Movement for Democratic Change secretary Tendai Biti was opposed to any government that included President Robert Mugabe and urged the United States to make it clear that it would not deal with such a government.
The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, he said, was only interested in a government of national unity or transitional government to get western assistance.
He was not going to be part of any such arrangement and vowed to continue to fight Mugabe.
But he said he felt he would not be safe in Zimbabwe or South Africa and therefore preferred to live and work in the United States from where he would carry on the fight.
United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGhee did not like the idea of Biti leaving the country according to his comment in a cable he dispatched on 2 July 2008.
“Biti is tired, angry, and bitter after his own experience and ZANU-PF’s campaign of terror. He has been forced to neglect his family for long periods of time. His desire for some breathing time is understandable,” the ambassador said.
“But his absence, if he does in fact leave, would deprive the MDC of intellectual and strategic strength. It is regrettable that Tsvangirai has not paid more attention to Biti.”
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE583, HARARE: TENDAI BITI ON NEGOTIATIONS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000583
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ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018
SUBJECT: HARARE: TENDAI BITI ON NEGOTIATIONS
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
¶1. (C) MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti spoke with PolEcon
Chief July 2 on negotiations with ZANU-PF, his views of MDC
president Morgan Tsvangirai, the status of the rival MDC
faction, and his future.
—————
On Negotiations
—————
¶2. (C) Biti said the MDC would negotiate with ZANU-PF for a
“transitional” government, defined as a government of limited
mandate and term, which would in turn be superseded by a
government resulting from new elections and under a new
constitution. The MDC was not interested, he emphasized, in
a government of national unity (GNU) which would
theoretically be an expansion of the current government
subject to its five-year term.
¶3. (C) Biti assumed that in a transitional government,
ZANU-PF would insist that Mugabe stay in power for up to 18
months. The MDC had few allies in its effort to force Mugabe
out, according to Biti. South Africa and a number of other
African countries wanted him to remain. The MDC Mutambara
faction (MDC-M) would probably accept Mugabe. Within the MDC
Tsvangirai faction, some were tired and willing to accept a
Mugabe-led transitional government in order to buy time and
reorganize — as unsavory as the thought was. Even
Tsvangirai, for whom Biti said he had great respect, might
decide it was better not to hold out and see people die but
rather allow himself to be swallowed up by ZANU-PF as did
Joshua Nkomo in 1987.
¶4. (C) Biti said he himself was opposed to any government
that included Mugabe. He thought ZANU-PF was interested in a
GNU or transitional government in order to get western
assistance. He therefore urged the U.S. to make clear that
we would not deal with any government that included Mugabe.
—————–
The MDC-T faction
—————–
¶5. (C) Biti thought the MDC with Tsvangirai back in Zimbabwe
was running smoothly and, mostly, was cohesive. He did note
that there was a Karanga faction within the party which
included Elius Midzuri, the former mayor of Harare, and Lucia
Matibenga, former head of the MDC women’s league. Midzuri
had held talks with Emmerson Mnangagwa, also a Karanga, and
Biti saw Midzuri and Matibenga as potential future threats to
the party.
¶6. (C) Biti was critical of the MDC-M. Although he
considered Welshman Ncube a friend, and noted they had spent
months as negotiating colleagues in the SADC process, he
noted that MDC-M had not spoken out during the post-March 29
election violence. He further remarked that Ncube had been a
beneficiary from ZANU-PF of a farm and other largesse. Biti
saw the MDC-M faction as weak and opportunistic. He
mentioned that MDC-M spokesman Gabriel Chaibva had attended
Mugabe’s inauguration, and afterward spoken of the importance
of letting bygones be bygones.
¶7. (C) That said, Biti acknowledged it was important to
maintain an alliance with MDC-M. From the March 29 election
and the three by-elections on June 27, MDC-T had 100 seats in
the House of Assembly, MDC-M had 10 seats, ZANU-PF had 99
seats, and there was one independent. A majority would allow
MDC-T to elect the speaker, an important position in the
House of Assembly. MDC-T therefore needed the support of
MDC-M. (NOTE: ZANU-PF is aware that the absence of a
HARARE 00000583 002 OF 002
handful of MDC parliamentarians could rob the opposition of
its majority when an election is held for speaker. In recent
weeks, it has arrested and harassed a number of newly-elected
MDC parliamentarians. MDC-T treasurer Elton Mangoma told us
today that five MDC parliamentarians are outside of Zimbabwe
now because of threats on themselves or their families. One
MDC parliamentarian was arrested today. And Mangoma and
about eight others, according to him, are n a list of MDC
parliamentarians targeted for arest; as a result he and
others are avoiding publi places and not sleeping in their
homes. END NOE.)
————-
Biti’s Future
————
¶8. (C) Biti told us he is not fully recovere from his jail
ordeal (he reportedly suffers fro diabetes and high blood
pressure) and he hoped to have a medical check up in South
Africa. He said he was so angry at Patrick Chinamasa that he
was unsure he should continue as a negotiator. He explained
that after months across the table from Chinamasa in
negotiations, Chinamasa was clearly aware that Biti was not
the author of the fraudulent document allegedly outlining the
MDC’s plans once in office that is the basis of the treason
charge against Biti. Yet Chinamasa, the justice minister,
did nothing to protect Biti from arrest when he returned from
South Africa in June, collaborated in his interrogation in
jail, and did not say what he knew: that the document was
fraudulent.
¶9. (C) Nonetheless, Biti said he would negotiate out of
duty. But he would not be part of a GNU or transitional
government. He wanted to continue to fight the Mugabe
regime, but feared as a symbol of protest he would not be
safe here or in South Africa. Therefore, he was interested
in living and working in the U.S. and carrying on the fight
from there.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶10. (C) Biti is tired, angry, and bitter after his own
experience and ZANU-PF’s campaign of terror. He has been
forced to neglect his family for long periods of time. His
desire for some breathing time is understandable. But his
absence, if he does in fact leave, would deprive the MDC of
intellectual and strategic strength. It is regrettable that
Tsvangirai has not paid more attention to Biti. END COMMENT.
McGee
(40 VIEWS)
