The United States embassy said though the full extent of President Robert Mugabe’s assets was not known, they were rumoured to exceed US$1 billion in 2001, the majority of which were likely to be invested outside Zimbabwe, according to a cable released by Wikileaks.
Although Mugabe’s wealth and that of his lieutenants were all based on rumours and the embassy had no reliable information, the cable, which was dispatched on 29 August 2001 was marked secret.
It said inside Zimbabwe, Mugabe’s assets were reported to be in the form of real property. He and his wife had six residences, including a multi-storey mansion that was still under construction in Harare. He was also said to have a number of farms around the country.
“Post has no reliable information on, nor the resources or expertise to determine, the nature and extent of Mugabe’s overseas assets. They are rumoured to include everything from secret accounts in Switzerland, the Channel Islands, and the Bahamas to castles in Scotland.”
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE2547, ASSETS OF PRESIDENT MUGABE AND SENIOR GOZ AND
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
291249Z Aug 01
SECRET PTQ2521
PAGE 01 HARARE 02547 01 OF 02 291300Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00
SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00
H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 L-00 VCE-00 MMP-00 AC-01
NSAE-00 OIG-03 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00
P-00 SP-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 LBA-00
PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /009W
——————1842A8 291300Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9578
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002547
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/11
SUBJECT: ASSETS OF PRESIDENT MUGABE AND SENIOR GOZ AND
RULING PARTY LEADERS (C-TN1-01067)
REF: A) HARARE 2379, B) STATE 141230
SECRET
PAGE 02 HARARE 02547 01 OF 02 291300Z
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL OFFICER TODD FAULK FOR REASONS:
1.5 (B) AND (D).
¶1. (C) BELOW ARE EMBASSY HARARE’S RESPONSES TO REF B
TASKING QUESTIONS:
¶A. (S) THE FULL EXTENT OF PRESIDENT MUGABE’S ASSETS ARE
UNKNOWN, BUT ARE RUMORED TO EXCEED US$1 BILLION IN
VALUE, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE LIKELY INVESTED OUTSIDE
ZIMBABWE. INSIDE ZIMBABWE, THE BULK OF MUGABE’S ASSETS
ARE REPORTED TO BE IN THE FORM OF REAL PROPERTY — HE
AND HIS WIFE HAVE SIX RESIDENCES, INCLUDING A MULTI-
STORY MANSION STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN HARARE, IN
ADDITION TO A NUMBER OF FARMS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
MUGABE’S NEPHEW, LEO, IS CHAIRMAN OF INTEGRATED
ENGINEERING GROUP, A FIRM THAT RECEIVED THE MULTI-
MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT TO BUILD THE NEW INTERNATIONAL
TERMINAL AT HARARE AIRPORT (THE TERMINAL OPENED TO
TRAFFIC IN APRIL 2001). WE CAN ONLY PRESUME THAT LEO
MUGABE MADE SEVERAL MILLION US DOLLARS, AT LEAST, FROM
THE DEAL.
¶B. (S) POST HAS NO RELIABLE INFORMATION ON, NOR THE
RESOURCES OR EXPERTISE TO DETERMINE, THE NATURE AND
EXTENT OF MUGABE’S OVERSEAS ASSETS. THEY ARE RUMORED TO
INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM SECRET ACCOUNTS IN SWITZERLAND,
THE CHANNEL ISLANDS, AND THE BAHAMAS TO CASTLES IN
SCOTLAND.
¶C. (S) POST HAS NO FIRM INFORMATION ON THE ASSETS OF
SECRET
PAGE 03 HARARE 02547 01 OF 02 291300Z
MUGABE’S ASSOCIATES. SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT MNANGAGWA,
JOHN BREDENKAMP AND BILLY RAUTENBAUCH ARE KNOWN TO BE
MAJOR BENEFICIARIES OF ZIMBABWE’S MILITARY CONTRACTS AND
MINING CONCESSIONS IN THE DRC, AND THEY ARE PRESUMED TO
CHANNEL SOME OF THAT WEALTH TO MUGABE. HOW MUCH WEALTH
IS GENERATED OR HELD BY THESE INDIVIDUALS IS UNKNOWN.
MNANGAGWA IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF
CONGO AND LIKELY HAS A STAKE IN THE BANK’S MANAGEMENT
CONTRACT WITH A ZIMBABWEAN FIRM. BREDENKAMP’S COMPANY
TREMALT IS REPORTED TO HAVE A 20 PERCENT STAKE IN THE
DRC MINING PARASTATAL GECAMINES, WHICH HAS GRANTED
SUBSTANTIAL MINING CONCESSIONS TO ZIMBABWEAN COMPANIES
CONTROLLED BY ZANU-PF.
¶D. (S) WE HAVE NO INDICATIONS OF SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENTS
OF ASSETS INTO OR OUT OF ZIMBABWE BY GOZ OR ZANU-PF
OFFICIALS.
¶E. (S) WE HAVE NO INFORMATION ON MONEY LAUNDERING
THROUGH BANKS INSIDE OR OUTSIDE ZIMBABWE.
¶F. (S) MUGABE HAS THREE YOUNG CHILDREN (TWO SONS AND A
DAUGHTER) BY HIS CURRENT WIFE GRACE, AND THEY ALL ATTEND
PREPARATORY SCHOOLS IN HARARE. IT IS UNKNOWN WHERE
GRACE’S CHILDREN FROM A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE ATTEND SCHOOL.
JUSTICE MINISTER PATRICK CHINAMASA HAS A DAUGHTER IN A
MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE, AND ANOTHER CHILD IS SOON
PLANNING TO ATTEND AN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY. MNANGAGWA
HAS TWO DAUGHTERS ATTENDING A TEXAS COLLEGE, AND POLICE
COMMISSIONER AUGUSTINE CHIHURI HAS A DAUGHTER IN A TEXAS
COLLEGE AND A SON IN A CALIFORNIA SCHOOL. HOME AFFAIRS
SECRET
PAGE 04 HARARE 02547 01 OF 02 291300Z
MINISTER AND ZANU-PF CHAIRMAN JOHN NKOMO REPORTEDLY HAS
TWO CHILDREN STUDYING IN THE U.S. MUGABE’S CHIEF OF
PROTOCOL IN THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE, AMBASSADOR
MUNYARADZI SAM KAJESE (AND FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER), HAS
THREE CHILDREN ATTENDING U.S. COLLEGES. WE HAVE NO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON WHETHER OTHER SENIOR
GOVERNMENT OR RULING PARTY OFFICIALS HAVE CHILDREN IN
U.S. SCHOOLS. WE HAVE NO INDICATION THAT A GREATER THAN
NORMAL EFFORT IS UNDERWAY TO SEND SENIOR OFFICIALS’
CHILDREN TO SCHOOLS IN THE U.S. OR EUROPE.
¶G. (S) THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCREASE IN VISA
APPLICATIONS BY SENIOR OFFICIALS OR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS
FOR TRAVEL TO THE WEST.
¶H. (S) WE HAVE NO DETAILS ON FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
WHERE GOZ OR ZANU-PF OFFICIALS MAY HOLD ASSETS.
¶2. (C) COMMENT: WE ADMIT THIS IS VERY THIN GRUEL, BUT
WE BELIEVE IT WILL TAKE EXTRAORDINARY MEANS — BOTH
SOURCES AND METHODS — TO DEVELOP THE DETAILED RESPONSES
SOUGHT IN REF B. WE LEAVE IT TO WASHINGTON TO DETERMINE
THE VALUE OF DEPLOYING ADDITIONAL ASSETS — BOTH
COMMERCIAL AND INTELLIGENCE ONES — TO ACQUIRE THIS
SECRET
SECRET PTQ2522
PAGE 01 HARARE 02547 02 OF 02 291300Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00
DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00 L-00 VCE-00 MMP-00 AC-01 NSAE-00
OIG-03 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00
SP-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 LBA-00 PRM-01
DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /009W
——————1842AA 291300Z /38
P 291249Z AUG 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9579
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
S E C R E T SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 002547
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/11
SUBJECT: ASSETS OF PRESIDENT MUGABE AND SENIOR GOZ AND
RULING PARTY LEADERS (C-TN1-01067)
INFORMATION. WE THINK THAT A FIRM LIKE KROLL ASSOCIATES
SECRET
PAGE 02 HARARE 02547 02 OF 02 291300Z
COULD BEGIN TO UNCOVER SOME ADDITIONAL ASSETS LINKED TO
THE ZIMBABWE LEADERSHIP, BUT DOUBT THAT MUCH WOULD SHOW
UP IN THE U.S. END COMMENT.
ROTH
SECRET
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