Mutambara sought coalition with Tsvangirai

Arthur Mutambara and his secretary-general Welshman Ncube, both beaten in the general elections, promised to back Morgan Tsvangirai in the presidential elections run-off if he provided their faction with government positions and ambassadorships.

Though the Mutambara faction won 10 seats, it was a key broker because the two key parties, MDC Tsvangirai and ZANU-PF were almost locked at 99 and 97 seats, respectively.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 08HARARE295, SITUATION REPORT: STILL NO RESULTS

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VZCZCXRO6571

OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN

DE RUEHSB #0295 0991646

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

O 081646Z APR 08

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2740

INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1898

RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2021

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RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE

RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1153

RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000295

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: 04/08/2018

TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC ZI

SUBJECT: SITUATION REPORT: STILL NO RESULTS

REF: HARARE 278 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)

¶1. (C) The High Court Judge hearing the MDC’s application to

force the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to announce

electoral results ruled today that the matter was “urgent”

and began hearing the merits of the case. A decision is

expected as early as tomorrow; attorneys for the MDC are not

optimistic, given the highly-charged political nature of the

case and ZANU-PF’s influence over the courts.

¶2. (SBU) Rumors abound about the delay, although reliable

information is hard to come by.

–Some believe the delay in announcing results is due to the

fact that Tsvangirai has over 50 percent of the vote and

ZANU-PF is attempting to fudge the numbers to require a

runoff.

–The Herald reported that five ZEC polling station

supervisors were arrested in connection with alleged voter

fraud, and there are reports that ZANU-PF is alleging fraud

in 16 constituencies and will seek a reelection as opposed to

a runoff.

–There are also rumors that Mugabe has taken the position

that a runoff would legally be required 21 days from the day

of the election rather than the date of the announcement of

results, that the ZEC is not prepared for a runoff election,

and that he intends to delay the announcement until the 21

days has expired and then announce the date for a runoff.

–We have heard that military units have been deployed to

rural areas to distribute food and to prepare voters to vote

for ZANU-PF.

¶3. (C) In a phone conversation April 8, Strive Masiyiwa told

the Ambassador that Arthur Mutambara and Welshman Ncube had

met with Morgan Tsvangirai and other MDC officials last

weekend and had agreed to a coaltion government that would

provide the MDC Mutambara faction with government positions

and ambassadorships. Mutambara and his people would back

Tsvangirai in a runoff election.

SIPDIS

¶4. (C) Masiyiwa also told the Ambassador that at least 25

ZANU-PF parliamentarians-elect were prepared to cross the

aisle once the House of Assembly is convened and support the

MDC. Under Zimbabwe’s Westminister system, they would be

expelled from the party and then would presumably stand as

MDC candidates in by-elections.

¶5. (U) Harare remains calm and business proceeds as usual,

although people are anxiously awaiting election results.

MCGEE

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