Fights within ZANU-PF, sign of a weak opposition

A ZANU-PF MP’S OBSERVATIONS ON THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE AND U.S.-ZIMBABWE RELATIONS

Date:2010 February 10, 13:00 (Wednesday) Canonical ID:10HARARE93_a

 CLASSIFIED BY: Charles A. Ray, Ambassador, STATE, EXEC; REASON: 

1.4(B), (D) 

1. (SBU) Pol/econ chief met February 9 with Simba Mudarikwa, a 

ZANU-PF MP from Mashonaland East.  Mudarikwa, who is also a 

businessman, offered his observations on various topics including 

the state of ZANU-PF, indigenization, and elections. 

2.   (C) ZANU-PF.  Mudarikwa described the party as badly 

fractured.  It was like a stick of TNT, susceptible to ignition and 

disintegration.  ZANU-PF was holding together because of  the 

threat of MDC-T and foreign pressure.  He likened ZANU-PF to a 

troop of baboons incessantly fighting among themselves, but coming 

together to face an external threat.  New leadership was essential 

and would emerge as some of the old timers, including Robert 

Mugabe, left the scene.  Mudarikwa opined that Vice President Joice 

Mujuru or S.K. Moyo (former ambassador to South African and now 

party chair) were possibilities, although Mujuru’s fear of Mugabe 

was affecting her ability to lead. 

3. (C) MDC-T.  According to Mudarikwa, MDC-T is alienating 

supporters because of corruption.  He pointed to the Harare suburb 

of Chitungwiza where MDC-T is investigating its councilors for 

being on the take.  Residents of Chitungwiza blame the party. 

Mudarikwa commented that part of the problem was that  many MDC-T 

local councilors and parliamentarians elected in 2008 had no 

independent income.  Unable to survive on their US$200/month 

salaries, they were now turning to graft.  He also noted that the 

national party was not enabling parliamentarians to demonstrate, 

e.g. by bringing home pork, that they were working for their 

constituents. 

4. (C) Elections.  Mudarikwa believed elections would take place 

in 2012 or 2013.  Parliamentarians from all parties, particularly 

those who had no income before coming into office, had no interest 

in running again before necessary.  They would try to stall the 

constitutional process. 

5. (C) Global Political Agreement (GPA).  Mudarikwa thought there 

would be slow progress.  In his opinion, the most important 

achievement of the GPA was the sidelining of Reserve Bank of 

Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono. 

6. (C) Indigenization.  Taking an opposite view to Minister of 

Youth and Indigenization Saviour Kasukuwere (Ref A), Mudarikwa said 

the government’s indigenization program benefitted nobody accept 

those who were already wealthy.  It did nothing for his 

constituents, who couldn’t afford to buy into companies and were 

living hand-to-mouth. 

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