Wilfred Mhanda, the leader of the Zimbabwe Liberators Platform, started to restore the good name of war veterans, told United States embassy officials that war veterans leader Chenjerai Hunzvi was not a genuine war veteran and was actually working for President Robert Mugabe but he could be brought under control in five minutes if his services were no longer needed.
He said the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association was no longer representing the interests of ex-combatants. It had been hijacked by Mugabe to be used as a ZANU-PF militia.
“Hunzvi has no independent support base and,” Mhanda asserted, “has been given little room for manoeuvre by Mugabe. Hunzvi’s primary value lies in giving President Mugabe plausible deniability by serving as the public face of the government’s campaign of violence and intimidation.”
Mhanda said the decision to invade commercial farms and to cow opposition supporters was made by President Mugabe and his military service chiefs, not by Hunzvi.
He said military service chiefs have told him that they could bring Hunzvi under control in five minutes.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE695, ALTERNATIVE WAR VETERANS’ GROUP SEEKS TO RESTORE
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
091232Z Feb 01
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ0226
PAGE 01 HARARE 00695 01 OF 02 091230Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DINT-00
DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00
FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00
VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00
PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 STR-00
TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02
G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /009W
——————C36BDD 091230Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8202
INFO NSC WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000695
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR WILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL. 02/05/11
SUBJECT: ALTERNATIVE WAR VETERANS’ GROUP SEEKS TO RESTORE
GOOD NAME OF THOSE WHO WAGED THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00695 01 OF 02 091230Z
REF: HARARE 644
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D’AFFAIRES EARL IRVING. REASONS: 1.5
(B) AND (D).
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) WILFRED MHANDA, LEADER OF THE ZIMBABWE LIBERATORS’
PLATFORM, A MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION SEEKING TO RESTORE THE
GOOD NAME OF WAR VETERANS, TOLD CHARGE AND POLITICAL
SECTION CHIEF ON FEBRUARY 8 THAT VERY FEW EX-COMBATANTS ARE
INVOLVED IN THE GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS TO COW OPPOSITION
SUPPORTERS, THE JUDICIARY, AND THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA. THE
MAN LEADING THE GOVERNMENT’S CAMPAIGN OF TERROR, ZANU-PF MP
CHENJERAI HUNZVI, IS NOT A GENUINE WAR VETERAN AND DOES NOT
REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF MOST EX-COMBATANTS, ACCORDING TO
MHANDA. SENIOR MILITARY OFFICERS HAVE TOLD MHANDA THAT
HUNZVI COULD BE BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL IN FIVE MINUTES,
SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT DECIDE TO DO SO. END SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) WILFRED MHANDA, LEADER OF THE ZIMBABWE LIBERATORS’
PLATFORM, A MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATION OF WAR VETERANS, CALLED
ON THE CHARGE ON FEBRUARY 8. MHANDA WAS JOINED BY ADVISOR
HAPPYSON NENJI. CHARGE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY POLITICAL
SECTION CHIEF.
ZIMBABWE LIBERATORS’ PLATFORM
—————————–
¶3. (C) MHANDA SAID THE ZIMBABWE LIBERATORS’ PLATFORM WAS
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00695 01 OF 02 091230Z
FORMED TO WORK FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FREEDOMS
ZIMBABWEANS FOUGHT FOR DURING THE WAR OF LIBERATION.
SPECIFICALLY, THE ORGANIZATION IS STRIVING TO RESTORE THE
GOOD NAME OF WAR VETERANS, TO ASSIST THEM IN BECOMING
ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE, REDUCING THEIR VULNERABILITY TO
POLITICAL MANIPULATION, PRESSING FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE
RULE OF LAW AND DEVELOPMENT OF A NON-RACIAL DEMOCRACY.
APPROXIMATELY 500 EX-COMBATANTS HAVE PAID THEIR MEMBERSHIP
DUES IN THE ZLP, AND MHANDA FELT CONFIDENT THAT THAT NUMBER
WOULD INCREASE. NOTING THAT HIS ORGANIZATION CURRENTLY
CANNOT AFFORD OFFICE SPACE, MHANDA MADE A PITCH FOR
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT, NOTING THAT, WITHOUT SUCH RESOURCES,
GROUPS LIKE HIS CANNOT PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE
VOICE AND CANNOT HOPE TO COMPETE FOR POLITICAL SPACE WITH A
GOVERNMENT WITH FULL ACCESS TO THE STATE MACHINERY.
VERY FEW WAR VETS INVOLVED IN MUGABE’S VIOLENT CAMPAIGN
——————————————— ———-
¶4. (C) THE CHARGE SOLICITED MHANDA’S ASSESSMENT OF THE
ZIMBABWE NATIONAL LIBERATION WAR VETERANS ASSOCIATION
(ZNLWVA) LED BY CHENJERAI “HITLER” HUNZVI, NOTING THAT
HUNZVI AND HIS BAND OF WAR VETERANS HAVE PLAYED A LARGE
ROLE IN BLACKENING ZIMBABWE’S INTERNATIONAL IMAGE. THE
ZNLWVA, MHANDA REPLIED, IS NO LONGER A FUNCTIONING
ORGANIZATION. IT HAS CEASED TO SERVE THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH
IT WAS FOUNDED — REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS OF EX-
COMBATANTS — BUT, RATHER, HAS BEEN HIJACKED BY PRESIDENT
MUGABE TO BE USED AS A ZANU-PF MILITIA. HUNZVI, MHANDA
CLAIMED, IS NOT HIMSELF A GENUINE EX-COMBATANT. HUNZVI HAS
NO INDEPENDENT SUPPORT BASE AND, MHANDA ASSERTED, HAS BEEN
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 00695 01 OF 02 091230Z
GIVEN LITTLE ROOM FOR MANEUVER BY MUGABE. HUNZVI’S PRIMARY
VALUE LIES IN GIVING PRESIDENT MUGABE PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY
BY SERVING AS THE PUBLIC FACE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S CAMPAIGN
OF VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION. ACCORDING TO MHANDA, THE
DECISION TO INVADE COMMERCIAL FARMS AND TO COW OPPOSITION
SUPPORTERS WAS MADE BY PRESIDENT MUGABE AND HIS MILITARY
SERVICE CHIEFS, NOT BY HUNZVI.
¶5. (C) MHANDA INSISTED THAT VERY FEW OF ZIMBABWE’S
APPROXIMATELY 40,000 WAR VETERANS ARE WORKING WITH HUNZVI
AND HIS THUGS. ABOUT HALF OF THE EX-COMBATANTS ARE STILL
SERVING IN THE ARMY, WHILE MOST OF THE REMAINING 20,000 ARE
GAINFULLY EMPLOYED ELSEWHERE IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
SECTORS. MHANDA ESTIMATED THAT FEWER THAN 100 GENUINE
LIBERATION WAR VETERANS, IN ADDITION TO LARGER NUMBERS OF
ZANU-PF THUGS, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING OUT THE
GOVERNMENT’S CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION AGAINST
OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS, THE JUDICIARY, AND THE INDEPENDENT
MEDIA, AS WELL AS OCCUPYING COMMERCIAL FARMS. THE MILITARY
SERVICE CHIEFS HAVE TOLD MHANDA THEY COULD BRING HUNZVI
UNDER CONTROL IN FIVE MINUTES. THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE NOT
DONE SO, MHANDA SURMISED, CONFIRMS THAT HUNZVI AND HIS
SHOCK TROOPS ARE CONTINUING TO SERVE A USEFUL ROLE FOR
ZANU-PF. FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT HUNZVI AND THE “WAR
VETERANS” ARE LITTLE MORE THAN PAWNS, OUR INTERLOCUTOR
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ0227
PAGE 01 HARARE 00695 02 OF 02 091230Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DINT-00
DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00
FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00
VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00
PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 STR-00 TRSE-00
USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00
SAS-00 /009W
——————C36BE3 091231Z /38
R 091232Z FEB 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8203
INFO NSC WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000695
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR WILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL. 02/05/11
SUBJECT: ALTERNATIVE WAR VETERANS’ GROUP SEEKS TO RESTORE
GOOD NAME OF THOSE WHO WAGED THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00695 02 OF 02 091230Z
NOTED, IS THE FACT THAT NONE OF THEM WERE GIVEN CABINET
RANK PORTFOLIOS OR WERE BROUGHT INTO THE ZANU-PF POLITBURO.
COMMENT
——-
¶6. (C) WE FOUND MHANDA TO BE BRIGHT AND ARTICULATE, AND
EMBARRASSED THAT THE REPUTATION OF “WAR VETERANS” HAS BEEN
DRAGGED THROUGH THE MUD. HE WAS AT GREAT PAINS TO EXPLAIN
THAT HITLER HUNZVI AND MOST OF THOSE UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP,
NEVER FOUGHT IN THE LIBERATION WAR. THE SUBSTANCE OF
MHANDA’S CONTENTION HAS BEEN WIDELY ACCEPTED IN ZIMBABWE,
BUT THE ZLP LEADER WAS TROUBLED THAT BOTH DOMESTIC AND
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONTINUE TO DESCRIBE HUNZVI AND HIS
HENCHMEN AS WAR VETERANS. MHANDA WAS CLEARLY CONTEMPTUOUS
OF HUNZVI, AND WE CONSIDER CREDIBLE HIS DECLARATION THAT
THE ZANU-PF MP DOES NOT SPEAK FOR THE MAJORITY OF WAR
VETERANS BUT, IN FACT, HAS DESTROYED THE ORGANIZATION SET
UP TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF EX-COMBATANTS.
¶7. (C) IT IS OBVIOUS THAT HUNZVI HAS AN IMPORTANT
CONSTITUENCY OF ONE — PRESIDENT MUGABE. THERE IS
SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS
GIVEN HUNZVI GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS WITH CARTE BLANCHE ON
TACTICS TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE RULING PARTY
WINS PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTIONS AND THE BIGGEST PRIZE OF
ALL: THE 2002 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. HUNZVI CLEARLY HAS
TAKEN ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY WITH PATHOLOGICAL ENTHUSIASM,
EVIDENT IN HIS SUPERVISION OF — AND PERSONAL PARTICIPATION
IN — TERROR CAMPAIGNS AGAINST OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS IN
ADVANCE OF BY-ELECTIONS IN MARONDERA AND BIKITA. HUNZVI
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00695 02 OF 02 091230Z
HAS MOST RECENTLY TAKEN THE LEAD IN CARRYING OUT THE
GOVERNMENT’S CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE JUDICIARY AND THE
INDEPENDENT MEDIA. END COMMENT.
IRVING
CONFIDENTIAL
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