Moyo versus Moyo

Nkosana Moyo was the darling of the United States embassy in Harare which even called him a close embassy contact when he was appointed Minister of Industry and Trade in 2000.

A diplomatic cable that the embassy dispatched On 18 August, just a month after his appointment, was even entitled: NEW TRADE MINISTER MOYO IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.

Jonathan Moyo on the other hand was their arch enemy. Nkosana Moyo told United States embassy officials that President Robert Mugabe was not using the land reform programme as apolitical tool. He perceived it as a correction of an injustice.

Mugabe could therefore be convinced to tone down his public rhetoric, but Nkosana Moyo said his main concern was with Information Minister Jonathan Moyo as he could do the most damage.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 00HARARE4611, NEW TRADE MINISTER MOYO IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

171634Z Aug 00

CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ1036

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——————7B0632 171711Z /38

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6873

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

AMEMBASSY LONDON

AMEMBASSY PARIS

AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE

USDOC WASHDC

NSC WASHDC

DEPTTREAS WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 004611

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF, AF/S, AF/EPS, EB/IFD/ODF, EB/TPP/ODC

TREASURY FOR ED BARBER, GRACE SONE, AND HOFFMAN BARAK

USDOC FOR 2037/ERIC HENDERSON

STATE PASS USTR/RWHITTAKER

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 04611 01 OF 03 171638Z

LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/05

TAGS: PREL ECON PINR PHUM ZI EFIN EAGR

SUBJECT: NEW TRADE MINISTER MOYO IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

REF: HARARE 3910

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MCDONALD, REASON 1.5 (B), (D)

SUMMARY

——-

¶1. (C) NEW INDUSTRY AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE MINISTER

NKOSANA MOYO TOLD THE AMBASSADOR AUGUST 15 THAT PRESIDENT

MUGABE WAS DETERMINED TO SEIZE 3,000 FARMS AND HAD NO

INTENTION OF PROVIDING COMPENSATION. MOYO CLAIMED THAT

MOST CABINET MEMBERS WERE IN FAVOR OF A FAIR,

TRANSPARENT LAND REFORM EFFORT, AND ADMITTED THAT THE

GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE

SIGNIFICANT ASSISTANCE TO RESETTLED FAMILIES. MOYO

SHARED THE AMBASSADOR’S CONCERN ABOUT LAWLESSNESS IN THE

RURAL AREAS. THE AMBASSADOR STRESSED THAT SEIZURE OF

FARMS WITHOUT COMPENSATION IS ILLEGAL AND IS NEARLY

ELIMINATING ANY NEW FOREIGN INVESTMENT, AND SAID THE

GOVERNMENT’S ACTIONS WOULD SPEAK LOUDER THAN ITS WORDS.

MOYO IS AN ACCOMPLISHED BUSINESSPERSON AND A CAPABLE

POLITICAL INDEPENDENT WHO INTENDS TO WORK TO REVERSE SOME

OF THE GOVERNMENT’S RUINOUS POLICIES. HE IS AN

INEXPERIENCED POLITICIAN, HOWEVER, AND WE ARE SKEPTICAL

THAT MUGABE WILL GIVE HIM SUFFICIENT ROOM TO MANEUVER,

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PAGE 03       HARARE 04611 01 OF 03 171638Z

BUT THE EMBASSY WANTS TO ASSIST HIM. END SUMMARY.

—————–

MOYO’S OBJECTIVES

—————–

¶2. (C) AMBASSADOR MCDONALD ASKED RECENTLY-APPOINTED

MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE NKOSANA MOYO

ON AUGUST 16 WHAT HE HOPED TO ACCOMPLISH IN HIS NEW

POSITION. MOYO SAID HIS PRIMARY FOCUS WOULD BE TO HELP

THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT FORGE A MORE COOPERATIVE

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. HE ALSO PLANNED TO

TRY TO REPAIR SOME OF ZIMBABWE’S BILATERAL AND

MULTILATERAL RELATIONSHIPS.

———–

LAND REFORM

———–

¶3. (C) MOYO THEN TURNED TO THE LAND QUESTION,

ACKNOWLEDGING THE PROBLEM OF LAWLESSNESS ON THE FARMS.

HE TERMED THE GOVERNMENT’S PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORT

“APPALLING,” AND SAID IT MUST DO A BETTER JOB OF

EXPLAINING THE RATIONALE FOR ITS ACTIONS. PRESIDENT

MUGABE IS SERIOUS ABOUT SEIZING 3,000 FARMS AND WANTS ALL

OF THEM IDENTIFIED NOW AND RESETTLED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

MOYO EXPRESSED HIS VIEW THAT MANY OF THESE FARMS HAD LONG

BEEN IDLE, SO THEIR RESETTLEMENT WOULD NOT HAVE A SERIOUS

IMPACT ON PRODUCTIVITY.

¶4. (C) THE AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04       HARARE 04611 01 OF 03 171638Z

HAVE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES FOR AN EFFECTIVE

RESETTLEMENT EFFORT AND THAT SUCH AN EFFORT WOULD

SUBSTANTIALLY HURT AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. THE FARM

OCCUPATIONS, HE STRESSED, ARE ILLEGAL, HAVE BEEN TERRIBLY

DISRUPTIVE, AND GIVE ZIMBABWE A BLACK EYE ABROAD. THE

UNITED STATES AGREES THAT LAND REFORM IS NECESSARY AND A

MATTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE, BUT IT SHOULD BE DONE IN A

FAIR, TRANSPARENT PROCESS. IN ADDITION, SEIZURES OF

FARMS WITHOUT COMPENSATION WILL SOUR RENEWED DONOR

SUPPORT FOR LAND REFORM. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE

GOVERNMENT ADDRESS THIS AND ITS OTHER ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

SERIOUSLY, AS MORE AND MORE INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING MINING,

ARE SUFFERING, AND THE PATIENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL

COMMUNITY IS WEARING THIN.

¶5. (C) MOYO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE

UNABLE TO PROVIDE RESETTLED FAMILIES WITH SIGNIFICANT

RESOURCES, BUT THOUGHT MANY WERE PEASANT FARMERS WHO

WOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES. HE AGREED THAT

COMPENSATION WAS IMPORTANT BUT DID NOT THINK HE COULD

REVERSE THE GOVERNMENT’S DETERMINATION NOT TO PAY FOR THE

SEIZED FARMS. THE GOVERNMENT, MOYO ADMITTED, HAS DUG

ITSELF INTO A HOLE, BUT ITS PRIDE MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO

DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO DIG ITSELF OUT. HE HOPED TO

TRAVEL SOON TO LONDON TO TRY TO ESTABLISH A MORE

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ1037

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LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01   NSAE-00 OIC-02   OMB-01

OPIC-01 PA-00   PM-00   PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00

IRM-00   SSO-00   SS-00   STR-00   T-00     USIE-00 R-00

PMB-00   DSCC-00 PRM-01   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00 SAS-00

SWCI-00   /013W

——————7B0638 171712Z /38

P 171634Z AUG 00

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6874

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

AMEMBASSY LONDON

AMEMBASSY PARIS

AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE

USDOC WASHDC

NSC WASHDC

DEPTTREAS WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 004611

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF, AF/S, AF/EPS, EB/IFD/ODF, EB/TPP/ODC

TREASURY FOR ED BARBER, GRACE SONE, AND HOFFMAN BARAK

USDOC FOR 2037/ERIC HENDERSON

STATE PASS USTR/RWHITTAKER

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 04611 02 OF 03 171639Z

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/05

TAGS: PREL ECON PINR PHUM ZI EFIN EAGR

SUBJECT: NEW TRADE MINISTER MOYO IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

CONSTRUCTIVE, BACK-CHANNEL DIALOGUE WITH BRITAIN ON LAND.

(IN A ONE-ON-ONE AFTER THE FORMAL MEETING, MOYO TOLD THE

AMBASSADOR THAT THESE CONTACTS WOULD ORIGINATE THROUGH

STANDARD CHARTERED BANK IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, HIS

PREVIOUS EMPLOYER.) WITHOUT ELABORATING, HE SAID

PRESIDENT MUGABE HAD GIVEN HIM THE GREEN LIGHT TO MOVE

FORWARD ON A RANGE OF KEY ISSUES.

¶6. (C) THE AMBASSADOR COMMENTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS

USED LAND REFORM AS A POLITICAL TOOL TO GARNER ELECTORAL

SUPPORT. MOYO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT LAND REFORM IS A

POLITICAL ISSUE FOR SOME CABINET MEMBERS, BUT NOT FOR

MUGABE, WHO PERCEIVES IT AS A CORRECTION OF AN INJUSTICE.

MOYO SAID HE THOUGHT SOME POSITIVE MOVEMENT COULD BE

ACHIEVED ON LAND REFORM, SINCE MOST OF THE CABINET WAS ON

THE “RIGHT SIDE” OF THE ISSUE. HE THOUGHT MUGABE COULD

BE CONVINCED TO TONE DOWN HIS PUBLIC RHETORIC, BUT SAID

HIS MAIN CONCERN WAS WITH INFORMATION MINISTER JONATHAN

MOYO, WHO CAN DO THE MOST DAMAGE. A CHANGE IN RHETORIC

WOULD CERTAINLY BE HELPFUL, THE AMBASSADOR NOTED, BUT

POSITIVE, CONCRETE ACTIONS WOULD SEND THE MOST POWERFUL

MESSAGE. THE FUNDAMENTAL POINT, HE EMPHASIZED, WAS THAT

THE RULE OF LAW MUST BE RESTORED. THE AMBASSADOR SAID

THE U.S. WANTS TO HELP, BUT NOT UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03       HARARE 04611 02 OF 03 171639Z

—————————————–

NEW PARLIAMENT AND MOYO’S ROLE IN CABINET

—————————————–

¶7. (C) ASKED FOR HIS ASSESSMENT OF THE NEW PARLIAMENT,

MOYO SAID BOTH THE RULING ZANU-PF AND THE MDC ARE SHOWING

“INCREDIBLE IMMATURITY,” WHICH WOULD PROBABLY PREVENT HIM

FROM JOINING A POLITICAL PARTY IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE

AMBASSADOR ASKED WHETHER MOYO FELT UNCOMFORTABLE AS A

MEMBER OF THE CABINET, GIVEN HIS REPUTATION AS A

POLITICAL INDEPENDENT (REFTEL). ON THE CONTRARY, MOYO

REPLIED. HE FELT INCREDIBLE FREEDOM AND WAS NOW

CONVINCED THAT NOT JOINING A POLITICAL PARTY WAS THE BEST

THING HE HAD EVER DONE. HE HAD NOT BEEN REQUIRED TO JOIN

ZANU-PF AND, IN FACT, HAD GIVEN A SPEECH ON ZIMBABWEAN

TELEVISION AFTER HIS APPOINTMENT MAKING IT CLEAR THAT HE

WAS NOT A MEMBER OF THE RULING PARTY AND EXPRESSING HIS

DETERMINATION TO BE A MINISTER FOR THE COUNTRY AS A

WHOLE. MANY PEOPLE SUBSEQUENTLY HAD ASKED HIM WHY HE HAD

JOINED THE CABINET. HE TOLD THEM HE CONSIDERED IT HIS

OBLIGATION TO DO ALL HE COULD TO PREVENT THE ZIMBABWEAN

SHIP FROM SINKING.

———————-

FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES

———————-

¶8. (C) ASKED HOW THE GOVERNMENT PLANNED TO ADDRESS ITS

SERIOUS ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES, MOYO SAID HE IS WORKING

CLOSELY WITH FINANCE MINISTER SIMBA MAKONI ON NEXT STEPS.

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04       HARARE 04611 02 OF 03 171639Z

IN THE NEAR TERM, THE GOVERNMENT HAD TALKED TO THE DUTCH

ABOUT ACQUIRING ASSISTANCE TARGETTED AT RESETTLEMENT OF A

LIMITED NUMBER OF FARMS, AS WELL AS THE FUEL AND

ELECTRICITY SECTORS. IN ADDITION, THE CABINET HAD

APPROVED THE MILLENIUM ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN THE

PREVIOUS WEEK. THE PLAN SEEKS, INTER ALIA, TO REDUCE THE

BUDGET DEFICIT FROM 14 TO 10 PERCENT, ESTABLISH A

REALISTIC EXCHANGE RATE, DOWNSIZE THE BLOATED CIVIL

SERVICE, AND RE-ESTABLISH RELATIONS WITH THE IFI’S.

¶9. (C) THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN, MOYO CONTINUED, ALSO

STRESSED THE NEED TO BETTER “MANAGE” THE ISSUE OF TROOPS

IN THE DROC. HE ASKED WHY UN TROOPS HAD NOT YET BEEN

DEPLOYED THERE. MONUC DEPLOYMENT HAD NOT BEEN EXPANDED,

THE AMBASSADOR EXPLAINED, BECAUSE SUFFICIENT SAFETY

GUARANTEES WERE NOT IN PLACE. BEFORE SUCH A DEPLOYMENT

COULD OCCUR, KABILA HAD TO MEET HIS LUSAKA ACCORDS

COMMITMENTS, AND ZIMBABWE COULD PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE IN

PRESSING KABILA TO DO SO, THE AMBASSADOR POINTED OUT.

———————-

ANTI-AMERICAN RHETORIC

———————-

¶10. (C) THE AMBASSADOR EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT RECENT

ANTI-AMERICAN STATEMENTS FROM GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS,

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2063

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LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01   NSAE-00 OIC-02   OMB-01

OPIC-01 PA-00   PM-00   PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00

SSO-00   SS-00   STR-00   T-00     USIE-00 PMB-00   DSCC-00

PRM-01   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00 SAS-00     /013W

——————7B23FE 180009Z /21

P 171634Z AUG 00

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6875

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

AMEMBASSY LONDON

AMEMBASSY PARIS

AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE

USDOC WASHDC

NSC WASHDC

DEPTTREAS WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 004611

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF, AF/S, AF/EPS, EB/IFD/ODF, EB/TPP/ODC

TREASURY FOR ED BARBER, GRACE SONE, AND HOFFMAN BARAK

USDOC FOR 2037/ERIC HENDERSON

STATE PASS USTR/RWHITTAKER

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 04611 03 OF 03 180009Z

LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/05

TAGS: PREL ECON PINR PHUM ZI EFIN EAGR

SUBJECT: NEW TRADE MINISTER MOYO IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

PROMPTED BY THE U.S. CONGRESS’ ACTION ON THE ZIMBABWE

DEMOCRACY ACT. SUCH RHETORIC WAS NOT A HELPFUL WAY TO

CONDUCT OUR BILATERAL BUSINESS, AND HE HOPED WE COULD

DISCUSS OUR DIFFERENCES IN A MORE LOW-KEY, PRIVATE

MANNER. MOYO AGREED.

——-

COMMENT

——-

¶11. (C) MOYO IS A WELL-REGARDED, CAPABLE FIGURE, WHOSE

APPOINTMENT TO THE CABINET WAS A SURPRISE, GIVEN HIS

REPUTATION AS A POLITICAL INDEPENDENT. A WELL-TO-DO

INVESTMENT BANKER AND CLOSE CONTACT OF THE EMBASSY, MOYO

APPEARS MOTIVATED BY A GENUINE DESIRE TO SERVE HIS

COUNTRY AND REVERSE THE GOVERNMENT’S DISASTROUS POLICIES.

HE IS NOT AN EXPERIENCED POLITICIAN, HOWEVER, WHICH COULD

HINDER HIS EFFECTIVENESS, PARTICULARLY IN THE CURRENT

TOUGH POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT. IN THE ONE-ON-ONE AFTER THE

FORMAL MEETING, MOYO TOLD THE AMBASSADOR HE HAD NOT BEEN

CONSULTED ABOUT THE CABINET POSITION, BUT HAD LEARNED OF

HIS APPOINTMENT ON TELEVISION. ALTHOUGH MOYO BELIEVES HE

HAS THE PRESIDENT’S CONFIDENCE, WE ARE SKEPTICAL THAT

MUGABE WILL GIVE HIM THE NECESSARY MANEUVERING ROOM TO

EFFECT A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE EITHER IN THE GOVERNMENT’S

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PAGE 03       HARARE 04611 03 OF 03 180009Z

HISTORICAL MISHANDLING OF THE ECONOMY OR ITS APPROACH ON

LAND. HE HAS BEEN OUTSPOKEN, HOWEVER. THE DAY AFTER HIS

MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR, MOYO REPORTEDLY TOLD THE

CONFEDERATION OF ZIMBABWE INDUSTRIES THAT THE LAWLESSNESS

WAS DAMAGING ZIMBABWE’S INTERNATIONAL IMAGE AND THAT

FOREIGN INVESTMENT WAS UNLIKELY TO BE FORTHCOMING IN THE

CURRENT ENVIRONMENT. WE DO WANT TO HELP MOYO AND WILL

LOOK FOR WAYS TO DO SO.

MCDONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

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