Msipa says Mugabe and Mnangagwa sponsored violence by war vets

Former Midlands governor Cephas Msipa said President Robert Mugabe and then Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa together with Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi were behind the violence by war veterans as it was an election strategy to intimidate people into voting for the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front.

Msipa, who was Minister for Indigenisation at the time, said the party had formed a special committee of cabinet ministers to orchestrate the occupation of white-owned commercial farms by war veterans.

He said the special committee was responsible for the care and feeding of the war vets on the occupied farms.

Msipa said Mugabe was personally involved in overseeing the work of this “special committee” and had called out the war veterans to occupy primarily white-owned commercial farms.

He also said Mnangagwa had organised a campaign against him in the primary elections for the Midlands Province because Msipa had supported John Nkomo for chairman at the party’s congress.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 00HARARE2953, MINISTER OF STATE TELLS AMBASSADOR POLITICAL

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021052Z Jun 00

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INL-01   DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 ANHR-00 SRPP-00 DS-00

EB-00   EUR-00   FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00   H-01     TEDE-00

INR-00   IO-00   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01   DCP-01

NRRC-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01 PA-00   PM-00

PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00   STR-00   TRSE-00 USIE-00

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

/012W

——————5E4A12 021048Z /38

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6197

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002953

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA GAYLE SMITH

DEPARTMENT FOR PDAS POWELL, DAS SCHNEIDMAN, AF/S

DIRECTOR RENDER AND ZIMBABWE DESK OFFICER GURNEY

DEPARTMENT PASS TO USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2010

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 02953 01 OF 02 021048Z

TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM EAGR PINR ZI ZANU PF

SUBJECT: MINISTER OF STATE TELLS AMBASSADOR POLITICAL

VIOLENCE IS ZANU-PF ELECTION STRATEGY

CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL OFFICER MAKILA JAMES, REASONS

1.5 (B) AND (D).

¶1. (C) SUMMARY: MINISTER OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF THE

PRESIDENT RESPONSIBLE FOR INDIGENIZATION (BLACK ECONOMIC

EMPOWERMENT), CEPHAS MSIPA, TOLD AMBASSADOR MCDONALD

JUNE 1 THAT ZANU-PF’S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION STRATEGY IS

TO USE THE “WAR VETERANS” TO INTIMIDATE THE PUBLIC INTO

SUPPORTING THE RULING PARTY CANDIDATES. A “SPECIAL

COMMITTEE” OF CABINET MINISTERS EXISTS TO ORCHESTRATE

THE WAR VETS COMMERCIAL FARM OCCUPATIONS, WHICH INCLUDES

THE MINISTERS OF JUSTICE AND STATE SECURITY. THE ZANU-

PF ORGANIZED POLITICAL VIOLENCE COULD RESULT IN A

PROTEST VOTE FOR THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE

(MDC), ACCORDING TO MSIPA. AMBASSADOR MCDONALD STRONGLY

CONDEMNED THE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS PRESENTLY

OCCURRING, EMPHASIZED THE DAMAGE THE ONGOING POLITICAL

VIOLENCE WAS DOING TO INVESTOR CONFIDENCE IN ZIMBABWE,

AND URGED THE MINISTER TO CONVEY THAT MESSAGE TO OTHER

SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. END SUMMARY.

¶2. (C) MINISTER OF STATE FOR INDIGENIZATION, CEPHAS

MSIPA, HAD A CANDID AND CORDIAL CONVERSATION WITH

AMBASSADOR MCDONALD, ACCOMPANIED BY POLOFF, ON JUNE 1 IN

WHICH HE EXPLAINED ZANU-PF’S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION

STRATEGY. MINISTER MSIPA BEGAN BY EXPLAINING HIS OWN

RECENT DEFEAT AS THE RULING PARTY’S PARLIAMENTARY

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PAGE 03       HARARE 02953 01 OF 02 021048Z

CANDIDATE, AFTER SEVERAL PRIMARY RERUNS, WHICH HE

ATTRIBUTED TO THE WORK OF JUSTICE MINISTER, EMMERSON

MNANGAGWA. MNANGAGWA HAD ORGANIZED A CAMPAIGN AGAINST

THE INDIGENIZATION MINISTER IN THE MIDLANDS PROVINCE,

WHERE MSIPA IS FROM, IN RETALIATION FOR MSIPA HAVING

SUPPORTED THE CURRENT ZANU-PF CHAIRMAN, JOHN NKOMO,

DURING THE PARTY’S DECEMBER CONVENTION, HE SAID.

(COMMENT: MSIPA IS REPORTEDLY CLOSE TO PRESIDENT MUGABE,

HOWEVER, MNANGAGWA ENLISTED THE SUPPORT OF SEVERAL KEY

POLITBURO MEMBERS TO DEFEAT MSIPA AND THE PRESIDENT

COULD NOT OVERRIDE THAT DECISION. END NOTE).

¶3. (C) IN RESPONSE AMBASSADOR MCDONALD’S CONDEMNATION

OF THE ONGOING PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE, THE MINISTER TOLD

US THAT ZANU-PF’S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION STRATEGY WAS TO

INTIMIDATE THE PUBLIC INTO BACKING THE RULING PARTY AND

TO CRUSH ANY OPPOSITION. SPECIFICALLY, MSIPA SAID EVERY

ZANU-PF CANDIDATE WAS ALLOCATED A NUMBER OF “WAR

VETERANS” IN THEIR AREA TO COERCE PEOPLE INTO SUPPORTING

THE RULING PARTY’S CANDIDATE. MSIPA SAID HE TOO WAS

GIVEN A GROUP OF OSTENSIBLE WAR VETS (I.E. THUGS) TO

HELP HIM WIN HIS ELECTION. SOME SENIOR PARTY MEMBERS

SOUGHT TO WITHDRAW THEM, HOWEVER, AFTER MNANGAGWA BEGAN

ORGANIZING OPPOSITION TO MSIPA’S CANDIDACY.

¶4. (C) MOREOVER, MSIPA SAID THERE WAS A “SPECIAL

COMMITTEE” OF SELECT CABINET MINISTERS WHO WERE TASKED

WITH ORCHESTRATING THE COMMERCIAL FARM OCCUPATIONS WHICH

HAD GIVEN RISE TO MUCH OF THE POLITICAL VIOLENCE. MSIPA

SAID THAT DURING THE REGULAR WEEKLY CABINET MEETINGS

MENTION WOULD BE MADE OF THIS “SPECIAL COMMITTEE” TAKING

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PAGE 04       HARARE 02953 01 OF 02 021048Z

UP SENSITIVE ISSUES, SUCH AS THE CARE AND FEEDING OF THE

WAR VETS ON THE OCCUPIED FARMS. MSIPA SAID HE BELIEVED

MNANGAGWA AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY,

SYDNEY SEKERAMAYI, WERE ON THIS COMMITTEE. THE MINISTER

OF HOME AFFAIRS, DUMISO DABENGWA, HAD SPOKEN OUT AGAINST

THE GOVERNMENT-CONDONED POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN CABINET

MEETINGS, BUT HAD BEEN OVERRULED AND EFFECTIVELY

SIOELINED ON THIS ISSUE.

¶5. (C) MSIPA ALSO SAID MUGABE WAS PERSONALLY INVOLVED

IN OVERSEEING THE WORK

OF THIS “SPECIAL COMMITTEE” AND

HAD CALLED OUT THE WAR VETERANS TO OCCUPY PRIMARILY

WHITE-OWNED COMMERCIAL FARMS. MSIPA ALSO NOTED THAT

SINCE THE CONTENTIOUS RULING PARTY’S FEBRUARY CENTRAL

COMMITTEE MEETING, IN WHICH PRESIDENT MUGABE WAS TOLD

THAT HE HAD BECOME A PARTY LIABILITY ANO SHOULD PREPARE

TO LEAVE OFFICE, THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANOTHER MEETING OF

THAT BODY. MSIPA SAID MUGABE THEN ENLISTED THE HELP OF

THE WAR VETERANS TO SHORE UP THE PARTY’S CHANCES OF

WINNING A MAJORITY OF THE PARLIAMENTARY SEATS AND TO

CRUSH THE OPPOSITION MDC PARTY AND ITS SUPPORTERS.

MSIPA SAID HE HAD URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE 118

COMMERCIAL FARMS OFFERED FOR RESETTLEMENT IN 1998, BUT

THAT THE GOVERNMENT DELAYED IN TAKING ANY SERIOUS

ACTION. CONSEQUENTLY, NO COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES HAD BEEN

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ1180

PAGE 01       HARARE 02953 02 OF 02 021048Z

ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   AGRE-00 AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00 COME-00

INL-01   DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 ANHR-00 SRPP-00 DS-00

EB-00   EUR-00   FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00   H-01     TEDE-00

INR-00   IO-00   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01   NRRC-00

NSAE-00 OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01 PA-00   PM-00   PRS-00

ACE-00   P-00     SP-00   STR-00   TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00

DSCC-00 PRM-01   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00 SAS-00     /011W

——————5E4A18 021049Z /38

P 021052Z JUN 00

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6198

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 002953

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

NSC FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA GAYLE SMITH

DEPARTMENT FOR PDAS POWELL, DAS SCHNEIDMAN, AF/S

DIRECTOR RENDER AND ZIMBABWE DESK OFFICER GURNEY

DEPARTMENT PASS TO USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2010

TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM EAGR PINR ZI ZANU PF

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 02953 02 OF 02 021048Z

SUBJECT: MINISTER OF STATE TELLS AMBASSADOR POLITICAL

VIOLENCE IS ZANU-PF ELECTION STRATEGY

ACQUIRED FOR RESETTLEMENT BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S

FAILURE TO PURSUE THAT OFFER. THIS VIOLENCE COULD,

HOWEVER, RESULT IN A PROTEST VOTE AGAINST ZANU-PF, THE

MINISTER SPECULATED. MSIPA NOTED THAT SOUTH AFRICA AND

SOME NORDIC COUNTRIES WERE REPORTEDLY TRYING TO IDENTIFY

FUNDS TO ASSIST ZIMBABWE IN ITS LAND REFORM PROGRAM.

AMBASSADOR, HOWEVER, INFORMED THAT HE UNDERSTOOD FROM

THE NORWEGIAN AMBASSADOR THAT HIS COUNTRY HAD NO SUCH

BAILOUT IN THE WORKS FOR ZIMBABWE AT THIS TIME.

¶6. (C) ADDITIONALLY, THE MINISTER SAID HE OBJECTED TO

THE OCCUPATION OF VACANT BUILDINGS IN URBAN AREAS BY A

BLACK ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT ORGANIZATION, THE AFFIRMATIVE

ACTION GROUP (AAG), WHO WERE TAKING THEIR CUE FROM THE

WAR VETERANS. MSIPA SAID HE OECLINED TO GET INVOLVED,

HOWEVER, NOW THAT MINISTER DABENGWA WAS TRYING TO

RESOLVE THAT SITUATION AND THE AAG WAS NEGOTIATING WITH

THE LANDLORDS TO PAY A MOOEST RENTAL FEE FOR THOSE

PROPERTIES.

¶7. (C) AMBASSADOR MCDONALD STRONGLY CONDEMNED THE

POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND WIDESPREAD HUMAN RIGHTS

VIOLATIONS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. HE ALSO URGED MSIPA TO

CONVEY TO HIS GOVERNMENT HOW DAMAGING THE POLITICAL

VIOLENCE, FARM OCCUPATIONS, AND URBAN SQUATTING WERE TO

ZIMBABWE’S INVESTMENT CLIMATE, TOURISM, AND OVERALL

ECONOMY.

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03       HARARE 02953 02 OF 02 021048Z

COMMENT

¶8. (C) MSIPA IS A REASONABLE, COMMITTED, AND HIGHLY

CREDIBLE GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WHO HAS BEEN FRUSTRATED IN

DOING HIS JOB AND WHOSE ADVICE HAS APPARENTLY BEEN

SHUNNED BY THE MORE RAOICAL RULING PARTY MEMBERS. THUS,

HE IS POLITICALLY WEAK. NEVERTHELESS, MSIPA RETAINS

MUGABE’S CONFIDENCE AND MAY RETAIN A POSITION IN THE

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AFTER THE PARLIAMENTARY

ELECTION. MSIPA HAS CONFIRMED THE WIDESPREAD BELIEF

THAT PERPETUATING VIOLENCE IS ZANU-PF’S ELECTION

STRATEGY AND THAT IT IS DIRECTED BY MUGABE. THE

MINISTER’S COMMENTS ALSO TRACK THE EMBASSY’S POSITION

THAT THE PRESENT FARM OCCUPATIONS ARE NOT ABOUT LAND

REFORM, BUT RATHER POLITICS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO

DELIVER A STRONG MESSAGE THAT THE ELECTION VIOLENCE AND

ECONOMIC SUICIDE THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS PURSUING WILL

MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO RETURN TO BUSINESS AS USUAL AFTER

THE ELECTION. END COMMENT.

MCDONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

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