The government had drawn up a target list of newly elected Movement for Democratic Change Members of Parliament whom it was to arrest in an intimidation campaign in the run-up to the presidential elections run off.
This was said by former Mutare mayor Misheck Kagurabadza who was fired by the government in 2005 but had returned to national politics after being elected MP for Mutasa South.
The United States embassy said Kagurabadza was correct that there was a target list as another legislator Ian Kay had been arrested.
Others arrested included the leader of the smaller faction of the MDC Arthur Mutambara and the new MP for Buhera Eric Matinenga.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE478, NEW MDC MP FEARS FOR SAFETY, HOPES FOR ELECTION
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|
Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO9067
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0478/01 1541549
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 021549Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2975
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2017
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2138
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0680
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1415
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1773
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2194
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4625
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1280
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000478
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM KDEM ZI
SUBJECT: NEW MDC MP FEARS FOR SAFETY, HOPES FOR ELECTION
Classified By: Charge d’Affaires, a.i. Glenn Warren for reasons 1.4 (b,
d)
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Newly elected MDC MP for Mutasa South,
Michek Kagurabadzwa is in hiding, fearing arrest and
detention. Press reports indicate that five MDC MPs have
been jailed in recent weeks. Despite the ongoing violence in
the countryside, including in his own constituency,
Kagurabadzwa remains optimistic that Zimbabweans will vote
MDC in the upcoming June 27 presidential runoff. He praised
Voice of America’s Studio 7 news show as a vital source of
information to rural voters and recognized the need to plan
now for MDC polling officials in the coming runoff. END
SUMMARY.
——————————-
Newly Elected MDC MP in Hiding
——————————-
¶2. (C) On May 29, Embassy officials met with Michek
Kagurabadzwa, the newly elected Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Mutasa South – a
rural constituency in the eastern province of Manicaland.
The MDC won Mutasa South handily in the March 29 election.
Kagurabadzwa, who was removed by the Government of Zimbabwe
(GOZ) from his position as mayor of Mutare in 2005, said he
won his parliamentary seat by about 8,000 to his opponents
3,000 votes; MDC presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai
also carried the constituency handily.
¶3. (C) Kagurabadzwa reported that he had been in hiding in
Harare for one week, staying in a safe house. He reported
that he is on the same target “list” as another newly elected
MDC MP, Iain Kay from Marondera in nearby Mashonaland East.
(NOTE: According to press reports, Kay was arrested two weeks
ago on charges of “inciting violence” and he continues to be
held in prison in Mutoko, over an hour from Harare. Kay was
granted bail on May 23, but the State’s appeal means he will
stay in jail at least until a second hearing on June 4.
Several other MDC MPs have also been arrested in the last
couple of weeks. END NOTE.) Kagurabadzwa said unknown
individuals (possibly police) had been to his home twice, his
office three times, and friends’ homes in the last week
looking for him. Despite his fears, he planned on returning
home soon to continue campaigning for Tsvangirai for the June
27 presidential runoff.
¶4. (C) The new MP believes that he is being targeted, in
part, because of the shelter he provided to victims of
Operation Murambatsvina, the 2005 government campaign to
destroy opposition strongholds that left some 700,000
displaced. As the mayor of Mutare, the main city along the
Mozambican border, he provided shelter to some of these
internally displaced people (IDPs). He also took the United
Nations representatives to the high density areas in Mutare
where the IDPs were staying and gave interviews to the New
York Times, in direct violation of orders from central
authorities in Harare. Shortly thereafter, Kagurabadzwa was
fired from his position as mayor by the GOZ.
———————————–
Optimistic about the June 27 runoff
———————————–
¶5. (C) Regarding the June 27 runoff, Kagurabadzwa remains
optimistic that his constituency will come out and vote
again. He declared that people will not vote for ZANU-PF if
given the chance to vote. The MDC needs to focus its efforts
on sending polling agents to rural areas, as some polling
places were without MDC monitors during the March 29
elections. Within his own area, he will move urban agents to
rural polling places to both ensure broad coverage and reduce
HARARE 00000478 002 OF 002
the potential for rural intimidation on the local MDC polling
official. He said that all MPs would meet on May 30 to
coordinate their strategies for distributing agents.
—————————–
Rural Constituency Craves VOA
—————————–
¶6. (C) Kagurabadzwa praised Studio 7 (the local Voice of
America news program that airs in English and local languages
once a day) as playing a significant role in informing people
and as an alternative to the GOZ-sponsored media. Despite
the crucial role Studio 7 plays, he said that there were not
enough radios in rural areas. Unfortunately, many had been
confiscated by the government late last year. He reported
that rural voters in his area relied on hand-crank radios
supplied by a local farm workers union, General Agricultural
and Plantation Workers of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ). He asked that
we look into repeating the Studio 7 broadcast, as it is
sometimes partially or completely jammed by the GOZ. (NOTE:
Starting June 1, Studio 7 will broadcast twice daily. END
NOTE.)
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶7. (C) Kagurabadzwa is certainly correct about the existence
of a “list” of targeted officials. In addition to Iain Kay’s
recent arrest, MDC faction leader Arthur Mutambara was
arrested on Sunday as was Eric Matinenga, a prominent lawyer
and newly-elected parliamentarian for Buheru. ZANU-PF
appears to be complementing its campaign of violence,
designed to intimidated MDC supporters, with an effort to
destroy MDC organizational capacity through the arrest of
officials and parliamentarians. END COMMENT.
Warren
(17 VIEWS)
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