Mangoma told US ambassador MDC had no desire to push Mugabe out

Former Economic Planning Minister Elton Mangoma told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGhee two months after the formation of the inclusive government that President Robert Mugabe was playing a conciliatory and constructive role in cabinet. So, though the Movement for Democratic Change ultimately wanted to see him go, it had no desire at that time to push him out.

Mangoma said without the presence of Mugabe, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front could well split apart and jeopardise Zimbabwe’s stability.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 09HARARE278, AMBASSADOR’S CALL ON ZIM MINISTER OF ECONOMIC

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O 021457Z APR 09

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4317

INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2752

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C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000278

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STATE PASS TO USAID FOR J. HARMON AND L. DOBBINS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2019

TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM ZI

SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR’S CALL ON ZIM MINISTER OF ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT

REF: HARARE 240

Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (b) and (d)

¶1. (SBU) The Ambassador called on Elton Mangoma, MDC

Minister of Economic Development, on April 2. Mangoma

discussed the overall political situation and made the

following salient points:

¶2. (C) The MDC was pleased with the SADC Summit last weekend

in Swaziland. SADC emphasized that the letter and spirit of

the Inter-Party Agreement between ZANU-PF and the MDC should

be observed. Mugabe had a good meeting — for the first time

in a while, the meeting was not contentious — and he was

afforded legitimacy by SADC.

¶3. (C) At the SADC meeting, South Africa promised US$30

million in budgetary support which was a life-saver for the

cash-strapped Zimbabwean government. (NOTE: We understand

this will be over three months. END NOTE.) US$50 million in

credit guarantees was also welcome, but Zimbabwe’s private

sector needs much more.

¶4. (C) Zimbabwe is moving in an irreversible direction. The

country as a whole and senior levels of ZANU-PF are now

accepting this. The MDC is trying to consolidate change

through, for example, a land audit and the constitutional

process, but is hampered by a lack of funds for these and

other projects.

¶5. (C) President Robert Mugabe is playing a conciliatory and

constructive role in Cabinet. Without the presence of

Mugabe, ZANU-PF could well split apart and jeopardize

Zimbabwe’s stability. ZANU-PF hardliners are being

increasingly isolated. While the MDC would ultimately like

to see Mugabe go, it has no desire at this time to push him

out.

——-

COMMENT

——-

¶6. (C) We find a sense of confidence and assertiveness on

the part of our MDC interlocutors. At the same time, whether

we are talking with Mangoma, Minister of Finance Tendai Biti,

Minister of Education David Coltart, or others, there is

continual concern about the lack of expertise and staff

support within the ministries and, most importantly, the lack

of resources to simultaneously pay civil service salaries,

meet recurrent expenses, and invest in capital

infrastructure. END COMMENT.

MCGEE

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