Vice-President Joice Mujuru sided with the Movement for Democratic Change to oppose continued farm evictions in what former Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Gorden Moyo said was a “fiery” debate in cabinet.
The debate took place at the cabinet meeting of 24 March 2009 barely a month after the formation of the inclusive government with the MDC asserting that farm invasions should stop.
Moyo said he and Finance Minister Tendai Biti, Minister of Information Communications Technology Nelson Chamisa, and Minister of Home Affairs Giles Mutsekwa were leading the MDC charge
“Although most ZANU-PF ministers, led by Minister of Justice Patrick Chinamasa pushed back and argued that legal processes were being followed and that there was no need for action, Vice President Joice Mujuru and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Nicholas Goche sided with the MDC,” Moyo said according to a diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks.
“Mujuru said the invasions and evictions would have a negative effect on the winter wheat crop. Goche was concerned that violations of Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreements through the seizure of foreign-owned farms would adversely impact Zimbabwe’s foreign relations.”
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE257, MDC ON LAND SEIZURES, POLITICS
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO0391
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0257/01 0850957
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 260957Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4280
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2723
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2845
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1299
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2110
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2466
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2893
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5332
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2012
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000257
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B.WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR J. HARMON AND L. DOBBINS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2019
SUBJECT: MDC ON LAND SEIZURES, POLITICS
Classified By: CDA Katherine Dhanani for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
———————
MDC Minister of State
———————
¶1. (C) Gorden Moyo is the Minister of State in Prime
Minister Tsvangirai’s office. He serves as a chief of staff
for Tsvangirai, helping to coordinate MDC policy and serving
as a liaison with ZANU-PF. Moyo offered us his observations
March 26 on land seizures and the political situation.
¶2. (C) According to Moyo, a “fiery” debate took place at the
Cabinet meeting on March 24 with the MDC asserting that farm
invasions were occuring and should stop, and that white
farmers were being illegally evicted. Leading the MDC charge
were Moyo, Minister of Finance Tendai Biti, Minister of
Information Communications Technology Nelson Chamisa, and
Minister of Home Affairs Giles Mutsekwa. Although most
ZANU-PF ministers, led by Minister of Justice Patrick
Chinamasa pushed back and argued that legal processes were
being followed and that there was no need for action, Vice
President Joice Mujuru and Minister of Transport and
Infrastucture Development Nicholas Goche sided with the MDC.
Mujuru said the invasions and evictions would have a negative
effect on the winter wheat crop. Goche was concerned that
violations of Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion
(BIPPA) agreements through the seizure of foreign-owned farms
would adversely impact Zimbabwe’s foreign relations.
¶3. (C) Ultimately, Mugabe and Cabinet agreed to refer the
issue to the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee
(JOMIC) for documentation of specific violations, and also to
initiate a farm audit. Government principals Mugabe,
Tsvangirai, and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara will
meet March 30 on the land issue. The MDC will demand that
Mugabe issue a public statement condemning the invasions and
ordering that they cease. If Mugabe does not do so, the MDC
will ask for the intervention of SADC.
¶4. (C) Turning to the political economy, Moyo said inability
to pay civil servant salaries and at the same time meet
recurring expenditures and make capital investments was
crippling the government and weakening the MDC. He said
payment in forex of February salaries had been credited to
the MDC and, demonstrating it could produce, had given it
leverage with ZANU-PF. Government was now in a financial
squeeze. It had been unable to fully pay March salaries and
the potential inability to pay fuel and energy bills could
soon result in petrol shortages and increased power outages.
As a result, Moyo opined, the MDC had lost its leverage as
ZANU-PF (or at least the hardliners) sat on the sidelines
gleefully watching MDC ministers struggle with the financial
situation. Moyo feared that there could soon be
demonstrations and teacher strikes directed at the MDC.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶5. (C) Farm seizures and evictions have accelerated since
Tsvangirai’s inauguration on February 11 due to a combination
QTsvangirai’s inauguration on February 11 due to a combination
of factors: ZANU-PF’s political tactic of trying to get the
MDC to take what may be perceived as an anti-liberation,
pro-Western position, a desire to loot machinery and other
farm appurtenances; and a last-gasp seizure of farms in the
event that rule of law is ultimately restored. The MDC has
belatedly addressed this issue (by some estimates only about
100 white farms remain), but we’re dubious that ZANU-PF will
sincerely cooperate in dealing with the probem.
¶6. (C) According to the IMF, government reenues are
HARARE 00000257 002 OF 002
sufficient to pay civil service salaries, but inadequate
payment mechanisms are preventing this being done in a timely
manner. Even if salaries can be paid, there is little left
for recurring government expenses and capital investment to
improve, for example, the water and energy infrastructure.
The MDC is increasingly fearful that ZANU-PF–and more
importantly the Zimbabwean people–will blame it for failing
to deliver.
DHANANI
(43 VIEWS)
