One of the principal negotiators for the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front Nicholas Goche was holding talks with the Movement for Democratic Change regarding President Robert Mugabe’s exit, days after the 29 March 2008 elections.
The election results were not yet officially out but the MDC was planning to announce its own results on 2 April which would show that its leader Morgan Tsvangirai had won 50.3 percent of the vote but this had to be postponed.
The MDC was insisting that it would not negotiate a government of national unity.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE261, SITUATION REPORT: MDC POSTPONES ANNOUNCEMENT OF
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO0968
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0261 0930952
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 020952Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTA|VJ6.AQTRRA 1264
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1621
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2043
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4474
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1114
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000261
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: 04/02/2018
SUBJECT: SITUATION REPORT: MDC POSTPONES ANNOUNCEMENT OF
RESULTS
REF: HARARE 259 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
¶1. (C) The MDC postponed a planned 10 am announcement of its
own election tally until later today. President Morgan
Tsvangirai’s assistant, who has been coordinating the
SIPDIS
collection of results, told us the MDC’s calculation is that
Tsvangirai has won 50.3 percent of the vote. He also stated
SIPDIS
that the MDC has had talks with ZANU-PF’s Nicholas Goche, who
is representing Mugabe regarding an exit for Mugabe. The MDC
would not negotiate, however, a government of national unity.zQVQ#Qtout
the final presidential result. The Embassy’s EAC will meet
at 3 pm to review scenarios, risks and precautions.
MCGEE
(54 VIEWS)
