Goche negotiated Mugabe exit with MDC

One of the principal negotiators for the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front Nicholas Goche was holding talks with the Movement for Democratic Change regarding President Robert Mugabe’s exit, days after the 29 March 2008 elections.

The election results were not yet officially out but the MDC was planning to announce its own results on 2 April which would show that its leader Morgan Tsvangirai had won 50.3 percent of the vote but this had to be postponed.

The MDC was insisting that it would not negotiate a government of national unity.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 08HARARE261, SITUATION REPORT: MDC POSTPONES ANNOUNCEMENT OF

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OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN

DE RUEHSB #0261 0930952

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O 020952Z APR 08

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO RUEHC/SECSTA|VJ6.AQTRRA 1264

RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1621

RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2043

RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4474

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C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000261

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

AF/S FOR S. HILL

ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU

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: 04/02/2018

TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC ZI

SUBJECT: SITUATION REPORT: MDC POSTPONES ANNOUNCEMENT OF

RESULTS

REF: HARARE 259 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)

¶1. (C) The MDC postponed a planned 10 am announcement of its

own election tally until later today. President Morgan

Tsvangirai’s assistant, who has been coordinating the

SIPDIS

collection of results, told us the MDC’s calculation is that

Tsvangirai has won 50.3 percent of the vote. He also stated

SIPDIS

that the MDC has had talks with ZANU-PF’s Nicholas Goche, who

is representing Mugabe regarding an exit for Mugabe. The MDC

would not negotiate, however, a government of national unity.zQVQ#Qtout

the final presidential result. The Embassy’s EAC will meet

at 3 pm to review scenarios, risks and precautions.

MCGEE

(69 VIEWS)