Biti the only MDC leader who has the respect of SADC chiefs

Movement for Democratic Change secretary general and Finance Minister Tendai Biti was the only MDC leader who had the respect of the Southern African Development Community chiefs, Democratic Republic of Congo ambassador Bene M’Poko said.

SADC leaders saw MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai as the instrument of the United Kingdom. They believed that former UK Prime Minister Tonty Blair had convinced Tsvangirai to support the UK position on land reform in Zimbabwe.

The leaders also understood that Mugabe would die before returning any land to dispossessed white farmers or compensating them.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 10PRETORIA231, DRC AMBASSADOR TOUR D’HORIZON WITH AMBASSADOR

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DE RUEHSA #0231/01 0341547

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

P 031547Z FEB 10

FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA

TO RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 0002

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INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 000231 

SIPDIS 

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/S AND AF/C 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2020 

TAGS: PREL PINR SF MASS CG

SUBJECT: DRC AMBASSADOR TOUR D'HORIZON WITH AMBASSADOR 

Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Donald M. Gips for Reasons 1.4 

b and d. 

¶1. (C) Summary: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 

Ambassador Bene M'Poko, during a January 24 luncheon 

discussion with the Ambassador, offered his thoughts on a 

range of issues. M'Poko is planning to retire from 

diplomatic service and return to Congo in the near future, 

and he told us his recent efforts have been focused on 

guiding the year-long DRC presidency of the Southern African 

Development Community (SADC).  Having attended the SADC 

Summit in Maputo, M'Poko discussed SADC leaders' views on the 

Zimbabwe leadership crisis. Speaking on the challenges of 

promoting DRC, M'Poko complained about the corruption within 

various government ministries while calling for more American 

investment to balance the growing influence of China. M'Poko 

was, however, optimistic that the DRC had turned the corner 

from civil war to development, but he cautioned that 

political obstacles continue to block security sector reform. 

 End summary 

--------------------------------------------- ----- 

Bio Note: Background on Ambassador Bene L. M'Poko 

--------------------------------------------- ----- 

¶2. (C) Before his appointment as Ambassador, Bene M'Poko 

headed the UNDP office in South Africa for 15 years.   M'poko 

said he did not meet President Joseph Kabila until after 

Kabila became president, when M'Poko's name was put forward 

as a candidate for foreign minister. M'Poko said he is 

planning to retire from public service soon and will return 

to the DRC to go into business, probably mining, but his 

family is planning to stay in South Africa. M'Poko is 

married to an AMCIT. 

----------------------------------- 

A View from the DRC SADC Presidency 

----------------------------------- 

¶3. (C) M'Poko said he considers his major current role to 

have been in preparing for and guiding the GDRC's year-long 

presidency of SADC. M'Poko attended SADC's recent summit in 

Mozambique on leadership crises in Madagascar and Zimbabwe. 

Commenting on the situation in Zimbabwe, M'Poko described 

Kabila's relationship with Mugabe as "long-standing and 

complicated," commenting that Mugabe treats Kabila like a 

"little son," but adding that Kabila pushes back when 

pressed. M'Poko's understanding from Maputo is that Mugabe 

will move forward on the GPA only in so far as it is 

consistent with his reading of the constitution. Mugabe 

reportedly claimed that the Attorney General could not be 

dismissed without the concurrence of five judges. (Comment: 

This issue was apparently separate from the question of 

legality involving the initial appointment. End comment). 

According to M'Poko, Mugabe also told the SADC summit leaders 

that if governors were to be dismissed, they would need to be 

compensated. M'Poko's impression was that the SADC leaders 

were generally sympathetic to Mugabe's complaints about the 

"sacrifices" he was being asked to make. 

¶4. (C) In M'Poko's opinion, SADC leaders are still inclined 

to see MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai as the instrument of the 

UK, believing that former UK PM Blair convinced Tsvangirai to 

support the UK position on land reform in Zimbabwe. M'poko 

said that SADC leaders understand Mugabe would die before 

returning any land to dispossessed white farmers or 

compensating them. M'Poko commented that the only MDC leader 

who has the respect of the SADC chiefs is the MDC Treasury 

Minister Tendai Biti. 

QMinister Tendai Biti. 

---------------------------------- 

The Challenges of Representing DRC 

---------------------------------- 

¶5. (C) M'Poko complained that he had grown tired of trying to 

convince South African companies to invest in his country 

because those companies he persuaded to go into DRC 

complained that Congolese ministers demanded bribes. 

According to M'Poko, Kabila is frustrated with DRC's endemic 

corruption, even from within his own party, and had asked 

M'Poko whether he should start executing people who were 

corrupt to send a message. 

¶6. (C) M'Poko cited DRC's lack of infrastructure as another 

major area of frustration. He lamented that DRC has the 

potential to power and feed the region but lacks investors to 

develop its natural resources. He complained that "America 

is nowhere and the Chinese are everywhere." He claimed that 

Kabila is trying to balance the growing Chinese influence in 

PRETORIA 00000231 002 OF 002 

DRC but has no viable alternatives to China for partnership 

in development. 

¶7. (C) The Ambassador and M'Poko discussed the importance of 

building professional non-political security forces. M'Poko 

suggested that USG security sector assistance had been 

delayed due to obstructionism on the part of the Foreign 

Minister, who is not a political ally of Kabila. Commenting 

on the current security situation in DRC, M'Poko said that 

the civil war is over; what is left is conflict among illegal 

armed gangs. In M'Poko's view, DRC is stable enough to begin 

moving forward with development and economic growth. M'Poko 

expressed interest in meeting with Great Lakes Special 

Advisor Howard Wolpe the next time Wolpe is in Pretoria to 

discuss Great Lakes regional stability. 

------------------------------- 

Views on South African Politics 

------------------------------- 

¶8. (C) M'Poko predicted that President Zuma would run for a 

second term. M'Poko believed that Zuma is in the process of 

distancing himself for all those who appear to campaign for 

his job. M'Poko said Zuma, true to his background in 

intelligence, never relies on one opinion, but balances all 

the views he hears, a trait which can slow decision-making. 

GIPS

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