Harare which said it had been assured by the MDC that it was not going to walk away but would continue to press its case, first at the Southern African Development Community summit, then to the African Union, and finally to the United Nations.
The three parties had failed to reach agreement at the SADC troika largely because of differences over the allocation of ministries, the appointment of governors and ambassadors and Constitutional amendment 19.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE968, SADC TROIKA FAILS TO BREAK ZIM IMPASSE
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|
Reference ID |
Created |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO6582
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0968/01 3021158
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 281158Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3624
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2385
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2505
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1009
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1781
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2136
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2561
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4989
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1654
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000968
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B.WALCH
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: 10/28/2018
SUBJECT: SADC TROIKA FAILS TO BREAK ZIM IMPASSE
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (SBU) The SADC Troika was unable to mediate an agreement
between ZANU-PF and the MDC. The talks stalled primarily
over the issue of allocation of ministries, although other
issues remain. The Troika recommended that Zimbabwe be the
focus of an extraordinary summit of the full SADC membership
within the next two weeks. END SUMMARY.
————————————-
Talks Break Down; SADC Summit Up Next
————————————-
¶2. (SBU) The SADC Troika-hosted talks on October 27 between
ZANU-PF and the two MDC factions failed to reach agreement on
how to resolve outstanding issues resulting from the
September 15 signed power-sharing agreement. The SADC Organ
on Politics, Defense, and Security could not mediate an
agreement regarding ministerial allocations, appointment of
governors and ambassadors, and Constitutional Amendment 19
(which would encapsulate any agreement), and recommended that
the Zimbabwe issue be referred to an Extraordinary Summit of
all 15 SADC member states within the next couple of weeks.
¶3. (C) The talks were held in Harare and attended by South
African president Kgalema Motlanthe, Mozambican president
Armando Guebuza, Swazi prime minister Sibusiso Dlamini, and
Angolan foreign minister Assuncao dos Anjos. Former South
African president Thabo Mbeki was also present in recognition
of his former role as the facilitator of the negotiations
that led to the September agreement but did not participate
in Troika deliberations. (NOTE: We understand that
Motlanthe was the most sympathetic of the Troika to the MDC
position and more understanding of the MDC than Mbeki has
been. END NOTE.)
————————
Home Affairs Critical…
————————
¶4. (C) During the 13 hour session, ZANU-PF and MDC
representatives presented their positions to the Troika. MDC
sources told us that the MDC demanded the outright allocation
of the Home Affairs ministry and an “equitable distribution”
of other ministries. Essentially, the MDC wanted to reopen
discussion on distribution of all ministries, not just Home
Affairs. ZANU-PF insisted on control of Home Affairs as well
other important ministries such as Defense, Foreign Affairs,
and Local Government. (NOTE: On October 10, the government
newspaper The Herald published an official notification of
allocation of ministries between the two parties, giving
ZANU-PF control of the aforementioned ministries, and also
Finance. This notification has no legally binding effect,
but is evidence of ZANU-PF’s intentions. Since October 10,
ZANU-PF has conceded Finance to the MDC, but none of the
other important ministries. END NOTE.) Both sides rejected
any notion of shared or rotating control of Home Affairs as
had previou
sly been raised by Mbeki.
————————-
…But Not the Only Issue
————————-
¶5. (C) Additionally, the MDC is demanding five of the 10
provincial governorship positions. (NOTE: Prior to the
signing of the power-sharing agreement on September 15,
HARARE 00000968 002 OF 002
Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe made appointments to all
10 positions. END NOTE.) The MDC also wants agreement on
ambassadorial appointments to ensure it gets what it
considers a fair share. Finally, the MDC is insisting on
agreement of a draft of Amendment 19 which will encapsulate
the final ZANU-PF-MDC agreement. This is to eliminate
potential arguments over ambiguities in the agreement,
particularly concerning the roles of president and prime
minister. According to our sources, Mbeki will facilitate
discussion of these other issues between now and the SADC
Extraordinary Summit.
¶6. (U) Dr. Tomaz Salomao, SADC executive secretary, was
quoted by The Herald as saying to reporters when presenting
the official communique that “the only outstanding issue is
that of Home Affairs…Other issues (Amendment 19 and
governors) remain to be resolved but these will only come
afterward.”
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶7. (C) Despite a positive spin by Salomao, the MDC is
insisting on resolution of all issues before joining a
government. Given the firm positions of both parties, a deal
at the Extraordinary Summit is looking increasingly doubtful.
¶8. (C) Mugabe and his inner circle want to hold on to power
at all costs and are hoping the MDC will walk away from the
talks. The MDC has told us they will not do this. They will
continue to press their case, first at the Summit, then to
the AU, and finally to the UN. Meanwhile, the stalemate will
continue as the Zimbabwean people suffer. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
(23 VIEWS)
