President Robert Mugabe was prepared to concede defeat after the 2008 elections and sent “emissaries” to Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai to discuss security and to negotiate a government of national unity that would include his Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front.
A cable just released by Wikileaks which was dispatched on 1 April 2008, two days after the elections, says this information was relayed to United States ambassador James McGee by exiled businessman Strive Masiyiwa.
McGee also said he had spoken to Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono who had told him that ZANU-PF felt that Mugabe would not win and the military would not intervene.
Gono, however, hoped that he would be appointed prime minister in a negotiated government of national unity.
Publisher Trevor Ncube told the ambassador that Tsvangirai had offered the position of prime minister to Simba Makoni.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE256, THE END GAME
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO9976
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0256 0921107
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 011107Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2659
INFO RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1862
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1985
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0558
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1262
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1619
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2041
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4472
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1112
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000256
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
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: 04/01/2018
SUBJECT: THE END GAME
REF: HARARE 255 AND PREV.
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
1.. (C) According to South African businessman Strive
Masiyiwa, who had spoken to Morgan Tsvangirai, President
Robert Mugabe is prepared to concede defeat. Mugabe had sent
“emissaries” to Tsvangirai to discuss security and to try to
negotiate a government of national unity that would include
ZANU-PF.
¶2. (C) The Ambassador talked again with Reserve Bank
Governor Gideon Gono (Reftel) who acknowledged that ZANU-PF
felt that Mugabe could not win. He also said that the
military would not intervene. Gono was hoping for a
negotiated government of national unity with himself as prime
minister. He hoped for a negotiated resolution after results
are declared–presumably with Tsvangirai receiving less than
50 percent–as the Bank has no funds for a runoff.
¶3. (C) In postponing its 12 pm press conference, the MDC
said officially it was for “positive” reasons.
¶4. (C) We also learned from publisher Trevor Ncube that
Tsvangirai had offered the position of prime minister to
SIPDIS
Simba Makoni contingent on constitutional changes.
¶5. (C) Comment. While there have been a number of ups and
downs in recent days, and we realized it’s not over until
it’s over, we are increasingly confident that we’re in the
end game. End Comment.
MCGEE
(168 VIEWS)
