The Movement for Democratic Change was in danger of losing its parliamentary majority because of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front’s strategy of engineering criminal convictions against MDC legislators.
This was said by the United States embassy after MDC legislator Shuwa Mudiwa of Mutare West was convicted of kidnapping a 12-year old girl.
Mudiwa was the third MDC legislator to be convicted in three months. Three other legislators had pending criminal charges against them.
MDC treasurer, Roy Bennett, who had been appointed senator was also facing charges and could lose his seat if convicted.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE522, ANOTHER MDC MP CONVICTED
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Reference ID |
Created |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO1512
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0522/01 1800926
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290926Z JUN 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4650
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 2331
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2911
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 3030
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1462
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2293
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2660
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 3078
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5521
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2206
RUZEHAA/CDR USEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000522
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR M. GAVIN
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E.LOKEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM ASEC KDEM PGOV PREL ZI
SUBJECT: ANOTHER MDC MP CONVICTED
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SUMMARY
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¶1. (SBU) In a growing pattern of criminal conviction of MDC Members
of Parliament (MPs), Shua Mudiwa MP for Mutare West (which includes
the Chiadzwa diamond fields) was convicted on kidnapping charges on
June 20. Mudiwa remains in custody awaiting a potential life
sentence on June 27. He denies the charges and plans to appeal the
conviction. Mudiwa is the third MDC-T MP convicted in the last six
months. END SUMMARY.
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Mudiwa’s Kidnapping Charges Instigated by Zanu-PF
——————————————— —-
¶2. (SBU) The charges against Mudiwa were first raised during the
election campaign period in 2007. It was alleged that he had
kidnapped a 12-year-old girl and kept her locked in a house for
three days. The police, finding no evidence of wrong doing, released
Mudiwa and the case remained dormant until June 2008 when the
charges were revived.
¶3. (SBU) Mudiwa’s lawyer and fellow MDC-T MP Douglas Mwonzora told
us that the charges against Mudiwa are politically motivated and are
engineered by ZANU-PF. He said that in 2007 and after the police
refused to investigate, Christopher Mushohwe, the ZANU-PF
parliamentary candidate for the same seat, took the complainant to
his rallies where she narrated her ‘kidnapping ordeal.’ Mushohwe
still lost the election to Mudiwa and the High Court subsequently
dismissed his petition to set aside the election result. Once he
lost the petition he influenced the ZANU-PF-aligned Attorney General
(AG) Tomana to prosecute Mudiwa in hopes of recapturing the seat if
a by-election was ordered.
——————————————— —-
Mudiwa Police Witnesses Prevented from Testifying
——————————————— —-
¶4. (SBU) The two police officers Mudiwa was with at the time of the
alleged kidnapping and who initially exonerated him were later
transferred to an unknown post before trial and were unavailable to
give evidence on behalf of Mudiwa. Mwonzora said that the police
refused to tell him where the officers were transferred. Had the two
police officers testified Mudiwa could have been acquitted.
¶5. (SBU) Mwonzora told us that it was clear that Mushohwe, a
senior Zanu-PF member and Governor for Manicaland was behind the
transfer of the police officers to ensure Mudiwa was convicted in
hopes that a by-election would be won by Zanu-PF.
¶6. (SBU) In a move viewed by Mudiwa’s lawyers as evidence of
Zanu-PF interference and manipulation, Magistrate Hlekani Mwayera
was promoted to Acting Chief Magistrate following her handling of
the case. She was transferred to Harare. Mwonzora said that the
promotion was payback for her role in convicting Mudiwa on dubious
Qpromotion was payback for her role in convicting Mudiwa on dubious
evidence.
—————————————
Mudiwa denied clothing in Remand Prison
—————————————
¶7. (SBU) While Mudiwa awaits sentencing on June 27, he remains
HARARE 00000522 002 OF 002
in the Mutare remand prison. This is the same dirty facility where
MDC-T official Roy Bennett was jailed earlier this year. We spoke to
fellow MDC-T MP for Makoni South Pishai Muchauraya who told us that
for several days the remand prison authorities denied Mudiwa proper
clothing. Instead they gave him a piece of a dirty blanket which he
wrapped around his body all day. Muchauraya said Mudiwa was
depressed and demoralized.
————————————-
MDC Parliamentary Majority Threatened
————————————-
¶8. (SBU) The MDC’s majority in Parliament is in danger of being
upset by Zanu-PF’s strategy of engneering criminal convictions. To
date three MDC MPs have been convicted and at least three others
have pending criminal charges against them. In the short term, the
convicted MPs will keep their seats while their appeals are pending
but will lose them if the convictions are upheld by the appellate
courts.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶9. (SBU) The ongoing crackdown on MDC MPs by ZANU-PF-aligned
police and the AG demonstrates the continued fragility of the
inclusive government and the MDC’s parliamentary majority. In a
meeting on June 23, the MDC referred Mudiwa’s arrest to SADC, but
that referral is unlikely to result in any action in the immediate
future. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
(22 VIEWS)
