All the Wikileaks cables on Zimbabwe

101-Mugabe fears hanging if he leaves office

President Robert Mugabe genuinely fears hanging if he leaves office, former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell four years ago. According to a diplomatic cable just released by Wikileaks, Mugabe was quite aware of diminishing support for him both in the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and the country.

102-US ambassador concedes that Jonathan Moyo is a shrewd analyst

Former United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell, who was allegedly at the centre of his government’s push to remove President Robert Mugabe, conceded that although his former confidante Jonathan Moyo was now an opponent of Mugabe and his views about the president should be read in that light he was also a shrewd analyst.

103-Mugabe named Mnangagwa his successor in 2007!

President Robert Mugabe named Emmerson Mnangagwa as his successor just before the crucial extra-ordinary party congress in 2007 and told his Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front colleagues that he would step down after winning the elections in 2008. This was revealed by his former confidante Jonathan Moyo in September 2007 according to a diplomatic cable that has just been released by Wikileaks. The cable was dispatched on 18 September 2007 by Political/Economic chief Glenn Warren.

104-Joice Mujuru behind Murambatsvina!

Vice- President Joyce Mujuru was behind Operation Murambatsvina, a clean-up exercise that left more than 700 000 people homeless a few months after the 2005 general elections which the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front had won by a two-thirds majority. This was alleged by former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo who dismissed reports that Security Minister Didymus Mutasa had master-minded the campaign.

105-US to work with Mujuru as she might be next president

The United States will maintain contact with Vice-President Joice Mujuru because she might become the next president if President Robert Mugabe leaves the scene before elections. Donald Petterson, the charge d’affaires at the US embassy in Harare, said in a diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks that although Joice and her husband had a reputation for corruption, she would likely be more amenable to political reform than Mugabe.

106-VP Mujuru held clandestine meeting with US ambassador

Vice President Joice Mujuru held a clandestine meeting with United States ambassador Charles Ray shortly after the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front congress of 2009 and urged the ambassador to work together with her. According to a diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks, the meeting was held in an unoccupied house which belongs to the Mujurus on the outskirts of Harare and she even poured the tea herself.

107-Military does not like VP Mujuru says Tanzanian ambassador

The military is likely to push Emmerson Mnangagwa as leader if President Robert Mugabe dies before a successor is chosen because the securocrats do not like Vice President Joice Mujuru. This was said by Tanzanian ambassador to Zimbabwe Adadi Rajabu on 15 December 2009 according to a diplomatic cable just released by Wikileaks.

108-Makoni ZANU-PF to the core

Former Finance Minister and now Mavambo leader Simba Makoni was a ZANU-PF party man to the core even though he openly criticised the party. This was said by former United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell in September 2006 in a cable released by Wikileaks.

109-Makoni talks about three ways for regime change

Former Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front leader Simba Makoni told United States ambassador Christopher Dell that he could think of only three ways to effect regime change in Zimbabwe. The first was a mass uprising but he discounted this possibility, not because the people were not angry, but because they were focused on trying to survive.

110-Gono ZANU-PF’s poster boy for corruption

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gonohad become the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front’s poster boy for corruption and financial mismanagement, former United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee said barely a month after the swearing in of the inclusive government.

111-ACR boss says Mbada can increase diamond production 10-fold

African Consolidated Resources chief Andrew Cranswick told United States ambassador Charles Ray that Mbada, one of the joint-venture partners in the Mrange diamonds, could produce gem quality and industrial diamonds worth over $1.6 billion a year. And it could increase this production 10-fold.

112-Presence of Gono frightens investors

Although the central bank no longer has the means to disrupt the economy as it did during Zimbabwe’s hyperinflation, the very fact that Gono is still on the payroll frightens anyone who might consider a financial commitment that lasts more than a week. This was said by United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray after meeting businessman Kumbirai Katsande, according to a cable he dispatched on 16 February 2010.

113-Chindori-Chininga says Obert Mpofu is a crook and a thief

Former Mines Minister Edward Chindori-Chininga has described current minister Obert Mpofu as a crook and a thief. According to a diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks Chindori-Chininga told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray on 21 January 2010 that Mpofu had entered into unlawful partnerships with Mbada and Canadile to mine diamonds in Marange.

114-Mudarikwa confirmed as MP who likened ZANU-PF to a troop of baboons

Uzumba/Pfungwe Member of Parliament Simba Mudarikwa has finally been confirmed as the legislator who likened the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front “to a troop of baboons incessantly fighting among themselves, but coming together to face an external threat”.

115-Sydney Masamvu- Martial law looms in Zimbabwe

Under the headline Martial Law Looms, the August 9 edition of the independent weekly The Financial Gazette carried the following lead article by the paper’s political editor, Sydney Masamvu:

116-Masamvu promoted

The privately owned weekly Financial Gazette has appointed Nqobile Nyathi, 29, as editor. Nyathi replaces veteran journalist Francis Mdlongwa who led the “FinGaz” from 1997 to 2002. In other staff changes at the FinGaz Abel Mutsakani becomes Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Sydney Masamvu,Assistant Editor.

117-Masamvu hails US military campaign to disarm Iraq

Under headline “It’s time to flush out the Saddams of this world” the March 27 edition of the independent weekly “The Financial Gazette” carried an opinion piece by Sydney Masamvu – the paper’s Assistant Editor – on page 18 in which he hails the ongoing United States-led military campaign to disarmIraq, saying, “The year 2003 should be dedicated to flushing out dictators the world over – in Baghdad, Havana, Jakarta, southern Africa – and send them running.”

118-Zimbabwe tops Bush’s agenda

Under headline “Zimbabwe tops Bush’s agenda” the “Daily News” (06/25) carried the following article by Sydney Masamvu, Assistant Editor:  “A quick resolution of the political impasse in Zimbabwe and the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the continent’s economic blueprint, will top the agenda of U. S. President George Bush’s first ever visit to Southern Africa on 9 July, diplomats disclosed yesterday.

119-Manheru names journos with US intelligence links

Nathaniel Manheru (the pen name for Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba) blasted the international media for inaccurately reporting on the situation in Zimbabwe. He also accuses the State Department of using a “lady American intelligence officer” to create a “full-blown structure” in Pretoria for training journalists.

120-US official says Mugabe has consistently outplayed South Africans

A United States embassy official in Pretoria expressed doubts that the South African government could ease President Robert Mugabe out of power arguing that he had always outplayed the South Africans. Charge d’Affaires John J. Hartley said in a cable dispatched on 19 July 2005 that the South African government had decided that it could not standby and watch Zimbabwe collapse, but though it wanted Mugabe gone, it wanted this to be through controlled constitutional change and not economic implosion or a violent uprising.

121-Masamvu says Mugabe has given Gono free rein

International Crisis Group analyst Sydney Masamvu told United States embassy officials in South Africa that when Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono came to South Africa to discuss a bailout, Gono told him that Mugabe had given him free rein to discuss the loan. Gono told him that he hoped that the South African government would give him $500 million to “deal with the IMF”.

122-Gono was aware Masamvu talks to US embassy officials

Central Bank governor Gideon Gono was aware that International Crisis Group analyst Sydney Masamvu, who had worked as a journalist for the Financial Gazette and the Daily News, talked to United States embassy officials in Pretoria and may have misled him to fend off the International Monetary Fund from expelling Zimbabwe out of the organisation.

123-Mugabe prepared to repeal repressive laws to get loan from SA

President Robert Mugabe was prepared to repeal repressive laws like the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Public Order and Security Act to get a loan of about $500 million from South Africa in 2005. According to one of the cable released by Wikileaks, central bank governor Gideon Gono told former journalist Sydney Masamvu that Mugabe had given him flexibility to discuss political terms for the loan with the Pretoria government.

124-Wikileaks says Masamvu on US payroll

A diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks shows that former journalist Sydney Masamvu was on the United States Agency for International Development payroll when he left the International Crisis Group to join the Institute for Democracy in South Africa. He had worked for the ICG until they closed their office in South Africa in September 2006.

125-Masamvu says Gen Mujuru was on war path to get rid of Mugabe

Idasa analyst Sydney Masamvu told United States embassy officials soon after the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front conference at Goromonzi in 2006 that Solomon Mujuru was on a war path to get President Robert Mugabe out of office.

126-SA opposed to extension of Mugabe’s term- Masamvu

The South African government was opposed to the extension of President Robert Mugabe’s term of office from 2008 to 2010 the United States’ South African embassy contact Sydney Masamvu told officials after meeting African National Congress secretary-general Kgalema Motlanthe.

127-Getting Bob out first step to change in Zimbabwe

Getting President Robert Mugabe out was now the first step toward change in Zimbabwe because even South African President Thabo Mbeki, who had often been accused of being too close to Mugabe, now believed it was impossible for Zimbabwe to move forward as long as Mugabe remained in power.

128-Mbeki wanted Mugabe out before he left office

South African President Thabo Mbeki wanted to “get Bob” before he left office so that he could enhance a legacy battered by his lack of response to the HIV/Aids pandemic and inability to deal with violent crime, a cable just released by Wikileaks says.

129-Masamvu double-cross

Pretoria was so desperate to get analytical information on Zimbabwe that Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad asked Idasa analyst Sydney Masamvu to give him a five-page analysis about the situation in Zimbabwe in 10 days. But Masamvu reported his entire conversation to United States embassy officials in Pretoria two days later and even asked them what to incorporate in his paper to Pahad.

130-Masamvu passes MDC document to US officials

Idasa analyst Sydney Masamvu had a copy of the 10-page document on the concerns of the two Movement for Democratic Change formations sent to South African President Thabo Mbeki and handed it over to United States embassy officials in Pretoria who in turn emailed it to their embassy in Harare.

131-Tsvangirai says everything is in short supply in Zimbabwe except misery

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai did not make a good first impression when he held his first briefing for diplomats in Pretoria on 5 June 2007. According to one of the cables released by Wikileaks Tsvangirai read a prepared speech about deteriorating living conditions in Zimbabwe, citing increasing poverty and lower life expectancy.

132-Mugabe tried to put Mujuru under surveillance but CIO refused

President Robert Mugabe tried to put former army commander Solomon Mujuru under surveillance in 2007 but the Central Intelligence Organisation refused to do so and told him. Mujuru is reported to have told this to former Zimbabwean journalist Sydney Masamvu who was now an analyst for Idasa. Masamvu told American diplomats in Pretoria that at that time Mujuru would have handed Mugabe over to international prosecutors if he could.

133-Richard Branson funded elders to talk Mugabe out of power

Former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo approached United Kingdom businessman Richard Branson, owner of Virgin Atlantic, to bankroll an initiative by African elders to get President Robert Mugabe to step down. The elders were expected to meet secretly in Johannesburg from on 17 and 18 July 2007, according to a cable released by Wikileaks.

134-Botswana wanted to “take the gloves off” with Mugabe

South Africa and Botswana were so pissed off with lack of progress in finding a solution to the Zimbabwean problem that Botswana wanted “to take the gloves off” with President Robert Mugabe at the next Southern African Development Community summit, a cable released by Wikileaks says. According to the cable this was told to former journalist Sydney Masamvu by South Africa’s Director General of the Department of Foreign Affairs Ayanda Ntsaluba in August 2007.

135-Trevor Ncube thoroughly disgusted with MDC

Zimbabwean publisher Trevor Ncube was thoroughly disgusted with the Movement for Democratic Change that he had nightmares about the MDC taking over Zimbabwe. According to a cable released by Wikileaks Ncube told this to United States embassy officials when he suggested a “third way” that would involve people like Econet boss Strive Masiyiwa, former Industry Minister Nkosana Moyo, former Finance Minister Simba Makoni and Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono.

136-Masamvu sceptical about constitutional amendment

IDASA analyst Sydney Masamvu was very sceptical about the agreement of the Movement for Democratic Change and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front on Constitutional Amendment 18 because he felt the MDC had given “everything” to ZANU-PF and had received virtually nothing in return.

137-MDC pressured into signing constitutional amendment

The Movement for Democratic Change was pressured into agreeing to Constitutional Amendment Number 18 which harmonised presidential, parliamentary and local government elections according to IDASA analyst Sydney Masamvu.  According to a cable released by Wikileaks, Masamvu was told by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Welshman Ncube of the smaller MDC faction on 4 October 2007 that that South African negotiators led by Minister of Provincial and Local Government Sydney Mufamadi, Director General in the Presidency Frank Chikane, and Advocate Mojanku Gumbi travelled to Harare 29-30 September to hammer out an agreement with ZANU-PF and MDC officials on a new constitution.

138-Masamvu says Zuma expected to be more robust on Mugabe

Although United States embassy officials in Pretoria did not believe that the election of Jacob Zuma as President of the African National Congress would see an immediate change in South Africa’s foreign policy, Idasa analyst Sydney Masamvu believed that Zuma would be “more robust” in his criticism of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.

139-Mbeki gave Mugabe three options before 2008 elections

South African President Thabo Mbeki was still frantically working on a political solution for Zimbabwe two months before the harmonised elections of 2008 and gave the negotiating parties three options. According to Movement for Democratic Change treasurer Roy Bennett and Idasa analyst Sydney Masamvu Mbeki had presented the MDC and the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front three options to break the deadlock:

140-No one gave the MDC a chance in 2008

No one believed that the Movement for Democratic Change would defeat President Robert Mugabe in the 2008 elections so everyone was frantically trying to set up coalitions to beat Mugabe and the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front. According to one of the cables released by Wikileaks, there was a lot of speculation that disgruntled members of ZANU-PF, especially from the Solomon Mujuru faction, would team up with the MDC but the question of who was going to lead the coalition always lingered.

141-Norway funded Masamvu and company to observe 2008 elections

Political analyst Sydney Masamvu was one of 15 members of theInstitute for Democracy in South Africa staff that were to be sent to Zimbabwe to observe the 2008 elections. The team was to include the head of the institute Paul Graham and was funded by the government of Norway.

142-Dabengwa was confident Mugabe could be defeated

Former Home Affairs Minister Dumiso Dabengwa was confident that President Robert Mugabe would be defeated in the 2008 elections. He told American embassy officials on 12 March, just two weeks before the elections, that the candidacy of Simba Makoni, who had announced his challenge and was now heading a party called Mavambo-Kusile-Dawn, was not about Makoni but about rescuing the nation.

143-South Africa interested in stability in Zimbabwe not democracy

South Africa is interested in stability in Zimbabwe and not in democracy United States embassy officials in Zimbabwe said in the run-up to the 2008 elections. They were commenting on observer missions that flocked to Zimbabwe to monitor the first harmonised elections.

144-MDC broke after 2008 elections

The Movement for Democratic Change was so broke after the 2008 elections that it could not even print its presidential newsletter because it had run out paper and ink. MDC advisor Kathi Walther told American embassy officials that party treasurer Roy Bennett had budgeted for the elections but had not anticipated that the results would be delayed.

145-Masamvu said Mugabe would hand over to Mnangagwa in six months

Political analyst Sydney Masamvu said prior to the presidential election run-off of 2008 that President Robert Mugabe’s campaign would be run by the military, not party officials. The commander of the Defence Forces Constantine Chiwenga and Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri were pushing for Mugabe to remain President for another six months and then Emmerson Mnangagwa would take over.

146-Diplomats question Tsvangirai’s ability to deliver

Although several diplomats were stressing the need for Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai to return to the country before the presidential elections run-off of 2008, some had started questioning his ability to deliver.

147-Tsvangirai listed “dealbreakers” to participate in run-off

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai set 16 conditions to participate in the presidential election run-off with five of them labelled as dealbreakers. According to a cable by Wikileaks, Tsvangirai told a press conference in Pretoria on 10 May that he would participate in the elections but they had to be held no later than 24 May. The run-off was finally held on 27 June.

148-Bennett says Masiyiwa is a control freak

Movement for Democratic Change treasurer Roy Bennett was so frustrated by party leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s delay in returning to Zimbabwe that he complained that Tsvangirai’s concerns about security were “nonsense” because he could be assassinated in South Africa or elsewhere on the continent if the Mugabe regime wanted him dead.

149-UN envoy wanted GNU without Mugabe

United Nations assistant secretary for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios told political analyst Sydney Masamvu that he planned to talk to Southern African Development Community members to build solidarity for a government of national unity which would exclude President Robert Mugabe and would be led by Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

150-Political tug-of-war- Mugabe versus Tsvangirai

The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front was prepared to give Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai nothing higher than third vice-President when negotiations for the formation of the government of national unity started after the indecisive 20008 elections.

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