Retired general Solomon Mujuru pledged to support Movement for Democratic Change presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai if President Robert Mugabe tried to steal the 2008 elections through violence or otherwise.
Tsvangirai told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGhee that he had spoken to Mujuru who had since realised that support for Simba Makoni was thin and it was better to support Tsvangirai as an alternative to Mugabe.
Mujuru still insisted that it was time for Mugabe to go and as soon as possible.
The retired general had never publicly opposed Mugabe but their estrangement was said to be permanent.
Mujuru was convinced that Mugabe would lose the elections but he was hedging his bets in case Mugabe survived the election so that he could actively oppose him from within.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE244, ZIMBABWE: ELECTION EVE UPDATE
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|
Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO7635
RR RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0244/01 0881655
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 281655Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2643
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1848
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1972
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0545
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1249
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1606
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2028
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4459
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1099
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000244
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL,
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2018
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE: ELECTION EVE UPDATE
REF: A. PRETORIA 604
¶B. HARARE 233
¶C. HARARE 228
¶D. HARARE 206
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) With less than 15 hours before polls open, our
assessments remain essentially the same. The MDC and Morgan
Tsvangirai have strong and still-growing support. Rigging
SIPDIS
remains the primary obstacle to a Tsvangirai victory, either
on the first or second ballot. Additionally, Tsvangirai and
Simba Makoni have entered into an informal alliance to expose
and oppose vote rigging, and it appears they are trying to
coordinate a response to a proclaimed Mugabe victory. While
post-election violence is a concern, the scope of possible
violence is lessened by the fact that Mugabe has little
support in the military and police, many of whom are seeking
a Mugabe defeat. END SUMMARY.
————————————
Opposition Support…and an Alliance
————————————
¶2. (C) Tsvangirai enjoys continued and growing support
throughout the country. In the rural areas, many people who
previously voted for ZANU-PF are fed up; most of these will
vote for Tsvangirai. Equally important is strong antipathy
toward Mugabe from within the ruling party. An associate of
Solomon Mujuru told us he spoke for Mujuru and most members
of the party Central Committee and Politburo when he said it
was time for Mugabe to go–as soon as possible. Mujuru
realized that Makoni’s support was thin; he would support
Tsvangirai as an alternative to Mugabe.
SIPDIS
¶3. (C) Tsvangirai told the Ambassador this week that he had
spoken to Mujuru, and that Mujuru had pledged support should
Mugabe try to steal the election through force, or otherwise.
Separately, we understand that the Tsvangirai and Makoni
forces have been talking to coordinate a response to a
fraudulently-claimed ZANU-PF victory.
——-
Rigging
——-
¶4. (C) Rigging remains a major concern. Vulnerable points
include fraud in registration, corruption of election
officials at polling stations and tabulation centers
resulting in manipulation of the counting of ballots, and
fraud committed by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in
announcing results. Makoni and Arthur Mutambara held a press
conference yesterday (which Tsvangirai was supposed to
participate in, but he was “urgently” called away), and said
they and Tsvangirai had discussed rigging and responses to
it. They discussed fraud that they had uncovered including a
ward in which 8,000 people were allegedly registered which
was actually an open field. Mutambara and Makoni said they
were consulting with Tsvangirai on a common response to
rigging.
——–
Violence
——–
¶5. (C) All signs point to Mugabe claiming victory whatever
the reality of voting. (COMMENT: Given the strength of
Tsvangirai’s support and the erosion of support for Mugabe,
SIPDIS
HARARE 00000244 002 OF 002
we cannot completely discount a Mugabe defeat, even with
rigging, but such a scenario is unlikely. Mugabe and his
surrogates have stated in so many words that they would not
accept an opposition victory. END COMMENT.) While the
actual opposition response remains to be seen, both
Tsvangirai and Makoni have stated they would not accept a
SIPDIS
fraudulent Mugabe victory and have implied their supporters
would take to the streets to protest. This could provoke a
violent response on the part of the government. Unlike in
the past, however, high-ranking military officers and much of
the rank and file are opposed to Mugabe. ZANU-PF contacts
have told us they are skeptical the military and police would
respond as vigorously as Mugabe might wish.
———-
Other News
———-
¶6. (C) Several sources have told us that Mugabe now has a
Russian plane at his disposal and that he will leave the
country after voting, probably to Malaysia. He has done this
in the past, and we don’t read too much into it at this
point. Should the situation in Zimbabwe become problematic,
though, it would be more difficult to control from outside
the country.
¶7. (C) A Politburo meeting scheduled for last week and
cancelled was rescheduled for Wednesday of this week. It was
again cancelled late yesterday after Mugabe arrived late in
Harare after a campaign rally outside the city. Failure to
hold a meeting may have been a result of Mugabe’s desire to
avoid a confrontation with Mujuru.
¶8. (C) Mujuru failed to come out and publicly oppose Mugabe
before the election. Several sources have told us that,
although Mujuru opposes Mugabe, their estrangement is
permanent, and that Mujuru believes Mugabe will lose, Mujuru
is hedging his bets in case Mugabe survives the election so
that he can actively oppose him from within.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶9. (C) Our best bet at this time is that Mugabe will
successfully rig the election and claim victory. That said,
we are in unchartered waters. Opposition to Mugabe is as
strong as it has ever been; most notable is the strong
opposition from within the party and from erstwhile comrades
in arms such as Solomon Mujuru. The election and
post-election could play out in ways that are not now
obvious. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
(16 VIEWS)
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