Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told United States ambassador James McGee and British ambassador Andrew Pocock on 10 April 2009 that the Movement for Democratic Change had damning information that the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Gideon Gono had transferred US$100 million from the central bank into a personal account.
He also said Gono’s deputy (advisor) Munyaradzi Kereke had transferred US$75 million.
Tsvangirai had requested the meeting with the two ambassadors to brief them on developments in the inclusive government.
Gono and Tsvangirai come from the same village and he even described Gono to the ambassadors as his “home boy”.
Gono was one of the major issues of conflict between the MDC and ZANU-PF as the MDC wanted him fired saying his reappointment at the end of 2008 was not in compliance with the Global Political Agreement that the parties signed on 15 September 2008.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE303, TSVANGIRAI UPDATES U.S. AND UK AMBASSADORS
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
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VZCZCXRO9202
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0303/01 1041212
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 141212Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4364
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2769
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2891
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1336
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2156
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2521
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2939
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5380
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2058
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000303
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B.WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR J. HARMON AND L. DOBBINS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019
SUBJECT: TSVANGIRAI UPDATES U.S. AND UK AMBASSADORS
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
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SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) In an April 10 meeting, Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai acknowledged the problematic nature of recent farm
invasions and the continuing presence of Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Gideon Gono. He noted that his
personal situation had removed him from the fray for three
weeks. He planned to meet with Zimbabwean President Mugabe
to attempt to resolve these issues. Tsvangirai commented
that the Victoria Falls ministerial retreat had been a
success; 100-day plans for different sectors had been
formulated, and he planned to travel throughout Zimbabwe and
internationally to communicate progress of the new
government. He believed that the ZANU-PF patronage machine
had collapsed and that ZANU-PF ministers were beginning to
realize that the transitional process was irreversible.
Resources were still a problem; bumping up civil service
allowances from US$100 to US$150 would go a long way toward
weakening ZANU-PF. Finally, Tsvangirai believed Emmerson
Mnangagwa was targeting him and others and was a primary
threat to the new government. END SUMMARY.
———————————————
Farm Invasions, Gono, and Political Detainees
———————————————
¶2. (C) Tsvangirai requested the meeting with Ambassador and
UK Ambassador Andrew Pocock to review the progress of the new
government. He noted he had been away from work for the
better part of three weeks, had not seen Mugabe, and
therefore had not been able to deal with outstanding issues
including recent farm invasions and the status of Gono. The
Ambassador remarked that the farm invasions and Gono were
overshadowing progress of the government and were leaving a
negative impression of the new government and its ability to
deal with problems in Washington. Failure to deal with them
would hamper reengagement. Tsvangirai understood and said he
would discuss this directly with Mugabe.
¶3. (C) The Joint Montoring and Implementation Committee
(JOMIC) had researched the farm invasions, according to
Tsvangirai. Since farms of MDC supporters had almost all
already been seized, the latest invasions were directed at
farms covered by Bilateral Protection and Promotion
Agreements (BIPPAs) or those occupied by whites with
political connections. Tsvangirai concluded that they were
spearheaded by ZANU-PF elements intent on subverting the new
government.
¶4. (C) Tsvangirai averred that the MDC had damning
information that Gono had transferred US$100 million from the
RBZ into a personal account and that his deputy, Munyaradzi
Kereke, had transferred US$75 million. The MDC was intent on
forcing Gono out of the RBZ. Gono was a “home boy” of
Tsvangirai from the same village and had been trying to see
Tsvangirai for some time. Tsvangirai said he now intended to
meet with Gono and tell him that an immediate resignation
Qmeet with Gono and tell him that an immediate resignation
might forestall criminal prosecution.
¶5. (C) On the issue of political detainees, Tsvangirai said
the last three political detainees had been granted bail but,
in violation of the Inter-Party Political Agreement, the
State had appealed, resulting in continuing detention until
the appeal was heard in mid-April. In addition to Mugabe,
Tsvangirai said he would raise this issue with Minister of
Justice Patrick Chinamasa.
HARARE 00000303 002 OF 003
———————–
Victoria Falls Retreat
———————-
¶6. (C) The retreat had been a success, according to
Tsvangirai. All ministers, with the exception of hard-liners
Emmerson Mnangagwa, Didymus Mutasa, and Joseph Made (who
claimed to be ill), attended. “Bonding” had occurred between
ZANU-PF and MDC ministers. A 100-day plan had been produced
by clusters of related ministries. After the adoption of the
plan by Cabinet, Tsvangirai said he would travel throughout
Zimbabwe to communicate it to people in cities and villages.
He would then travel internationally to discuss the progress
of the government and its needs. Tsvangirai concluded that,
although a transitional process would never be perfect, the
ZANU-PF patronage machinery had collapsed and most ZANU-PF
ministers now realized the transitional process was
irreversible.
————————-
Resources Still a Concern
————————-
¶7. (C) Tsvangirai said there was growing dissatisfaction
with US$100 allowances for civil servants. (NOTE: Teachers
are threatening to strike in May. END NOTE.) An adjustment
to perhaps US$150 could help resolve this. Failure to make
an adjustment would play into the hands of ZANU-PF, which was
looking for avenues to criticize the MDC.
————————
Security Still a Concern
————————
¶8. (C) Without being specific as to the nature of the
threat, Tsvangirai said there were rumors that he, Tendai
Biti, Elton Mangoma, and Roy Bennett were being targeted by
Emmerson Mnangagwa. Both ambassadors suggested that after
consultation with their respective capitals, a message could
be passed to Mnangagwa through intermediaries that he would
be held personally responsible should anything happen to
these MDC officials.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶9. (C) The Herald announced in its Friday edition that the
Information Communication Technology ministry headed by
Nelson Chamisa had been stripped of postal and
telecommunications portfolios which were transferred to the
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure headed by
ZANU-PF’s Nicholas Goche. Tsvangirai was apparently unaware
of this when he talked with us. He subsequently told the
press the action was “illegal.” This is another issue for
him to raise with Mugabe — and another example of the lack
of good will of ZANU-PF, both in the action it took and the
fact it did not alert Tsvangirai of what it intended to do.
¶10. (C) While Tsvangirai at times appears over-optimistic,
he is also quick to point out that this is a transitional
process. The realist in him pointed out that right after the
“bonding” experience of Victoria Falls, Mugabe endorsed the
continuing farm invasions. As we have noted, this is not a
government of national unity but a fitful marriage of
convenience. We also bear in mind that the government is
only two-months old, and Tsvangirai has been away for three
Qonly two-months old, and Tsvangirai has been away for three
weeks of that time. The next month to two months should give
us a better indication of what can and cannot be
accomplished. END COMMENT.
HARARE 00000303 003 OF 003
MCGEE
(49 VIEWS)
