Posts by Charles Rukuni

President Robert Mugabe has been at the helm of the country since February 1980. During the first decade he was revered and honoured as one of Africa’s foremost leaders. His star started fading during the second decade. In the third decade he became one of the most hated leaders in the world, sometimes only second to Saddam Hussein. But he has survived it all and is into his fourth decade as leader. Our initial search showed that there are 756 cables on him. Here are the first 204.

(19 VIEWS)

When President Robert Mugabe heard that British Minister Clare Short had said that the labour government was not interested in colonial matters and would not honour obligations undertaken by the previous government, including land reform, he said: “If they won’t honour their obligations, we won’t either”.

(70 VIEWS)

The Indigenous Commercial Farmers Union told United States embassy officials that it was prepared to engage in serious discussions and even a merger with the better resourced Commercial Farmers Union.

(18 VIEWS)

Former United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Joseph Sullivan said President Robert Mugabe was not likely to be dislodged by pressure or persuasion from the West, African governments, the opposition or population, or his own colleagues and support structures.

(24 VIEWS)

Presidents Robert Mugabe, Thabo Mbeki and Olusegun Obasanjo are reported to have held a highly secret four–hour meeting in Harare at which there were no ministers, high commissioners or note takers.

(52 VIEWS)

Rugare Gumbo, who was deputy Minister of Home Affairs at the time, said the government was there to govern and had been given the mandate to do so by the people.

(39 VIEWS)

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika wanted to open dialogue with President Robert Mugabe because he was concerned about the impact of the economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe on Malawi.

(32 VIEWS)

A Zimbabwean businessman of Indian origin Ramish Kewada, who owned a paint and plastics retail shop in Harare, asked a United States embassy official eight years ago whether the West was afraid of President Robert Mugabe because he was an intelligent black man because he did not understand why they wanted to get rid of him.

(49 VIEWS)

First Lady Grace Mugabe sat stone-faced throughout the four-hour installation of Catholic Archbishop Robert Christopher Ndlovu at the Harare Sport centre while President Robert Mugabe tapped his finger to the music and occasionally clapped, a cable released by Wikileaks says.

(138 VIEWS)

President Robert Mugabe urged the church to engage in dialogue with the government and not to go to “outside authorities- Blairs and Bushes” and upbraided Bulawayo Archbishop Pius Ncube for tarnishing Zimbabwe’s image abroad.

(79 VIEWS)