The Movement for Democratic Change was prepared to accept the retaining of central bank governor Gideon Gono in return for the firing of attorney-general Johannes Tomana because Tomana was “much more destructive”.
This was said by Gorden Moyo, then Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, after a meeting of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai with South African President Jacob Zuma.
Moyo said President Robert Mugabe might be willing to let Tomana go to retain Gono. The two were key outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement.
Tomana was accused of selectively prosecuting MDC parliamentarians.
Moyo also said at the meeting of the principals- Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara -Mugabe seemed to be wanting to back out on the previously agreed transfer of six of the 10 governor’s posts to the MDC.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE671, MDC LOOKS TO ZUMA VISIT AND UPCOMING SADC SUMMIT
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO5928
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0671/01 2310815
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 190815Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4821
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2984
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 3099
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1528
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2362
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2729
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 3147
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5592
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2277
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000671
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
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2018
SUBJECT: MDC LOOKS TO ZUMA VISIT AND UPCOMING SADC SUMMIT
TO RESOLVE ISSUES
Classified By: CDA Katherine Dhanani for reason 1.4 (b) and (d)
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) Gordon Moyo, the Minister of State in the Prime
Minister’s Office, briefed the Embassy on outstanding Global
Political Agreement (GPA) issues and efforts to have SADC and
SADC Chair (and South African President) Jacob Zuma resolve
them. These issues include the long-standing dispute over
the appointments of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor
Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana, the
targeted prosecutions of MDC-T parliamentarians and other
officials, and the failure to appoint new governors. END
SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) Moyo met August 14 with Embassy officials and Peter
Quaranto, a member of Senator Russell Feingold’s staff, who
was on a fact finding trip to Zimbabwe.
———————————————
Tsvangirai Preparing for Upcoming SADC Summit
———————————————
¶3. (C) According to Moyo, following Tsvangirai’s
face-to-face with Zuma in South Africa earlier this month,
Tsvangirai was hopeful the South African President would
press for resolution of the contested appointments of RBZ
Governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana.
Moyo thought President Robert Mugabe might be willing to
compromise by retaining Gono and replacing Tomana. The MDC
would accept this as it considered Gono largely marginalized,
while Tomana — who has been responsible for the selective
prosecution of MDC parliamentarians — was much more
destructive.
¶4. (C) Moyo also informed us that at an August 12 principals
meeting of Mugabe, Tsvangirai, and Arthur Mutambara, Mugabe
indicated he might back out of the previously agreed upon
transfer of six of the ten governor posts to the MDC
factions. According to Moyo, Mugabe said that he would,
“have to think about it.” The Tsvangirai camp believes
Mugabe wants to put the issue back on the table and then
concede it during a Zuma visit to Zimbabwe on August 27.
(NOTE: Zuma is coming to an agricultural show in Zimbabwe
but will presumably also discuss political issues with the
principals. END NOTE.) This would make Mugabe appear
reasonable while allowing Zuma to declare that progress had
been achieved.
———-
Next Steps
———-
¶5. (C) Tsvangirai has invited Mugabe, along with all
ministers, deputy ministers and permanent secretaries, to
attend a retreat in eastern Zimbabwe this weekend to review
the Global Political Agreement (GPA) and promote cohesion.
In advance of a SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government
to be held September 2 to September 8, Tsvangirai will
undertake a regional tour to lobby SADC leaders on
outstanding issues. Moyo named soon-to-be SADC Chair and DRC
President Joseph Kabila and Tanzanian President Jakaya
Kikwete as points of focus for this outreach.
¶6. (C) Clearly concerned about the selective prosecution of
Q6. (C) Clearly concerned about the selective prosecution of
MPs, Tsvangirai presented Mugabe with a dossier implicating
ZANU-PF officials and members with 2008 election violence,
according to Moyo. Tsvangirai implied he would go public if
HARARE 00000671 002 OF 002
prosecutions of MDC members did not stop. Mugabe said he
would study the file.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶7. (C) Frustrated by the lack of progress in numerous
arenas, Tsvangirai, who has been criticized by his own party
for being insufficiently assertive, is pressing Mugabe and
ZANU-PF for compliance with the GPA, and is also appealing to
SADC to more forcefully assume its role as guarantor of the
GPA. Mugabe remains obstinate. ZANU-PF is counter attacking
by accusing the MDC of failure to carry out GPA commitments
to work for the elimination of sanctions and the cessation of
broadcasting by “pirate radio stations,” (including VOA).
With regard to SADC, there are reports that Zuma may be more
willing to exert pressure on Mugabe than was his predecessor,
Thabo Mbeki. We have yet to see evidence of this.
Furthermore, the SADC Chair will soon pass to the Congo’s
Kabila, and there is little reason to believe Kabila will
lean on Mugabe. END COMMENT.
DHANANI
(21 VIEWS)
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