The Roy Bennett Wikileaks cables

Roy Bennett has been a pain in the neck of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front since he joined the Movement for Democratic Change. The party first chased him off his farm, claimed he was involved in an attempt to assassinate President Robert Mugabe, hounded him out of Parliament, forced him into exile, refused to appoint him deputy Minister of Agriculture. But the man, popularly known in Chimanimani as Pachedu, still hangs on as the chief fund-raiser of the MDC. There are 117 cables on him. Here they are.

117-US embassy said Chinamasa was biggest obstacle to reform

116-History of ANC and ZANU-PF not as close as people think

115-Why Mutsekwa and Mohadi worked well together

114-Investors showing renewed interest in Zimbabwe

113-Bennett said MDC is good at campaigning not governing

112-Tomana impeached Hitschmann

111-Did negotiators agree on pirate radio stations?

110-Biti said Mujuru and Mnangagwa are unelectable

109-Tsvangirai said he would not budge on Bennett

108-ZANU-PF not ready for a woman president

107-Gono not formally joining ZANU-PF

106-Judge says Hitschmann’s evidence is inadmissible

105-Bennett’s lawyers challenged judge’s impartiality

104-Lawyer arrested over Bennett testimony

103-SADC was getting impatient with Zimbabwe

102-Biti said Gono was a thief

101-ZANU-PF’s outstanding issues

100-Tomana said Bennett was a national security threat

99-Mugabe a superb debater

98-Botswana had serious doubts about Tsvangirai’s leadership

97-Mutambara queried why Mugabe was refusing to swear in Bennett

96-Hungwe most independent judge!

95-Tsvangirai said Bennett was being persecuted because he was white

94-Tsvangirai said ZANU-PF was taking him for a ride

93-MDC pull out in 2009 was all a façade

92-US to work with Mai Mujuru as she might be next president

91-Biti says Mugabe is tired

90-Tsvangirai frustrated but he cannot leave inclusive government

89-Tsvangirai says Mugabe is a tyrant

88-Zimbabwe riskiest investment destination?

87-Zuma to be tougher on Mugabe than Mbeki says Mantashe

86-US embassy said no one is keen on elections

85-Magistrate acquitted

84-Tomana refused to budge

83-Sibotshiwe said Tsvangirai was losing support

82-Politically motivated prosecutions futile

81-Ministers gave principals one week to report on outstanding issues

80-Bennett’s trial date set

79-MDC majority threatened by arrests

78-Bennett said villagers spoke about two main issues: Gono and justice

77-Johnnie Carson said Mugabe’s stay in power is infinite

76-Deal but no deal

75-Biti, Chamisa piled pressure on Tsvangirai to deal with Mugabe

74-Mtetwa said GPA will not work as long as Tomana is AG

73-Biti described Mugabe as bosom buddy, lambasted Mnangagwa

72-Mugabe denied he had anything against Bennett

71-Tsvangirai’s honeymoon over

70-Meeting flops because no one knows who does what

69-Tsvangirai said Mnangagwa was targetting him

68-Mpofu denied there were deaths at Chiadzwa

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

66-Bennett sworn is as senator but not as minister

65-Bennett freed, magistrate arrested

64-Chinamasa blocked Bennett’s release

63-Zimbabwe up for sale

62-Bennett granted bail but not released

61-Mugabe outmanoeuvred MDC to increase size of cabinet

60-Roy Bennett the odd one out

59-Donors set conditions to bail out Tsvangirai and Biti

58-Bennett arrested before swearing in

57-Tsvangirai told McGee inclusive government would work

56-Bennett named deputy minister

55-Bennett said the MDC did not want to be seen as the spoiler

54-Three MDC power centres hampered progress

53-Bennett said ZANU-PF leaders are sacrificing Zimbabweans for their avarice

52-MDC advisor said the party will fall apart as soon as Mugabe goes

51-Bennett said Masiyiwa was a control freak

50-Bennett changes mind, upbeat about run-off

49-MDC advisor said Bennett was more emotional than rational

48-Bennett was not prepared for any compromise

47-Bennett said Zimbabweans in the diaspora were divided and tribalist

46-Makoni said Tsvangirai was influenced too much by Masiyiwa and Bennett

45-MDC campaign funds used by party bigwigs!

44-Makoni said Tsvangirai was influenced too much by Masiyiwa and Bennett

43-Bennett predicted shock victory for MDC in 2008

42-Mbeki gave Mugabe three options before 2008 elections

41-Bennett said US funded Mbeki campaign against Zuma

40-Bennett suggested using IDAZIM as vehicle for funding

39-Bennett “over the moon” with Tsvangirai’s leadership

38-Bennett planned to retire if MDC did not win 2008 elections

37-USAID funded MDC officials’ trip to SADC summit in Lusaka

36-Mutsekwa said army was disenchanted with Mugabe

35-Botswana wanted to “take the gloves off” with Mugabe

34-ZANU-PF fails to turn up for talks

33-Bennett kept million-dollar funding to MDC secret to keep vultures at bay

32-Bennett claimed South Africa funded Mutambara faction

31-Chikane said Mugabe was a madman

30-Bennett frustrated by ethnic divisions within MDC in South Africa

29-Tsvangirai said Bennett’s exile was good for fund-raising

28-Biti said Bennett was culturally Zimbabwean

27-South Africa initially denied Bennett asylum

26-Bennett earmarked for fundraising

25-MDC elected Bennett treasurer in absentia

24-Bennett fled to London

23-Bennett implicated in Mugabe assassination plot

22-Bennett arrested on arms charges

21-Bennett was determined to get rid of Tsvangirai’s kitchen cabinet

20-Bennett, Biti and Coltart were disappointed with both Tsvangirai and Ncube

19-Bennett, Biti and Coltart were disappointed with both Tsvangirai and Ncube

18-Tsvangirai said Bennett needed strategic vision

17-Bennett said Tsvangirai was the MDC’s only chance

16-Biti asked: Why should Tsvangirai be held to a higher standard?

15-What the numbers said

14-Three ways to steal an election

13-Court about turn

12-Court ruled Bennett was eligible for election

11-Bennett barred from contesting elections

10-MDC thought it could win 85 seats in 2005

9-Arda sold Bennett’s coffee for $200 000

8-ZANU-PF opens election space

7-ZANU-PF demonstrated against Bennett for beating up Chinamasa

6-Bennett organised workshop to assess MDC leadership

5-Bennett said his farm workers were being held at ransom

4-Police seize Bennett’s farm

3-Bennett said MDC groups sold each other out

2-Bennett arrested during spate of violence and intimidation

1-Bennett said hard-line elements in ZANU-PF can be very unpredictable

(33 VIEWS)

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