Central bank governor Gideon Gono told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGhee that the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front would not rig the elections and would seek to work with Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai if he won.
McGhee had talked to Gono twice within 12 hours soon after the 29 March 2008 elections.
He said he confronted Gono with information that a coterie of ZANU-PF officials was rigging the election for President Robert Mugabe.
Gono denied the allegation.
McGhee, however, said Gono was obviously lying.
He was a conduit to Mugabe and the inner circle who would all know that the international community was aware of their plotting.e aqs H
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE255, AMBASSADOR CONFRONTS GONO ON RIGGING
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VZCZCXRO9849
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0255 0920903
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 010903Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2658
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1861
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1984
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0557
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1261
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1618
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2040
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4471
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1111
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000255
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: 04/01/2018
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR CONFRONTS GONO ON RIGGING
REF: HARARE 254
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
¶1. (C) The Ambassador has talked with Reserve Bank Governor
Gideon Gono twice within the last 12 hours. He confronted
Gono with information (Reftel) that a coterie of ZANU-PF
officials was rigging the election for Mugabe. (We
inadvertently omitted Gono’s name in Reftel). Gono denied
the allegation. The Ambassador pressed him, stating we had
hard evidence. Further, the Ambassador said that the
Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) report demonstrated
that Tsvangirai was well ahead of Mugabe. Gono responded
that the ruling party would not rig, and would seek to work
with Tsvangirai if he won.
¶2. (C) COMMENT. Apart from the fact that Gono is obviously
lying, he is a conduit to Mugabe and the inner circle who
will all now know that the international community is aware
of their plotting. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
(32 VIEWS)
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