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The Welshman Ncube Wikileaks cables

Welshman Ncube was the second most powerful person within the Movement for Democratic Change when the party was formed in 1999. His political star, however, began to fade when he led a splinter group in 2005 that insisted that the party should contest the senate elections. A constitutional expert, Ncube may have been right in principle, but the move backfired. Though he allowed Arthur Mutambara to lead the party until he took over, the MDC that Ncube now leads only commands 10 seats in Parliament. It could even lose those seats to either his main rival Morgan Tsvangirai or the resuscitated Zimbabwe African People’s Union led by Dumiso Dabengwa. There are 207 Wikileaks cables on him. Here they are.

207-Cranswick claimed Mpofu forged documents on Marange

206-US ambassador said MDC lacked vision

205-Why no one wants elections- US ambassador says

204-Mutambara won’t win current 10 seats in next elections

203-Biti said Gono was a thief

202-Botswana had serious doubts about Tsvangirai’s leadership

201-Parties reconfigure control of constitutional process

200-Tsvangirai frustrated but he cannot leave inclusive government

199-Mangoma said Zimbabweans must rely on themselves

198-Biti will fail if he tries to take over from Tsvangirai- researcher

197-MDC-T’s dwindling majority

196-Fire MPs or face corruption charges

195-Ncube on diamonds committee

194-MDC favoured people-driven constitution

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

192-Mutambara’s leadership style reminiscent of Mugabe

191-Who is who in the Parliamentary Select Committee?

190-Mugabe said Biti was his best Finance Minister ever

189-Ncube and Misihairabwi-Mushonga wanted sanctions lifted

188-Rare praise for Mutambara

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

186-Gono ZANU-PF’s poster boy for corruption

185-Mugabe, Tsvangirai reward loyalty for cabinet picks

184-Welshman Ncube makes it to cabinet

183-Inclusive government the only game in town

182-Mugabe has mastered the art of sleeping with one ear open

181-Tsvangirai said Mugabe needs me more than I need him

180-SADC put its foot down on formation of inclusive government

179-Wedding of the year

178-US ambassador said there was bad blood between Biti and Ncube

177-Chamisa and Biti did not want GPA

176-Parliament tied by delay in reaching agreement

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

174-Biti said Welshman Ncube betrayed him

173-Welshman Ncube said Mutambara had a fragile ego

172-Biti said anything Mugabe touches is poisoned

171-The role of the Prime Minister

170-Former MDC MP said Mutambara was mentally off

169-Mutambara MPs were ready to ditch candidate a week before elections

168-US asked if MDC was going to be swallowed by ZANU-PF like ZAPU

167-Biti suspicious of Ncube and Misihairabwi-Mushonga

166-Mujuru found Tsvangirai more acceptable than Mnangagwa

165-Mai Mujuru tried to outmanoeuvre Mnangagwa during unity talks

164-Tsvangirai was aware after June 2008 that he could not lead new government

163-Biti was opposed to any government that included Mugabe

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

161-Ncube said unity talks were on

160-Diplomats questioned Tsvangirai’s ability to deliver

159-Tsvangirai galvanised short-lived MDC united front

158-MDC broke after 2008 elections

157-Masiyiwa said 25 ZANU-PF MPs were prepared to cross the floor in 2008

156-How the US viewed the MDC victory in 2008

155-Talks dead, MDC in a quandary

154-Behind the scenes in the run-up to the 2008 elections

153-Masiyiwa promised to fund MDC 2008 campaign

152-MDC sets conditions for SADC agreement

151-Mugabe has to indicate by “body language” he wants change- Biti

150-Chronology of Zimbabwe talks April to October 2007

149-Biti urged more sanctions, Ncube disagreed

148-MDC pressured into signing constitutional amendment

147-Mbeki wanted an election that would not be disputed

146-Khupe brings laughter to the house

145-ZANU-PF wanted elections by March to capitalise on divided opposition

144-Biti told US officials MDC had no chance in the 2008 elections

143-Trevor Ncube said Welshman Ncube is not a politician

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

141-Ncube said pressure from West working but Mugabe preferred African solution

140-Dell said Ncube was a divisive and destructive player

139-Biti said Mufamadi hit the roof after reviewing ZANU-PF paper on talks

138-ZANU-PF fails to turn up for talks

137-Zimbabwe talks kick off

136-Mugabe tried to put Mujuru under surveillance but CIO refused

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

134-Masamvu passed MDC document to US officials

134-Masamvu double-cross

133-Mbeki wanted Mugabe out before he left office

132-Mutambara told Dell that Tsvangirai would be sole MDC candidate

131-Mutambara said Mugabe had betrayed the liberation struggle

130-Chikane said Mugabe was a madman

129-Police crackdown on opposition rallies

128-Mutambara said he had presidential ambitions

127-Tsvangirai said Mutambara was just a figurehead

126-Mutambara and Tsvangirai were for reunification but …

125-Tsvangirai wanted to get Ncube a job in the US to get rid of him

124-Mutambara faction asked for help from US

123-Biti said Mnangagwa and Mujuru were courting Tsvangirai

122-Khupe said security forces were tired of Mugabe

121-Mutambara was not first, second or even third choice for pro-senate MDC leadership!

120-Mutambara believed Zimbabwe could be the Singapore of Africa

119-Mutambara said Tsvangirai has become a “little Mugabe”

118-Coltart said Mutambara was one of Zimbabwe’s brightest sons

117-Mugabe rigid, defiant, isolated

116-Was Mnangagwa promised post of Prime Minister?

115-Pro-senate MDC wanted Shona leader with national appeal

114-Divorce-MDC Style

113-Tsvangirai said South Africa was behind MDC split

112-Mujuru promised to take care of Welshman Ncube

111-Rift between Tsvangirai and Ncube widens

110-Mudzingwa said Tsvangirai won’t compromise

109-Dell said Tsvangirai was the heart and soul of the MDC

108-Gono was aware Masamvu talked to US embassy officials

107-Did Mbeki try to foster an alliance between Ncube and Dabengwa?

106-MDC sought “continued” US Support

105-Mugabe, rumoured to be dead, opens parliament

104-MDC tried to foment disturbances after crackdown on illegal activities

103-Dust up at Harvest House

102-Tsvangirai told Dell that CIO had told him MDC had won over 90 seats

101-Dell brushed off rift between Tsvangirai and Ncube

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

99-Tsvangirai advisor speaks about challenges to MDC

98-Ncube disagrees with Tsvangirai on Mugabe

97-Why the US holds higher standards for Zimbabwe

96-MDC on hectic travel

95-Mugabe not good when there is no confrontation- UN official

94-MDC holds meeting in NO-Go area

93-Mnangagwa says MDC has a habit of changing its mind at 11th hour

92-Coltart said ZANU-PF election platform was MDC is finished

91-Gono said Jonathan Moyo had become a liability

90-Squabbles galore in ZANU-PF but….

89-Ncube said ZANU-PF had no presidential candidate

88-Madhuku said Tsvangirai and Ncube often differed

87-A peek into the MDC

86-CIO keeps Mnangagwa a step ahead of his adversaries- Wikileaks

85-ZANU-PF wins Zengeza

84-MDC supporters protest against imposed candidate

83-Ncube says talks are going nowhere

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

81-Tsvangirai regarded Mugabe as a hero

80-US embassy says Tsvangirai is too optimistic

79-SA ambassador said Mugabe was well versed with talks

78-Mashakada accused of vote buying

77-Zvobgo’s hospitalisation slows down bills

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

75-Chombo was after Mudzuri because he was Karanga

74-Ncube admitted that land reform was a fait accompli

73-MDC councillors freshmen unable to comprehend issues

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

71-Five questions that ZANU-PF wanted MDC to answer

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

69-ZANU-PF strategy is to keep MDC on the defensive

68-US not allowed to help MDC set up office in Washington

67-Mugabe’s potential successor according to Tsvangirai

66-Why Mugabe did not want to talk to Tsvangirai

65-Ambassador describes Mugabe as the ultimate hardliner

64-Tsvangirai’s lawyers call for his discharge

63-Tsvangirai asked US to press South Africa for genuine dialogue

62-Was MDC split evident two years before it happened?

61-How church leaders tried to open dialogue between ZANU-PF and MDC

60-MDC leaders said Joshua Nkomo sold out for a comfortable life

59-Bishops tell MDC that ZANU-PF is willing to talk

58-US embassy said MDC stay-away was a PR failure

57-Tsvangirai arrested ahead of protest

56-Mnangagwa speaks on succession

55-Tsvangirai said war veterans were no match for MDC youth

54-CIO boss admitted destroying vouchers in Tsvangirai case

53-MDC bomber confesses

52-Tsvangirai lawyers confident of acquittal

51-MDC and ZANU-PF remain poles apart

50-POSA-the curse of the MDC MP

49-Ncube says war with ZANU-PF would be suicidal

48-Food donor surprised Msipa is a politician after all

47-MDC mobilised old women to support Tsvangirai during his trial

46-Ben Menashe says Tsvangirai is nuts

45-Ben Menashe dodges defence lawyer’s questions

44-Tsvangirai’s lawyer exposes Ben Menashe’s unfulfilled government contracts

43-Government agreed to pay Ben Menashe US$1 million

42-Too early to celebrate!

41-ZANU-PF vs. ZANU-PF

40-Tsvangirai says Mugabe will not last another six months

39-Ncube urged US to expel children of those on its sanctions list

38-Tsvangirai held in suspense for four months

37-Makumbe says MDC has to keep the fire burning

36-ZANU-PF wins Kadoma mayoral seat

35-Lawyer says Mugabe wanted to control professional workers

34-Ncube says danger signs were evident from the start in the Dickens saga

33-Tsvangirai charged with treason

32-MDC leaders planned to go into exile after presidential poll

31-Ncube says Tsvangirai was duped by Canadians

30-Zvobgo planned to ditch Mugabe for Tsvangirai two weeks before elections

29-Violence intensifies in run up to presidential elections

28-Makoni paints bleak picture of Zimbabwe

27-Pius Ncube says Tsvangirai is too weak to lead Zimbabwe

26-Tsvangirai and Biti described as Uncle Toms

25-Ncube says judge is a staunch ZANU-PF supporter

24-Gula-Ndebele and Welshman Ncube are cousins

23-Sikhanyiso Nlodvu’s college burnt by MDC supporters

22-Government crack down on MDC after murder of Cain Nkala

21-Tsvangirai escapes ZANU-PF attack- Jongwe suspended

20-MDC sweeps Bulawayo elections

19-Ncube says ZANU-PF is ready to go to war if MDC wins elections

18-ZANU-PF wins key by-election

17-Zimbabwe sliding slowly into police state

16-Rare dissent in ZANU-PF

15-Only Queen of England can convince Mugabe to change his behaviour

14-Chamisa arrested for inciting violence

13-ZANU-PF upbeat after winning Bikita West by-election

12-Ncube says Tsvangirai has provided fodder for criticism of MDC

11-MDC cancels mass action but keeps government guessing

10-US sponsors dinner to get MDC and ZANU-PF talking

9-Danish Ministers says Mugabe is “a man without a plan”

8-Ncube says MDC is under pressure to get Mugabe out

7-Ncube believed Mugabe would declare state of emergency to avoid impeachment

6-John Nkomo says MDC bombed its own headquarters

5-Government trying to throttle off MDC

4-MDC victory in 2000 could have been destabilising

3-Rumour mill gives MDC victory

2-MDC expected to win at least 80 seats in 2000

1-US embassy expected MDC to win 30 seats in 2000

(49 VIEWS)

This post was last modified on %s = human-readable time difference 7:07 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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