President Robert Mugabe’s Independence Day speech in 2003, in which he encouraged open discussion of the succession issue within ZANU-PF councils, opened the floodgates of speculation. At the forefront were Speaker of Parliament Emmerson Mnangagwa and former Finance Minister Simba Makoni.
252-US not happy with conciliatory attitude of ZANU-PF and MDC
There was a lot of excitement when legislators from the Movement for Democratic Change attended President Robert Mugabe’s speech to Parliament on 22 July 2003 but United States embassy officials questioned the sincerity of ZANU-PF.
253-Some “Wikileaks” meetings were even held at ZANU-PF HQ
The Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front deputy director for external affairs Itai Mach held a meeting with a political officer from the United States embassy in Harare at the party headquarters on 5 November 2003, according a cable released by Wikileaks.
254-Did Mutasa outsmart Oppah Muchinguri?
Didymus Mutasa, considered to be the most senior Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front official from Manicaland, may have outsmarted Women’s League leader Oppah Muchinguri by getting her replaced as governor by Mike Nyambuya, according to a cable released by Wikileaks.
255-ZANU-PF succession scorecard
Former Defence Forces chief Vitalis Zvinavashe and Speaker of Parliament Emmerson Mnangagwa are reported to have discussed an exit strategy for President Robert Mugabe with the opposition in 2002 but surprisingly Zvinavashe was tipped as Mugabe’s possible successor when he retired from the army a year later, a cable released by Wikileaks says.
256-Mutasa scores another victory in Manicaland
ZANU-PF secretary for external affairs Didymus Mutasa scored another major victory when President Robert Mugabe reshuffled his cabinet in February 2004, reinforcing his influence in Manicaland province.
257-US embassy’s assessment of Mugabe’s new ministers
Do you know who Webster Shamu, Josiah Tungamirai, Shadreck Chipanga, Cain Mathema, David Chapfika, Andrew Langa or Ambrose Mutinhiri are? The United States embassy in Harare produced their biographies when they were appointed to President Robert Mugabe’s cabinet in 2004.
258-US embassy says Chombo is a very tough strategic thinker
Former United Nations Development Programme representative to Zimbabwe Victor Angelo said a growing number of people within the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front realised that the party was on a suicidal path but they were not willing to stand up to President Robert Mugabe.
259-The politics of food relief
Food relief agencies were put in a quandary in 2002 over allegations that food was being distributed along political lines with those opposed to the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front being denied food.
260-Mudzuri got off on the wrong foot as Harare mayor- Wikileaks
Elias Mudzuri got off on the wrong foot with some people in the Combined Harare Residents Association and his own Movement for Democratic Change by taking possession of the mayoral Mercedes and moving into the guest house of a lavish mayoral mansion built by the previous regime, according to a cable released by Wikileaks.
261-Mayor says government is so broke it is trying to squeeze money from local authorities
The first Movement for Democratic Change mayor of a city Alois Chaimiti of Masvingo told United States embassy officials in June 2002 that the government was so broke that it was trying to squeeze money from relatively successful local authorities.
262-Government resumes food distribution after pressure from US and Vatican
The government, which had ordered the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace to stop food distribution in Binga, was forced to resume after pressure from the United States government and the Vatican, according to a cable released by Wikileaks.
The Commercial Farmers Union was so divided at its 59th congress in 2002 that it was literally grasping at straws in the forlorn hope that its members could be spared by cooperating on land reform with the government.
264-Mugabe rewards loyalty not competence
President Robert Mugabe rewards loyalty and not competence when he appoints his cabinet, a cable released by Wikileaks says.
265-Midlands: the model in land redistribution
Midlands Province was described as a model in land reform because black and white farmers were working together and provincial governor Cephas Msipa had convinced the government not to compulsorily take over white-owned dairy farms because this would lead to milk shortages.
266-Chombo tries to neutralise MDC influence in cities
The government through Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo decided to appoint metropolitan governors to neutralise the influence of the Movement for Democratic Change which by 2002 already had five mayors.
267-Government tries to use farmers to ease sanctions
Agriculture Minister Joseph Made initiated a series of conversations with the Commercial Famers Union from January 2003 but CFU president Colin Cloete felt the minister’s main aim was to get Britain and the United States to ease sanctions on Zimbabwe’s elite.
268-Makoni says dismissal of Mudzuri work of Gang of Four
Former Finance Minister Simba Makoni said the dismissal of Elias Mudzuri as mayor of Harare in April 2003 was the work of the Gang of Four- Ignatius Chombo, Joseph Made, Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Chinamasa.
269-US embassy questions Daily News’s credibility
The Daily News which had become the nation’s biggest daily before it was banned in 2003 reported on 9 July 2003 that 3 000 Movement for Democratic Change supporters had marched through the streets of downtown Harare carrying placards criticizing South African President Thabo Mbeki and attempted to gather at Africa Unity Square.
270-Mai Mujuru tried to outmanoeuvre Mnangagwa during unity talks
Former Army commander Solomon Mujuru and his wife Vice-President Joice Mujuru supported a plan which would have seen President Robert Mugabe become ceremonial president, Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai become executive Prime Minister with Joice Mujuru as the only Vice-President.
271-Mai Mujuru tried to outmanoeuvre Mnangagwa during unity talks
Former Army commander Solomon Mujuru and his wife Vice-President Joice Mujuru supported a plan which would have seen President Robert Mugabe become ceremonial president, Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai become executive Prime Minister with Joice Mujuru as the only Vice-President.
272-Sipepa Nkomo says Mai Mujuru was very critical of ZANU-PF
Minister of Water Sam Sipepa Nkomo says when he met Vice-President Joice Mujuru privately, as she was a former Minister of Water, she was critical of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and supported Movement for Democratic Change programmes to liberalise the economy and expand political space.
273-Mzembi says Mugabe will not support Mnangagwa or Mujuru to succeed him
Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi says President Robert Mugabe will not support Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa or Vice-President Joice Mujuru to succeed him but is fostering a stalemate between the two so that a younger successor can emerge.
274-Mogae says Mnangagwa or Mujuru cannot lead Zimbabwe
Former Botswana President Festus Mogae said one of the ways to improve the situation in Zimbabwe was to secure a safe and comfortable retirement for President Robert Mugabe but neither Vice-President Joice Mujuru nor Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa commanded the “fear or respect that Mugabe relies upon to lead”.
275-Mai Mujuru the only ZANU-PF heavyweight sharing dais with Tsvangirai
Vice President Joice Mujuru was the only Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front heavyweight who shared the dais with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai when he launched his 100-day plan on 13 May 2009.
276-Mugabe wants reform but he has no control
President Robert Mugabe wants reform but he has no power to enforce the reforms and is heavily influenced by people like Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, according to Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi.
277-John Nkomo of little value to Mugabe
Vice President John Nkomo was of little value to President Robert Mugabe because he was “unquestionably loyal to Mugabe” and had no support from Matebeleland.
278-Mai Mujuru stronger than Mnangagwa
The election of Women’s Affairs Minister Olivia Muchena as leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front Women’s League was a clear indication that Vice President Joice Mujuru was a strong force within ZANU-PF, if not stronger than Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction.
279-Vote rigging in ZANU-PF party elections?
Shuvai Mahofa, one of the heavyweights in the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front Women’s League, claimed she had lost a hotly contested election to head the league to Women’s Affairs Minister Olivia Muchena in September 2009 because of vote rigging.
280-ZANU-PF not ready for a woman president
Despite the meteoric rise of Joice Mujuru to Vice-President of the nation as well as of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, ZANU-PF is not ready to accept a woman as president, a cable released by Wikileaks says.
281-Mugabe, Mujuru call on supporters to shun factionalism
President Robert Mugabe and Vice President Joice Mujuru called on party supporters to abjure factionalism at the start of the party congress in 2009, but the damage had already been done.
282-ZANU-PF an old party with problems
The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front is an old party with problems and does not have any vision for the future.
283-Biti says Mujuru and Mnangagwa are unelectable
Finance Minister and Movement for Democratic Change secretary general Tendai Biti told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray that Vice-President Joice Mujuru and Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa were both “unelectable” in a national presidential election.
284-Jonathan Moyo completes phoenix-like return to ZANU-PF
Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa did not lose everything at the 2009 party congress. Jonathan Moyo who was central to his succession prospects made a “phoenix-like” comeback to the party that expelled him in 2005.
President Robert Mugabe usurped Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in February last year, barely a year after the swearing in of the inclusive government, when he issued a circular implying that ministers should report to his two vice-Presidents, Joice Mujuru and John Nkomo, instead of to Tsvangirai.
286-Kasukuwere is untrustworthy and a thug- Wikileaks
Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere is untrustworthy and a thug, a diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks says. The comment was made by United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray after he met the minister at his office on 4 February last year.
287-Mai Mujuru’s fear of Mugabe affecting her ability to lead
Vice-President Joice Mujuru has a high chance of succeeding President Robert Mugabe but her fear of Mugabe is affecting her ability to lead, the legislator for Uzumba/Pfungwe Simba Mudarikwa said.
288-Gutu elected chair of powerful Parliamentary Legal Committee
Movement for Democratic Change senator Obert Gutu was elected chairman of the powerful Parliamentary Legal Committee. Four other seats of the five-member committee were divided evenly between the MDC and the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front.
289-What Obert Gutu said about Tsvangirai
The Deputy Minister of Justice Obert Gutu said the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change Morgan Tsvangirai was humble and tolerant, not vindictive like Robert Mugabe. These qualities in large part accounted for his widespread popularity.
290-The cable that got the generals into trouble
Brigadier General Herbert Chingono, Inspector General for the Zimbabwe National Army, and Major General Fidelis Satuku, Director General for Policy and Personnel, Zimbabwe Defence Forces, took a huge risk when they talked to United States ambassador Charles Ray and the United States embassy defence attaché on 5 and 6 January last year.
291-Gono and Grace discuss Mugabe’s future
Central Bank governor Gideon Gono was discussing ways of getting President Robert Mugabe to retire with his wife Grace Mugabe because of his poor health, a cable released by Wikileaks says.
292-Grace agreed to power-sharing agreement
President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace had agreed to a power-sharing agreement drafted by Econet boss Strive Masiyiwa but with amendments which included an undertaking that Mugabe would serve as president indefinitely.
293-Grace wanted to marginalise Tsvangirai
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said the Joint Operational Command supported by Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono and First Lady Grace Mugabe had discussed the previous week delaying the inauguration of the new government and marginalising him.
294-First Lady linked to platinum deal
A company that has been doing business with First Lady Grace Mugabe is said to have been given a platinum concession though it has no exploration or mining expertise, according to a diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks.
295-Ambassador says people underrate the power that Grace Mugabe wields
Norwegian ambassador to Zimbabwe Gunnar Foreland told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray on 25 November 2009 that many people did not appreciate the role First Lady Grace Mugabe played in terms of having the President’s ear.
296-South Korean firms in construction projects with First Lady?
South Korean construction firms, many based in South Africa, were extensively involved in construction projects with the First Lady Grace Mugabe.
297-Doing business Zimbabwe- style
High Court Judge Ben Hlatshwayo “seized” a commercial farm in Banket in 2002. But First Lady Grace Mugabe liked the farm. It was close to the Mugabe rural home. So she took over the farm in 2009 for her son from her first marriage, Russell.
298-US says its public diplomacy has paid off in Zimbabwe
The United States says its public diplomacy had paid off in bringing about democracy in Zimbabwe when the opposition Movement for Democratic Change managed to squeeze in 57 seats from the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front after nearly 20 years of one party rule.
299-What do Strive Masiyiwa and Geoff Nyarota have in common?
It is not the Daily News, the paper that Nyarota founded and which Masiyiwa later rescued. It is Central Intelligence Organisation operative Robert Manungo.
300-Daily News group sues Jonathan Moyo for $58 million
“We have a classic case here in which the prey has become the predator.” This is the opening sentence of a cable from the United States embassy in which officials were reporting about the lawsuit filed by the Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe, publishers of the Daily News, against Information Minister Jonathan Moyo.
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