Categories: Stories

The Patrick Chinamasa Wikileaks cables

Patrick Chinamasa has been one of the longest serving Justice Ministers in Zimbabwe. There is a reason for that. He is a shrewd political tactician, and a close confidante of President Robert Mugabe. Chinamasa who left his private practice first to become attorney-general and then Justice Minister was the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front’s chief negotiator in the talks that ultimately led to the formation of the inclusive government. Some observers say Chinamasa is one of Mugabe’s favourites because he always gets his way without breaking the law. There are more than 190 cables on him. Here is the first batch.

179-US embassy says Chinamasa is biggest obstacle to reform

178-Chinamasa asks EU commissioner who are you?

177-Film on plight of black farm workers

176-Zimbabwe withdraws from SADC tribunal

175-Chinamasa the only ZANU-PF heavyweight at Tsvangirai function

174-Chinamasa said SABC was lying

173-Mugabe constrained by hardliners like Chinamasa

172-MDC’s Majome says Chinamasa is frank and open but is undermining her

171-Zimbabwe deports UN Special Rapporteur on torture

170-MDC had no plan B

169-Gorden Moyo said without Mugabe there would be chaos

168-Shabanie Mine a ZANU-PF cash cow?

167-Parties reconfigure control of constitutional process

166-Biti says Mpofu is corrupt

165-Tsvangirai frustrated but he cannot leave inclusive government

164-Zimbabwe mooted human trafficking law three years ago

163-Mutasa, Chinamasa, Mohadi sued for $19.2 million

162-MDC favoured people-driven constitution

161-Speaker Moyo on how the constitutional process was supposed to work

160-Chinamasa and Shamu not interested in reform

159-Biti, Chamisa pile pressure on Tsvangirai to deal with Mugabe

158-Who is who in the Parliamentary Select Committee?

157-Tsvangirai said Mnangagwa was targetting him

156-Biti said Gono issue was just academic

155-US embassy showers Biti with praise on his first budget

154-Mai Mujuru sided with MDC to oppose farm invasions

153-Mangoma says Biti “cooked” his first budget with Mugabe

152-US ambassador said it was in US interest to support MDC

151-Chinamasa blocking Bennett’s release

150-Chinamasa dollarises economy

149-Chinamasa survives purge on losers

148-Chinamasa named as one of those benefitting from Chiadzwa

147-Why ZANU-PF did not want to concede Home Affairs

146-Chinamasa’s wife appoints herself councillor

145-US wanted Chinamasa on UN sanctions list

144-Mugabe blamed Chinamasa for poor showing in 2008

143-Biti angry at Chinamasa

142-Chinamasa defends ZBC ban on MDC advertising

141-Chinamasa said Mugabe was ready for Kenyan type GNU

140-Chinamasa says prove it

139-Zambia upset with Chinamasa’s remarks

138-Mugabe, Tsvangirai reward loyalty for cabinet picks

137-Mugabe outmanoeuvred MDC to increase size of cabine

136-Tsvangirai said his first order of business was to replace Gono

135-Inclusive government the only game in town

134-Mugabe cannot drag the country into elections just because he lost

133-Chinamasa out

132-How the US targets people for sanctions

131-Lawyers march ends in violence

130-Chinamasa listed as a human rights abuser

129-Chamisa said Tsvangirai’s US advisor was a big problem

128-Mnangagwa among those who wanted GPA to collapse

127-Parliament tied by delay in reaching agreement

126-Biti said ZANU-PF refused to give in on ministries

125-Welshman Ncube said Mutambara had a fragile ego

124-Masiyiwa said Chinamasa and Goche lacked enough authority

123-Chinamasa’s wife added to financial sanctions list

122-Chinamasa’s children added to sanctions list

121-New parliamentary boundaries

120-Chinamasa rejected the distribution of electronic voters’ roll

119-ZANU-PF opens election space

118-Political tug-of-war- Mugabe versus Tsvangirai

117-Why Tsvangirai refused to meet Mbeki and Mugabe

116-Goche and Chinamasa in MDC talks

115-Mujuru found Tsvangirai more acceptable than Mnangagwa

114-US pushed for military intervention in Zimbabwe

113-Mai Mujuru tried to outmanoeuvre Mnangagwa during unity talks

112-The 14 people the US wanted on the UN sanctions list

111-Why Mugabe went ahead with the presidential elections runoff in 2008

110-US pushed for military intervention in Zimbabwe in 2008

109-Biti ill-treated in jail

108-Tsvangirai told Mbeki he was no match for Mugabe

107-SADC said climate was not right for credible runoff

106-ZESN helped prevent Mugabe from stealing 2008 election

105-Mnangagwa assumed virtual presidency role in runoff

104-Mbeki said Tsvangirai was a western puppet hook, line and sinker

103-ZANUPF rampage continues

102-Vote for Mugabe or else!

101-Trevor Ncube said Mugabe intended to annul 2008 elections

100-Chronology of Zimbabwe talks April to October 2007

99-MDC pressured into signing constitutional amendment

98-Britain refuses to give US information on people targeted for sanctions

97-US embassy gropes for information on people targeted for sanctions

96-ZANU-PF fails to turn up for talks

95-Zimbabwe talks kick off

94-Mbeki wanted Mugabe out before he left office

93-Tsvangirai shocked by Mbeki’s remarks

92-Mutasa said white farmers were “dirt” which needed to be cleansed

91-Gono was aware Masamvu talked to US embassy officials

90-ZANU-PF uses parliamentary majority to amend constitution

89-Lock-step loyalty key for appointment by Mugabe

88-Mugabe relies on the same cast of characters

87-Mavhaire said Mujuru was untouchable

86-MDC tried to lure expelled ZANU-PF politicians ahead of 2005 elections

85-Tsvangirai advisor speaks about challenges to MDC

84-Kasukuwere wanted Chinamasa rubbed out- wife says

83-Gono said he was responsible for Jonathan Moyo’s demise

82-Chinamasa and Jonathan Moyo on their way out because of Tsholotsho?

81-ZANU-PF in the driver’s seat

80-Mujuru told Mnangagwa he would never lead ZANU-PF

79-Dell trashed Sipepa Nkomo’s enthusiasm on opening media space?

78-Mnangagwa said MDC had a habit of changing its mind at 11th hour

77-Mutasa and Mugabe differ with Mnangagwa and Chinamasa on elections

76-MDC was preparing for a Tsvangirai conviction

75-Tsvangirai said ZANU-PF borrowed reform from MDC

74-Squabbles galore in ZANU-PF but….

73-Bennett floors Chinamasa and Mutasa

72-A peek into the MDC

71-CIO keeps Mnangagwa a step ahead of his adversaries

70-Mbeki told Tsvangirai Zimbabweans had to find own solution

69-Chinamasa sent parcel bomb

68-Coltart asks party to boycott elections

67-Ncube says talks are going nowhere

66-Cabinet reshuffle showed power of hardliners and military

65-Made gets his way

64-Chinamasa told Ncube that he was taking instructions directly from Mugabe

63-US embassy says Tsvangirai is too optimistic

62-SA ambassador said Mugabe was well versed with talks

61-Zvobgo’s hospitalisation slows down bills

60-Mugabe told Mbeki he was not aware of the status of the intra-party talks

59-ZANU-PF succession scorecard

58-Chinamasa said USA had lost credibility as an honest broker

57-Nigerian President leaves Zimbabwe empty handed

56-Did Mutasa outsmart Oppah Muchinguri?

54-ZANU-PF became anti-democratic after formation of MDC

53-Mugabe joined Jonathan Moyo and Made in blame game

52-Chinamasa gives in

51-Ncube and Chinamasa were discussing draft constitution way back in 2003

50-Chindori-Chininga’s take on the succession issue

49-Mugabe’s potential successor according to Tsvangirai

48-Too much bickering in ZANU-PF

47-Bishops said they would not allow ZANU-PF to swallow MDC

46-Why Mugabe did not want to talk to Tsvangirai

45-Ambassador described Mugabe as the ultimate hardliner

44-Judge acquitted

43-AIPPA tops the agenda

42-Repressive laws up for amendment

41-Makoni said dismissal of Mudzuri work of Gang of Four

40-Banker said Chinamasa, Made, Moyo and Chombo were enriching themselves

39-Chinamasa told white farmers you got us into this mess, get us out

38-Chinamasa the stumbling block

37-Daily News challenges AIPPA

36-Chinamasa to the rescue

35-Goche listed organisations seeking regime change

34-MP said Mugabe wanted to step down in 2001 but was urged to stay on

33-Mugabe rewards loyalty not competence

32-Mugabe said he means it-gays are worse than dogs and pigs

31-Government said MDC could not hire South African lawyer

30-Lawyer said Mugabe wanted to control professional workers

29-Coltart brushed off threats against him as mind games

28-ZANU-PF requests suspension of talks with MDC

27-MDC files challenge of presidential elections

26-AIPPA passed

25-Journalists arrested for demonstrating against AIPPA

24-Zvobgo said AIPPA was worst law he had come across

23-Military said it will not salute anyone without liberation credentials

22-Mugabe closer to having his ideal court

21-Mnangagwa told US ambassador about his disdain for Jonathan Moyo

20-UNDP rep said ZANU-PF was on a suicidal path

19-Chinamasa said impartiality of NGOs was questionable

18-Judge squealed on his colleagues

17-Mugabe had assets worth more than US$1 billion in 2001- Wikileaks

16-Chinamasa wanted NGOs barred from voter education

15-Mugabe goes for blacker Supreme Court

14-Zvobgo walked out on Chinamasa

13-Chinamasa threw out committee’s findings

12-Chinamasa- liar of extraordinary ability

11-Chidyausiku steps in

10-Gubbay got more than expected

9-Gubbay decided to stick on too

8-Judges decided to stick it out

7-Go or else- another judge told

6-Chinamasa forced Chief Justice to retire

5-Jonathan Moyo, Chinamasa pile pressure on judges

4-Chinamasa sent to World Conference Against Racism

3-MDC impeachment proceedings against Mugabe

2-US said its public diplomacy has paid off in Zimbabwe

1-Chinamasa does whatever Mugabe asks

(49 VIEWS)

This post was last modified on %s = human-readable time difference 7:05 pm

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

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