Former attorney-general and chairman of the Electoral Supervisory Commission Sobusa Gula-Ndebele told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Joseph Sullivan that Movement for Democratic Change secretary general Welshman Ncube was his cousin and used to work for his law firm.
He was explaining to the ambassador that he had no problem with working with politicians from any of the political parties and maintained good relations with them.
Political parties were, however, excluded from membership of the ESC.
Gula-Ndebele and Sullivan were discussing ways to improve the electoral system in the country.
Sullivan told Gula-Ndebele that the United States was not seeking to instruct Zimbabwe on how to run its elections but it had taken a keen interest in the election process and was greatly concerned about the impact of ongoing violence and intimidation which it had repeatedly told the government to address.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE3630, AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ELECTION WITH ELECTORAL
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041437Z Dec 01
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ4752
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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0460
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AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY OSLO
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AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
AMEMBASSY ABUJA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 HARARE 003630
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER — PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER
E.O. 12958: DECL. 12/04/11
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ELECTION WITH ELECTORAL
SUPERVISORY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MATT HARRINGTON.
REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY COMMISSION (ESC) CHAIRMAN
SOBUSA GULA-NDEBELE TOLD THE AMBASSADOR ON NOVEMBER 29 THAT
THE CONSTITUTION AND ZIMBABWEAN LAW ARE VAGUE ABOUT THE
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ESC AND THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL FOR
ELECTIONS, AND ACKNOWLEDGED PREVIOUS DIFFICULTIES BETWEEN
THE TWO ELECTORAL BODIES. HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT’S
PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ELECTORAL ACT WOULD REQUIRE THAT
DOMESTIC MONITORS BE DRAWN EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE RANKS OF
CIVIL SERVANTS AND THAT NGO’S WOULD BE ABLE TO CONDUCT
VOTER EDUCATION, BUT WOULD HAVE TO REGISTER WITH, AND HAVE
THEIR MATERIALS CLEARED BY, THE ESC. GULA-NDEBELE LAMENTED
THE LOW TURNOUT IN THE CURRENT VOTER REGISTRATION PROCESS,
SAYING IT REFLECTED BOTH POLITICAL APATHY AND A LACK OF
VOTER EDUCATION. HE ADVOCATED FORMATION OF A FULL-FLEDGED
ELECTORAL COMMISSION RATHER THAN A SUPERVISORY BODY, BUT
POINTED OUT THAT SOME IN THE GOZ AND LEGAL COMMUNITY
BELIEVE THIS CANNOT BE DONE WITHOUT CONSTITUTIONAL OR LEGAL
CHANGES. GULA-NDEBELE AGREED THAT POLITICAL PARTIES SHOULD
BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INPUT TO THE WORK OF THE ESC AND NOTED
THAT HE MAINTAINED GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ZANU-PF AND THE
MDC. END SUMMARY.
U.S. INTEREST
————-
¶2. (C) IN A NOVEMBER 29 MEETING WITH ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY
COMMISSION CHAIRMAN SOBUSA GULA-NDEBELE, THE AMBASSADOR
SAID THE UNITED STATES IS NOT SEEKING TO INSTRUCT ZIMBABWE
ON HOW TO RUN ELECTIONS. WE HAVE, HOWEVER, TAKEN A
SIGNIFICANT INTEREST IN THE ELECTION PROCESS, ABOUT WHICH
WE WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO RENDER OUR JUDGMENT. WE ARE
GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ONGOING VIOLENCE AND
INTIMIDATION, WHICH WE HAVE REPEATEDLY URGED THE GOZ TO
ADDRESS. THE ELECTORAL NORMS AND STANDARDS ENDORSED BY THE
SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM IN MARCH 2001 PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT
FRAMEWORK FOR THE CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS. THERE IS TIME FOR
THE GOZ TO REVERSE COURSE AND IMPROVE THE ELECTION PROCESS.
IF THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH THE USG CAN BE HELPFUL, WE WOULD
LIKE TO DO WHAT WE CAN. THE AMBASSADOR SOLICITED GULA-
NDEBELE’S ASSESSMENT OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS TO DATE AND
HOW IT WOULD UNFOLD IN THE RUN-UP TO NEXT YEAR’S
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
¶3. (C) GULA-NDEBELE ASKED WHAT SPECIFICALLY THE AMBASSADOR
MEANT WHEN HE SAID THE PROCESS NEEDED TO BE IMPROVED — WAS
HE REFERRING TO THE TECHNICAL ARRANGEMENTS OR THE GENERAL
POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT? THE ENVIRONMENT IS OUR BIGGEST
CONCERN, THE AMBASSADOR REPLIED, BUT WE ALSO HAVE CONCERNS
ABOUT SOME OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ELECTORAL ACT.
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NOT YET SEEN A TEXT, THEY APPEAR DESIGNED
TO DISENFRANCHISE LARGE NUMBERS OF VOTERS.
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PAGE 04 HARARE 03630 01 OF 04 041529Z
ROLE OF ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY COMMISSION
—————————————-
¶4. (C) GULA-NDEBELE NOTED THAT THE CONSTITUTION CONFERS A
VAGUE SUPERVISORY ROLE ON THE ESC, CHARGING IT WITH
SUPERVISING, NOT RUNNING, VOTER REGISTRATION AND THE
CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS. THE ELECTORAL ACT DOES NOT PROVIDE
MUCH CLARIFICATION, WITH LITTLE MORE THAN VAGUE STATEMENTS
REGARDING THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE ESC AND THE REGISTRAR-
GENERAL OF ELECTIONS. IT ALSO STATES THAT THE REGISTRAR-
GENERAL “SHALL,” WHICH GULA-NDEBELE INTERPRETS TO MEAN
“MUST,” TAKE INTO ACCOUNT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ESC.
ASKED WHAT AVENUES ARE OPEN TO THE COMMISSION IF IT
DISAPPROVES OF ACTIONS BY THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, GULA-
NDEBELE SAID THE ESC MAKES ITS VIEWS KNOWN TO THE R-G.
THE ESC CHAIRMAN ACKNOWLEDGED DIFFICULTIES IN THE
RELATIONSHIP, NOTING “SOME GLITCHES” OVER ACCREDITATION OF
MONITORS DURING THE 2000 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.
MONITORS/OBSERVERS
——————
¶5. (C) THE ESC CHAIRMAN SAID HE HAD NOT SEEN THE LATEST
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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0461
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY OSLO
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
AMEMBASSY ABUJA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 04 HARARE 003630
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER — PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 03630 02 OF 04 041529Z
E.O. 12958: DECL. 12/04/11
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ELECTION WITH ELECTORAL
SUPERVISORY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN
DRAFT OF THE GOZ’S PROPOSED ELECTORAL ACT AMENDMENTS, BUT
THAT HE HAD PROVIDED HIS COMMENTS ON AN EARLIER VERSION.
HE BELIEVED THE LEGISLATION WOULD ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR
VOTER EDUCATION, AND THE PARTICIPATION OF DOMESTIC MONITORS
AND INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS. THE PROVISION ON MONITORS IS
THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL, GULA-NDEBELE ACKNOWLEDGED. THE
GOZ, HE SAID, PLANS TO REQUIRE THAT DOMESTIC MONITORS BE
DRAWN FROM EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE RANKS OF CIVIL SERVANTS —
A COURSE OF ACTION THE ESC HAD NOT RECOMMENDED. HE DID NOT
OBJECT TO THIS IN PRINCIPLE, AS IT WAS A GOOD THING TO
CREATE A POOL OF TRAINED PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE AND
EXPERTISE. HE WAS CONCERNED, HOWEVER, ABOUT THE PLAN’S
FEASIBILITY. THE ESC, HE SAID, HAS NORMALLY ASSIGNED FOUR
MONITORS TO EACH OF APPROXIMATELY 4,000 POLLING STATIONS,
TOTALING 16,000 MONITORS. HE QUESTIONED WHETHER SO MANY
CIVIL SERVANTS COULD BE AWAY FROM THEIR JOBS FOR THE TIME
REQUIRED WITHOUT THEIR ABSENCES HAVING A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON
THE FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT. HE ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN
ABOUT THE WIDESPREAD PERCEPTION THAT CIVIL SERVANTS ARE
OVERWHELMINGLY ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS. THEY ARE NOT, HE
INSISTED, NOTING THE STRONG UNIONISM PREVAILING WITHIN THE
CIVIL SERVICE AND THE NUMEROUS CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN CIVIL
SERVANTS AND THE GOZ SINCE 1990, BUT HE DECLARED THAT
SOMETIMES PERCEPTION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN REALITY.
¶6. (C) IN THE JUNE 2000 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, GULA-
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 03630 02 OF 04 041529Z
NDEBELE SAID, A LOOSE ARRANGEMENT OF CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS
PROVIDED DOMESTIC MONITORS FOR AN ESC-SUPERVISED MONITORING
EFFORT. ALTHOUGH NGOS LIKELY WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO
SERVE AS “MONITORS” THIS TIME, THEY WOULD BE PERMITTED TO
ACT AS “OBSERVERS.” ASKED TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE, GULA-
NDEBELE SAID MONITORS ARE AN ARM OF THE ESC AND CAN
INTERVENE IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS TO POINT OUT
IRREGULARITIES. OBSERVERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, REMAIN
OUTSIDE THE POLLING STATIONS BUT CAN POINT OUT ANY
IRREGULARITIES THEY OBSERVE TO THE ESC OR LOCAL
CONSTITUENCY REGISTRAR.
¶7. (C) GULA-NDEBELE SAID THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE (MOJ) HAS
ACCEPTED AN ESC RECOMMENDATION THAT INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER
GROUPS BE PERMITTED TO OBSERVE BOTH THE PRE-ELECTORAL
ENVIRONMENT AND THE VOTING DAYS THEMSELVES. HE IS ALSO
RECOMMENDING THAT ACCREDITED INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS BE
ALLOWED TO ENTER VOTING PLACES TO OBSERVE. “WE THINK WE
HAVE A GOOD TECHNICAL SYSTEM IN PLACE FOR RUNNING ELECTIONS
AND WE’D LIKE INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS TO SEE IT,” GULA-
NDEBELE SAID. ASKED HOW LONG IN ADVANCE INTERNATIONAL
OBSERVER GROUPS WOULD BE PERMITTED ON THE GROUND, GULA-
NDEBELE DESCRIBED THAT ISSUE AS “VERY TRICKY,” BUT BELIEVED
BOTH MONITORS AND OBSERVERS SHOULD BE DEPLOYED AS SOON AS
THE ELECTION DATES ARE ANNOUNCED, AND REMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL
3-5 DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION.
VOTER EDUCATION
—————
¶8. (C) GULA-NDEBELE TOLD US HE HAD ALSO RECOMMENDED TO THE
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 03630 02 OF 04 041529Z
MOJ ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONWIDE, COORDINATED VOTER
EDUCATION PROGRAM ORGANIZED AND IMPLEMENTED BY THE ESC. WE
WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING, GULA-
NDEBELE INSISTED, AND THAT NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE DO TO THEM
OUTSIDE THE POLLING CENTER, THEY CANNOT BE INFLUENCED OR
INTIMIDATED ONCE THEY GO INSIDE TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS.
VOTER EDUCATION, HE ASSERTED, IS CRUCIAL IN EMPOWERING
PEOPLE, SO LONG AS IT IS DONE IN A “COORDINATED FASHION.”
HE SAID NGOS WILL BE ALLOWED TO CONDUCT VOTER EDUCATION,
BUT THEY FIRST WILL HAVE TO REGISTER WITH THE ESC AND CLEAR
WITH THE ELECTORAL BODY THE MATERIALS THEY PLAN TO USE.
SUCH AN APPROACH, GULA-NDEBELE SAID, ALLOWS THE ESC TO
ENSURE THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS COVERED AND ENSURE THAT THE
INFORMATION CONVEYED TO VOTERS IS CONSISTENT, UNIFORM, AND
NON-PARTISAN. THE ESC CHAIRMAN DID NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF
ALLOWING POLITICAL PARTIES TO CONDUCT VOTER EDUCATION —
BECAUSE IT CONVEYS THE WRONG IMPRESSION OF WHAT VOTER
EDUCATION SHOULD BE ABOUT — BUT MANY IN THE GOZ, HE SAID,
BELIEVE POLITICAL PARTIES CANNOT BE STOPPED FROM DOING IT,
AND THAT, THEREFORE, IT SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED.
VOTER REGISTRATION
——————
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P 041437Z DEC 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0462
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY OSLO
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
AMEMBASSY ABUJA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 04 HARARE 003630
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER — PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 03630 03 OF 04 041530Z
E.O. 12958: DECL. 12/04/11
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ELECTION WITH ELECTORAL
SUPERVISORY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN
¶9. (C) THE AMBASSADOR INQUIRED ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF THE
CURRENT MOBILE VOTER REGISTRATION PROCESS. GULA-NDEBELE
EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE LOW TURNOUT SO FAR, AND
LAMENTED THAT MANY PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE THEY NEED TO
REGISTER. ASKED WHETHER THERE ARE ANY REMEDIES, GULA-
NDEBELE REPLIED, “YES, BETTER VOTER EDUCATION EFFORTS.” IN
A SURPRISING ADMISSION, THE ESC CHAIRMAN SAID HE HAD NEVER
BEFORE VOTED, BOTH BECAUSE HE HAS NEVER BEEN ENTHUSIASTIC
ABOUT HIS CHOICE OF CANDIDATES AND BECAUSE HE DOES NOT
PLACE MUCH CONFIDENCE IN POLITICIANS. THAT KIND OF APATHY
IS COMMON IN ZIMBABWE, HE CONTINUED, AND IS EXACERBATED BY
THE WIDESPREAD PERCEPTION THAT THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM CAN BE
MANIPULATED. SINCE STATUTE REQUIRES THAT THE REGISTRATION
PERIOD CONCLUDE WITHIN A SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME PRIOR TO
THE ELECTION, AND SINCE ELECTION DATES HAVE NOT YET BEEN
ANNOUNCED, GULA-NDEBELE THOUGHT IT INEVITABLE THAT THE
REGISTRATION PERIOD WOULD HAVE TO BE EXTENDED BEYOND THE
CURRENT MID-DECEMBER DEADLINE.
¶10. (C) THE AMBASSADOR INFORMED GULA-NDEBELE HE HAD HEARD
COMPLAINTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY REGISTERING.
THE ESC CHAIRMAN COMMENTED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED
IF THOSE REPORTS ARE TRUE, AS HE HAS LONG FOUND CIVIL
SERVANTS RIGID — “LUNCHTIME IS LUNCHTIME” TO THEM — AND
VERY DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH. HE SAID THE REGISTRAR-
GENERAL’S OFFICE HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACTING ON SUCH
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 03630 03 OF 04 041530Z
COMPLAINTS, BUT HE ADVISED PEOPLE FACING DIFFICULTIES TO
NOTIFY THE MEDIA. CIVIL SERVANTS, HE SAID, DO NOT LIKE
BEING BLAMED, AND PARTICULARLY DISLIKE PRESS COVERAGE OF
THEIR MISDEEDS. (NOTE: HIGH COURT JUDGE ANN GOORA
SUBSEQUENTLY ORDERED THE GOVERNMENT, ON DECEMBER 3, TO
RELAX THE STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS IMPOSED ON THOSE WISHING
TO REGISTER. HER RULING WAS ISSUED IN A LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY
THE MDC CHALLENGING THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL’S INSISTENCE THAT
INDIVIDUALS SUBMIT PROOF OF PROPERTY OWNERSHIP IN ORDER TO
REGISTER. END NOTE.)
INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION?
———————————
¶11. (C) ONE WAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THEY HAD
DISCUSSED, GULA-NDEBELE SUGGESTED, WAS TO ESTABLISH A
GENUINE ELECTORAL COMMISSION, IN THE MODEL OF OTHER SADC
COUNTRIES INSTEAD OF A BODY WHICH PLAYED ONLY AN
SUPERVISORY ROLE. HE NOTED THAT ESC MEMBERSHIP IS A “PART-
TIME JOB” — HE EARNS HIS LIVING BY RUNNING HIS OWN FIVE-
ATTORNEY LAW PRACTICE — AND LAMENTED THAT ONLY FOUR OF THE
FIVE ESC SEATS ARE CURRENTLY FILLED. WAS ESTABLISHMENT OF
AN ELECTORAL COMMISSION POSSIBLE BEFORE NEXT YEAR’S
ELECTION, THE AMBASSADOR ASKED? THERE IS DISAGREEMENT
WITHIN THE GOZ AND LEGAL COMMUNITY ON THIS POINT, GULA-
NDEBELE REPLIED. HE PERSONALLY THOUGHT SUCH A STEP WOULD
BE CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT CONSTITUTION, WHILE OTHERS
THOUGHT CONSTITUTIONAL AND/OR LEGAL CHANGES WOULD BE
REQUIRED FIRST.
¶12. (C) THE AMBASSADOR NOTED THE IMPORTANCE OF CITIZENS
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 03630 03 OF 04 041530Z
HAVING CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ELECTORAL AUTHORITIES. ONE
APPROACH TAKEN IN SOME COUNTRIES IS TO ALLOW THE
PARTICIPATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES ON ELECTORAL
COMMISSIONS, SOMETIMES AS NON-VOTING MEMBERS. WAS THIS
POSSIBLE IN ZIMBABWE? GULA-NDEBELE REPLIED THAT, ALTHOUGH
POLITICAL PARTIES ARE EXCLUDED FROM MEMBERSHIP ON THE ESC,
HE DID NOT SEE WHY THEY SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
INPUT. HE NOTED THAT HE MAINTAINED GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH
SENIOR OFFICIALS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CURRENT ZIMBABWEAN
POLITICAL DIVIDE. MDC SECRETARY-GENERAL WELSHMAN NCUBE,
FOR INSTANCE, IS HIS COUSIN AND USED TO WORK IN HIS LAW
FIRM.
COMMENT
——-
¶13. (C) GULA-NDEBELE IS BRIGHT AND THOUGHTFUL, AND APPEARS
GENUINELY INTERESTED IN STRENGTHENING THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM
FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL ZIMBABWEANS, NOT JUST THOSE FROM THE
RULING PARTY. WE WERE ENCOURAGED BY HIS OPENNESS ON A
NUMBER OF KEY ISSUES, INCLUDING HIS WILLINGNESS TO WORK
WITH THE MDC AND HIS EMPHASIS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTER
EDUCATION, INCLUDING THE NEED FOR INVOLVEMENT OF NGO’S.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ESC HAS, IN RECENT YEARS, BEEN
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——————46CF1C 041530Z /38
P 041437Z DEC 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0463
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
AMEMBASSY OSLO
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
AMEMBASSY ABUJA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 04 OF 04 HARARE 003630
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER — PLEASE PASS TO A/S KANSTEINER
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 03630 04 OF 04 041530Z
E.O. 12958: DECL. 12/04/11
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ELECTION WITH ELECTORAL
SUPERVISORY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN
RELEGATED TO THE MARGINS OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS — ITS
PRINCIPAL FUNCTION IN THE JUNE 2000 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION
AND SUBSEQUENT BY-ELECTIONS HAS BEEN TO ACCREDIT MONITORS
AND OBSERVERS. IT IS THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL (TOBAIWA
MUDEDE), CONSIDERED BY MANY OBSERVERS TO BE FIRMLY IN THE
ZANU-PF CAMP, WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN PREDOMINANT AUTHORITY FOR
RUNNING ELECTIONS. WE ARE SEEKING A MEETING WITH MUDEDE TO
PRESS THE SAME ELECTION-RELATED ISSUES. EVEN IF HE GIVES
US AN APPOINTMENT (HE HAS TO DATE DECLINED TO MEET WITH
MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY), WE ARE NOT OPTIMISTIC
THAT OUR DISCUSSION WITH HIM WOULD BE AS CONSTRUCTIVE.
SULLIVAN
CONFIDENTIAL
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