It was a rare week in Harare as the funeral of Susan Tsvangirai united politicians from both the Movement for democratic change and the Zimbabwe African National Union- patriotic Front.
United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee even commented: “This has been a rare week of civil political discourse and gestures in Zimbabwe with Mugabe and the MDC showering each other with roses.
“The Herald, which traditionally has either criticised Tsvangirai or ignored him, prominently and positively reported on the week’s events involving Susan Tsvangirai.”
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE217, A TRUCE IN THE WAR OF WORDS IN ZIMBABWE
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Reference ID |
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VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSB #0217/01 0711303
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121303Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTAT WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4214
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2689
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2810
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1274
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2078
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2434
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2858
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5297
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1980
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000217
SENSITIVE
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
E.O. 12958: N/A
SUBJECT: A TRUCE IN THE WAR OF WORDS IN ZIMBABWE
HARARE 00000217 001.5 OF 002
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (SBU) This week has been dominated by a church service
and public memorial for Susan Tsvangirai, and a public
internment. President Robert Mugabe had conciliatory words
for Morgan Tsvangirai at the church service; Tsvangirai’s
eldest son and MDC secretary general and GOZ finance minister
Tendai Biti reciprocated at the memorial and internment
respectively. Separately, the MDC had praise for retired
general Vitalis Zvinavashe who died this week. END SUMMARY.
—————————–
In Memory of Susan Tsvangirai
—————————–
¶2. (U) The Methodist memorial church service for Susan
Tsvangirai on March 10 was attended by several hundred people
including President Robert Mugabe, the two vice presidents,
the two deputy prime ministers, government ministers from
both parties, and diplomats. Mugabe was the only politician
to speak. In a lengthy address, he said the car crash was
the “hand of god” and that all, including Morgan Tsvangirai
and his family, should accept it as such. He said it would
take time for Morgan Tsvangirai to recover, and that “we are
with” the prime minister during this day and the days to
follow. He stated that all, including himself, were doing
their best to create a conducive environment in Zimbabwe for
the government of national unity to succeed, and that the
days of violence must now end. He went on to eulogize Susan
Tsvangirai, and urged the Tsvangirai children to honor their
mother by working hard to succeed in life.
¶3. (U) Later in the day, a public memorial was held at
Glamis Stadium and was attended by between 10 and 15 thousand
people. (The MDC estimated the crowd at 30 thousand.) The
event resembled an MDC political rally. No ZANU-PF officials
attended. Speakers included Biti, representatives of the MDC
women’s and youth leagues, and representatives of civil
society organizations allied with the MDC, including Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), National Constitution
Assembly (NCA), and women’s and youth groups. The general
theme was reconciliation. Discordant notes were booing at
the mention of MDC-M leader Arthur Mutambara (who was in
attendance), and a student leader’s comments that, given
Zimbabwe’s history, the death of Susan Tsvangirai was
suspicious and an investigation was necessary. Notably,
Tsvangirai’s eldest son referred to Mugabe’s remarks, praised
them for their conciliatory and fatherly tone, and said he
had become aware of another side of Mugabe.
¶4. (U) The internment of Susan Tsvangirai took place in
Buhera, the Tsvangirai family home, on March 11. (NOTE: The
Tsvangirais were traveling to Buhera last week for a rally
when the fatal accident occurred. END NOTE.) About 5,000
people attended, many traveling long distances. Again
notably, Tendai Biti, who publicly and privately has been one
of Mugabe’s most outspoken critics, thanked Mugabe for his
conciliatory words the day before and, like Tsvangirai’s son,
Qconciliatory words the day before and, like Tsvangirai’s son,
said Mugabe had revealed another side: “I think many of us
are transiting to understand him better and I think yesterday
(Tuesday) we saw a part that we are not used to and that part
is he is also human…He is also a human being like all of
us, if you get that message he gave at the church service, he
was speaking not as a politician but as a father.”
¶5. (U) In addition to Ambassador McGee, ambassadors from the
EC, Germany, Sweden, Namibia, Kenya, and Tanzania attended.
High-level government officials from Malawi and Zambia were
also present. Ambassador McGee arrived after proceedings had
HARARE 00000217 002 OF 002
begun. As he walked past the sitting crowd, he was
recognized by master of ceremonies Nelson Chamisa. Everyone
turned toward the Ambassador, raised an open hand in the
traditional MDC salute, and chanted “McGee” in appreciation
for his presence.
———————-
MDC Praises Zvinavashe
———————-
¶6. (U) General Vitalis Zvinavashe died on March 10. A
liberation fighter, he replaced Solomon Mujuru as commander
of the army in 1992 and in 1994 became Zimbabwe’s first
commander of defense forces. On the eve of the 2002
presidential election, Zvinavashe, in a clear rebuke to
Morgan Tsvangirai, said the service chiefs would only
recognize a president who had participated in the liberation
struggle.
¶7. (U) Zvinavashe ran for Parliament in March 2008 and lost
to the MDC candidate. He told other ZANU-PF candidates to
“accept the reality” that the MDC had won, and urged people
to preserve peace. In the last year, he reportedly has been
a behind-the-scenes critic of Mugabe.
¶8. (U) The MDC issued a statement praising Zvinavashe as a
liberation hero and mourning his death. MDC representatives
will reportedly attend his funeral.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶9. (SBU) This has been a rare week of civil political
discourse and gestures in Zimbabwe with Mugabe and the MDC
showering each other with roses. The Herald, which
traditionally has either criticized Tsvangirai or ignored
him, prominently and positively reported on the week’s events
involving Susan Tsvangirai. (A noteworthy exception to a
week of mostly objective journalism was a front-page article
in The Herald reproducing an on-line commentary by Jonathan
Moyo. Moyo suggested a suspicious connection between the
attack of Air Marshall Perence Shiri (noting that a USAID
driver was arrested), and the death of Susan Tsvangirai
(erroneously claiming the driver of the truck was a USAID
employee). It remains to be seen whether ZANU-PF will match
conciliatory words with actions. Short-term we will look to
see, inter alia, whether remaining detainees are released,
whether there is an agreement on permanent secretaries and
governors, and whether Parliament begins to take action to
establish an independent Media Commission to liberalize the
media environment and to repeal repressive legislation.
¶10. (SBU) In the short-term, at least, the death of his wife
has created enormous sympathy and support for Tsvangirai, and
the MDC itself feels that it has momentum. A Tsvangirai aide
told us Tsvangirai will take two weeks off before resuming
his duties. (The Herald reported today that Jacob Zuma had
offered Tsvangirai and his family a place to stay in South
Africa.) It will be important for Deputy Prie Minister
Khupe who will be acting prime minister in Tsvagirai’s
absence, Biti, and others to sustain this momentum until
Tsvangirai returns.
MCGEE
(38 VIEWS)
