Gono told US ambassador that ZANU-PF did not rig elections

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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E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2018

TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC ZI

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

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