Chombo conspicuous by his absence at Tsvangirai’s first big event

Several Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front senior officials, including Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo failed to attend Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s launch of his 100-day plan to revive the country’s economy.

This was despite the fact that Tsvangirai had allocated three of the five clusters that he wanted to spearhead the revival to ZANU-PF ministers.

Sydney Sekeramayi who was to lead the Security cluster did not pitch up and there was no explanation.

Chombo who had been selected to head the Social cluster was also not present because he was allegedly travelling.

The only ZANU-PF heavyweight who was present was Patrick Chinamasa who was to head the Rights and Interest cluster.

Other ZANU-PF ministers who were slated to speak but did not pitch up were Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.

Vice-President Joice Mujuru gave the closing remarks and according to a cable released by Wikileaks, she was the lone ZANU-PF representative on the dais.

Mujuru was reported to be close to Tsvangirai.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 09HARARE416, TSVANGIRAI OUTLINES NEXT 100-DAY PLAN

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TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM ZI ECON XA

SUBJECT: TSVANGIRAI OUTLINES NEXT 100-DAY PLAN

REF: HARARE 405

——-

SUMMARY

——-

¶1. (SBU) On May 13, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai

unveiled his plan to guide the Government of Zimbabwe’s (GOZ)

activities during the next 100 days of the unity government

at a conference attended by government officials,

legislators, diplomats, civil society, and business leaders.

In essence, the 100-day plan is a managerial tool to be used

in the implementation and execution of the recently launched

Short Term Emergency Recovery Program. Present at the launch

were Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who gave the key note

address, Vice President Joice Mujuru, who gave closing

remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, Patrick

Chinamasa (the only ZANU-PF heavyweight to give a

presentation) and several ministers and deputy ministers.

Slated to speak and conspicuous by their absence, were

ZANU-PF Ministers Ignatius Chombo (Local Government),

Emmerson Mnangagwa (Defense), Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Foreign

Affairs), and Sydney Sekeramayi (National Security). While

well intentioned, it was clear that the government lacked the

funding to carry out the plan. END SUMMARY.

¶2. (U) The 100-day plan grouped the 32 cabinet ministries

into five clusters: Economic, Infrastructure, Rights and

Interest, Security, and Social. Each cluster is headed by a

cabinet minister, with three of the five clusters led by

ZANU-PF ministers and the remaining two by MDC-T ministers.

In a brief, but well-received opening speech, Tsvangirai

sought to assert his authority as Prime Minister by calling

on all cluster heads to report directly to him. He also

called on the signatories to the Global Political Agreement

(GPA) — an indirect reference to President Mugabe and other

ZANU-PF obstructionists — to implement the letter and spirit

of the GPA to ensure the success of both the 100-day plan and

the transitional government overall. Tsvangirai said that

there was progress on resolving some outstanding issues

between the parties (ref) and that a statement to that effect

would soon be issued. (NOTE: Subsequent to the 100-day

roll-out, Tsvangirai was forced to acknowledge that the

principals had been unable to resolve their outstanding

issues and would seek a SADC resolution. END NOTE.)

¶3. (U) Closing remarks were made by Mujuru who seized the

opportunity to appeal to the U.S. and the EU to remove

sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe — a position also echoed by

Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa who

described the targeted measures on Zimbabwe as “illegal.”

There was vocal dissent in the gallery when Mujuru and

Chinamasa harped on the oft-used sanctions refrain.

———————————–

Well Intentioned, But Poorly Funded

———————————–

¶4. (U) Economic cluster leader, Elton Mangoma (MDC-T),

Infrastructure cluster leader, Theresa Makone (MDC-T), Rights

and Interest cluster leader, Patrick Chinamasa (ZANU-PF),

Qand Interest cluster leader, Patrick Chinamasa (ZANU-PF),

Giles Mutsekwa (MDC-T) on behalf of Security cluster leader,

Sydney Sekeramayi (ZANU-PF), and Cecil Zvidzai (MDC-T) on

behalf of Social cluster leader, Ignatius Chombo (ZANU-PF),

each outlined their priorities and plans. Consistent across

all clusters was a lack of budgetary support for the plans,

and all cluster leaders or their representatives appealed to

the donor and international community for funding. The

following are highlights of the cluster presentations:

HARARE 00000416 002 OF 003

—————-

Economic Cluster

—————-

¶5. (U) Mangoma focused on raising funds to finance the Short

Term Emergency Recovery Program, macro-economic stability,

and public sector reform. A critical aspect of the cluster’s

mandate is the restoration of public confidence in the

banking system, and the cluster plans to implement IMF

recommendations on reforming the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

(RBZ). Public Finance Management System reforms to improve

government accountability are also high on the cluster

agenda. Mangoma spoke of achieving some success in fund

raising and referred to securing a US$1 billion credit line

from PTA Bank, Afreximbank and SADC. China (US$5 million)

and South Africa (US$30 million) have provided direct

budgetary assistance. An increased flow of humanitarian aid

was also mentioned, totaling US$300 million for the first

quarter of 2009. The cluster is geared to attracting foreign

investment for infrastructure development by using the

concept of Private/Public Partnerships. To this end, it has

put in place investor-friendly policies with the aim of

rebranding Zimbabwe as a place of sound economic management

and respect for the rule of law. To improve the business

environment, the cluster will seek to create a supportive

legal and regulatory framework. A land audit will be

conducted within the next 100 days to ascertain legal land

ownership and resolve conflicts over competing claims. The

cluster will also undertake a comprehensive reform of the

public service sectors and parastatal enterprises, but

parastatal sales may not occur in light of depressed current

valuations.

———————-

Infrastructure Cluster

———————-

¶6. (U) Makone identified energy, water, and public works

development as key priority areas in need of urgent funding.

—————————

Rights and Interest Cluster

—————————

¶7. (U) Chinamasa stated that his ministry, Justice and Legal

Affairs, would work to facilitate the constitutional reform

process, review of media policy, and the setting up of

independent commissions.

—————-

Security Cluster

—————-

¶8. (U) Co-Home Affairs Minister Mutsekwa did not provide a

Security cluster 100-day plan. Rather, his presentation

emphasized the interdependence between security and

development. According to the cluster, failure to adequately

provide the needs of the security forces in terms of

accommodation, health facilities, equipment, and food rations

could undermine development.

————–

Social Cluster

————–

¶9. (U) Zvidzai discussed aligning the Social cluster’s

priorities to the joint scoping mission, which is being

spearheaded by the European Commission, UNDP, African

Development Bank and the World Bank. He acknowledged that it

would take longer to unlock donor finance through the scoping

Qwould take longer to unlock donor finance through the scoping

HARARE 00000416 003 OF 003

mission process which will be followed by a needs assessment

when conditions allow. The delay in international funding

would require a bridge finance facility.

——-

COMMENT

——-

¶10. (SBU) While the objectives laid out in the 100-day plan

are largely salutary, the GOZ lacks the financial means to

achieve most of them. The exception is the Rights and

Interest cluster where expanded media space and judicial

reform could be accomplished inexpensively — if the

political will existed. What was most notable about the

launch was who did and did not attend. Of the five clusters,

three are headed by ZANU-PF ministers. Only Chinamasa was

present. Sydney Sekeramayi, the Defense Minister and head of

the Security cluster was absent and there was no explanation.

Ignatius Chombo, head of the Social cluster, was absent

allegedly because he was traveling. Vice President Mujuru,

reportedly now close to Tsvangirai, was the lone ZANU-PF

representative on the dais. Finally, it is worth noting that

although the remarks of Chinamasa and Mujuru were largely

positive and supportive of the 100-day plan, neither could

resist blaming a large part of Zimbabwe’s predicament on

sanctions. END COMMENT.

MCGEE

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