The Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front planned to rig the 2008 elections in favour of President Robert Mugabe so that he could pull off a 51 percent victory, according to a cable released by Wikileaks.
The architects of the plan were defence forces chief Constantine Chiwenga, Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri, Minister of State Security Didymus Mutasa, Minister of Labour Nicholas Goche, Minister of Justice Patrick Chinamasa, CIO Director Happyton Bonyongwe, and presidential spokesperson George Charamba.
If the rigging plan was thwarted, they planned a state of emergency and ultimately a coup against Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai if he somehow became president.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE254, ZANU-PF PLANS VOTE-RIGGED VICTORY OR COUP
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO9756
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0254/01 0920719
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 010719Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2656
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICQ8/_S~G*H|SSY KAMPALA 2038
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4469
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1109
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000254
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: ZANU-PF PLANS VOTE-RIGGED VICTORY OR COUP
REF: HARARE 252 AND PREV.
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Two contacts with direct access to the
ZANU-PF security apparatus told us the night of March 31 that
ZANU-PF is in the process of rigging the election and will
have the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announce that
President Robert Mugabe has won reelection with over 51
percent of the vote. An announcement is planned this morning
(April 1). If this plan is thwarted, the ruling party
intends to declare a state of emergency to prevent a Morgan
Tsvangirai victory. In an effort to preempt MufvQ/-Rhe ZANU-PF plot. Separately, the Zimbabwe Election
SIPDIS
Support Network (ZESN) announced results of a parallel vote
count. Based on a sample of 435 polling stations, ZESN
stated that Tsvangirai’s projected vote was over 49 percent
with Mugabe winning 42 percent. The margin of error was
about 2.5 percent. END SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) We spoke separately the evening of March 31 with a
businessman with ties to the ruling party who has contacts
within the ZANU-PF security apparatus, and with ZANU-PF
dissident Ibbo Mandaza who is a close ally of Simba Makoni.
Mandaza has close Central Intelligence Organization (CIO)
contacts who are opposed to Mugabe. Both the businessman and
Mandaza related consistent versions of a ZANU-PF plot.
¶3. (C) According to both of our contacts, Mugabe’s inner
circle became aware early on in the vote-counting process
that Mugabe was losing and that Tsvangirai would probably win
over 50 percent of the vote. Individuals who are part of
this coterie are Defense Chief Constantine Chiwenga, Police
Commissioner Augustine Chichuri, Minister of State Security
Didymus Mutasa, Minister of Labor Nicholas Goche, Minister of
Justice Patrick Chinimasa, CIO Director Happyton Bonyongwe,
and presidential spokesperson George Chy?QQ}xZ{with what they believed to be the actual
results. Instead of Tsvangirai receiving over 50 percent of
the votes, he would receive slightly less and Mugabe would
receive a little over 40 percent. This would create a runoff
and would be acceptable to ZANU-PF officials who are
anti-Mugabe. They concluded, however, that Mugabe would lose
a runoff. They then decided to rig to give Mugabe 51.6
percent. We understand there are plans to announce this
result today. Our contacts told us that to carry out the
plan, the group has established a command center which is
dictating results to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
If the rigging plan was thwarted, they planned a state of
emergency, and ultimately a coup against Tsvangirai if he
somehow became president.
¶5. (C) Mandaza said he met with MDC officials yesterday
morning and informed them of the plot. TPq.Q1Q_w/
Tsvangirai was to make the announcement–he has not been
SIPDIS
visible since the election, reportedly because of security
concerns–and possibly expose the ZANU-PF plot. For unknown
reasons, the MDC decided not to hold a press conference. One
is now scheduled for this morning.
¶6. (C) Separately, ZESN last night announced results of its
parallel vote count. Based on a sampling of 435 polling
HARARE 00000254 002 OF 002
stations, ZESN projected that Tsvangirai would win 49.4
percent of the vote, Mugabe would win 41.8 percent, and
Makoni would win 8.2 percent. The margin of error for
Tsvangirai was 2.4 percent, for Mugabe 2.6 percent, and for
SIPDIS
Makoni 1.1 percent. In a press conference where the results
were presented, ZESN urged the ZEC to make public the polling
station results which, according to the Electoral Act, were
required to be posted outside polling stations on completion
of counting.
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COMMENT
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¶7. (C) Armed with information, the MDC has dallied, and it
appears ZANU-PF will take advantage of the MDC’s failure to
act. All signs point to Mugabe seizing the initiative and
declaring victory today. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
(55 VIEWS)
