Former Economic Planning Minister Elton Mangoma told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGhee two months after the formation of the inclusive government that President Robert Mugabe was playing a conciliatory and constructive role in cabinet. So, though the Movement for Democratic Change ultimately wanted to see him go, it had no desire at that time to push him out.
Mangoma said without the presence of Mugabe, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front could well split apart and jeopardise Zimbabwe’s stability.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE278, AMBASSADOR’S CALL ON ZIM MINISTER OF ECONOMIC
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Reference ID |
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VZCZCXRO7797
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0278 0921457
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 021457Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4317
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2752
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2874
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1320
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2139
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2495
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2922
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5363
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2041
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000278
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B.WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR J. HARMON AND L. DOBBINS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2019
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR’S CALL ON ZIM MINISTER OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
REF: HARARE 240
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (b) and (d)
¶1. (SBU) The Ambassador called on Elton Mangoma, MDC
Minister of Economic Development, on April 2. Mangoma
discussed the overall political situation and made the
following salient points:
¶2. (C) The MDC was pleased with the SADC Summit last weekend
in Swaziland. SADC emphasized that the letter and spirit of
the Inter-Party Agreement between ZANU-PF and the MDC should
be observed. Mugabe had a good meeting — for the first time
in a while, the meeting was not contentious — and he was
afforded legitimacy by SADC.
¶3. (C) At the SADC meeting, South Africa promised US$30
million in budgetary support which was a life-saver for the
cash-strapped Zimbabwean government. (NOTE: We understand
this will be over three months. END NOTE.) US$50 million in
credit guarantees was also welcome, but Zimbabwe’s private
sector needs much more.
¶4. (C) Zimbabwe is moving in an irreversible direction. The
country as a whole and senior levels of ZANU-PF are now
accepting this. The MDC is trying to consolidate change
through, for example, a land audit and the constitutional
process, but is hampered by a lack of funds for these and
other projects.
¶5. (C) President Robert Mugabe is playing a conciliatory and
constructive role in Cabinet. Without the presence of
Mugabe, ZANU-PF could well split apart and jeopardize
Zimbabwe’s stability. ZANU-PF hardliners are being
increasingly isolated. While the MDC would ultimately like
to see Mugabe go, it has no desire at this time to push him
out.
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COMMENT
——-
¶6. (C) We find a sense of confidence and assertiveness on
the part of our MDC interlocutors. At the same time, whether
we are talking with Mangoma, Minister of Finance Tendai Biti,
Minister of Education David Coltart, or others, there is
continual concern about the lack of expertise and staff
support within the ministries and, most importantly, the lack
of resources to simultaneously pay civil service salaries,
meet recurrent expenses, and invest in capital
infrastructure. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
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