John Nkomo is one of the political survivors from the former Zimbabwe African People’s Union. His rise within the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front has always been viewed with suspicion. He was reportedly too close to President Robert Mugabe. Rumours even said he was related to Mugabe through his brother Albert. Despite all the odds he rose first to national chairman and then vice-president of the party, the highest post any former ZAPU official has ever held. There are about 130 Wikileaks cables on him. Here is the first batch.
121-Jonathan Moyo completes phoenix-like return to ZANU-PF
120-Biti said Mujuru and Mnangagwa are unelectable
119-ZANU-PF an old party with problems
118-VP Mujuru held clandestine meeting with US ambassador
117-ZANU-PF not ready for a woman president
116-Why Tsvangirai refused to meet Mbeki and Mugabe
113-John Nkomo of little value to Mugabe
112-Nkomo elected chair of succession committee
111-BBC correspondent complained about CIO meddling
110-Sipepa Nkomo says Mai Mujuru was very critical of ZANU-PF
109-Mugabe, Tsvangirai reward loyalty for cabinet picks
108-Mugabe outmanoeuvred MDC to increase size of cabinet
107-Mai Mujuru tried to outmanoeuvre Mnangagwa during unity talks
106-Manicaland a hotbed of opposition to Mugabe
105-Mujuru wanted Mugabe to go because his business was being affected
104-Zvoma forced to terminate US support to parliament
103-Nkomo asked Motlanthe for help to ease Mugabe out
102-SA opposed extension of Mugabe’s term- Masamvu
101-US funded programme helped expose corruption?
100-Gono would be massacred if he entered politics- Shamuyarira
99-ZANU-PF knew how to fix the economy but….
98-Tsvangirai leads march on parliament
97-Mutare bishop felt Mujuru was key to any political agreement
96-Nkomo warned NGOs not to dabble in politics
95-Gono said Mutasa had no place after Mugabe
94-Bennett said Tsvangirai was the MDC’s only chance
93-Embassy wanted Nkomo’s wife added to sanctions list
92-Mugabe relies on the same cast of characters
91-Makoni said Mugabe respected and liked self-made businesspersons
90-MDC MPs admit support for party is more of opposition to ZANU-PF
89-CFU president preferred a moderate ZANU-PF to an MDC government
88-MDC MPs on why Mugabe was more tolerant in 2005
87-CFU said plight of white farmers is improving
86-Mnangagwa beat Mujuru in 2004 but Mugabe rejected the results- Wikileaks
85-Mnangagwa Zimbabwe’s Gorbachev!
84-Nkomo oft-cited to take over from Mugabe?
83-Pressure on white farmers boiling
82-Embassy says Mugabe covered up for Mnangagwa!
81-Gono called Mugabe on speakerphone for CFU president
80-Nkomo was powerless on land reform
79-CFU wanted to merge with ICFU to save its members
78-Nkomo and Jonathan Moyo sparred over multiple farm ownership
77-Government threatened to nationalise Save Valley Conservancy
76-John Nkomo and Jonathan Moyo did not see eye-to-eye
75-Who paid for Mugabe’s Borrowdale home?
74-US ambassador says John Nkomo is too timid to assert himself
73-Can black and white farmers join forces?
72-Nkomo dodged ambassador on key issues
71-Speedier evictions without Made
70-Tourism holds Zimbabwe’s best potential for recovery
69-Did government plan to nationalise conservancies?
68-Nkomo said he wanted to end multiple farm ownership
67-Makoni says removal of lands from Made a positive step
66-Industry happy that land was removed from Made
65-Cabinet reshuffle shows power of hardliners and military- Wikileaks
64-Mugabe singles out Jonathan Moyo for praise at conference
63-Muzenda wanted Zvinavashe to replace him- Wikileaks
62-Bishop says Mugabe is cordoned off
61-SA ambassador said Mugabe told Annan he was ready to step down
60-ZANU-PF became anti-democratic after formation of MDC
59-Bishops happy MDC and ZANU-PF leaders met at Muzenda’s funeral
58-Five questions that ZANU-PF wanted MDC to answer
57-Chindori-Chininga’s take on the succession issue
56-Bishops upbeat after meeting Nkomo
55-US not allowed to help MDC set up office in Washington
54-Ambassador says Nkomo long on bonhomie poor on substance
53-Nkomo says headmen know their communities better than NGOs
52-Mugabe’s potential successor according to Tsvangirai
51-Nkomo arranged bishops’ meeting with Mugabe
50-Gandi Mudzingwa said the MDC does not have anybody beyond Tsvangirai
49-Why Mugabe did not want to talk to Tsvangirai
47-Tsvangirai asked US to press South Africa for genuine dialogue
46-Nigerian ambassador said Nkomo could succeed Mugabe
45-How church leaders tried to open dialogue between ZANU-PF and MDC
44-Bishops tell MDC that ZANU-PF is willing to talk
43-Bishops draw up a vision for Zimbabwe
42-US ambassador says Makoni is a breath of fresh air
41-Mpofu, Nkomo say chiefs to distribute food
40-Nkomo not happy with war vets leader’s speech
39-Did Mugabe groom Nkomo for vice-Presidency?
38-Mugabe rewards loyalty not competence
37-Mugabe is the most dangerous person to interests of Western powers
36-Paper describes government as regime gone berserk
35-Paper calls on government to ban rogue NGOs
34-Nkomo threatened to revoke passports of those campaigning for sanctions
33-Msika, Nkomo and Ndlovu wanted Mugabe to go
32-Sikhanyiso Nlodvu’s college burnt by MDC supporters
31-Government crack down on MDC after murder of Cain Nkala
30-Mugabe had assets worth more than US$1 billion in 2001- Wikileaks
29-How to get Mugabe to step down
28-Nkomo orders end of reign of terror by war vets
27-Mugabe says if the British won’t honour their obligations, we won’t either
26-Mugabe’s presidential succession race down to two runners
25-Zvobgo supporters boycott sham party elections
24-US embassy says Mugabe will not be pushed off the scene
23-Mugabe, Mbeki and Obasanjo held a highly secret meeting
22-Gumbo says the government is there to govern
21-Cross, Stevenson wanted Mugabe impeached- Wikileaks
20-Mugabe believes he is the only one who can hold ZANU-PF together
19-Mugabe protects those who carried out his dirty deeds
17-Commercial farmers go for broke
16-John Nkomo says MDC bombed its own headquarters
15-Government trying to throttle off MDC
14-Chamisa and Gandi Mudzingwa quizzed over arms caches
13-Mnangagwa says disruption is cost of redistributing land
12-Farmers urge US to push Mbeki to put pressure on Mugabe
11-War veterans demonstrate against Nkomo
10-Nkomo tells US to leave Zimbabwe alone
9-US embassy says Mugabe sees himself as the Fidel Castro of Southern Africa
8-US says its public diplomacy has paid off in Zimbabwe
7-Mugabe’s cabinet composed of place holders
6-MDC victory in 2000 could have been destabilising
5-Msipa says Mugabe and Mnangagwa sponsored violence by war vets
4-US embassy says Mugabe is using land as a smokescreen
3-Court orders war vets off farms but Mugabe unmoved
2-Nkomo says no harm will come to Tsvangirai
1-US embassy felt John Nkomo was a shrewd politician way back in 1988
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