Tsvangirai said it was healthy the MDC did not win the 2000 elections

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai told United States ambassador Tom McDonald that it was healthy for the country that the MDC did not win an outright victory in the June 2000 elections because this would have been destabilising.

He said that the party had known all along that it was going into an imperfect election but it was gratified that it had obtained a foothold in democratic development.

McDonald had congratulated the party for the excellent showing in the election where it won 57 out of the 120 elected seats.

Tsvangirai said the party was going to challenge the results in 20 to 25 constituencies including his own. If the MDC won the challenge to obtain a majority the country would have had time to absorb the consequences of an MDC success.

McDonald, however, warned Tsvangirai that it was difficult to overturn elections results not just in Zimbabwe but even in the United States and throughout the world.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 00HARARE3779, AMBASSADOR’S CALL ON MDC LEADER TSVANGIRAI

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6582

INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 HARARE 003779

SIPDIS

AF FOR P/DAS POWELL AND DAS SCHNEIDMAN

AF/S FOR A. RENDER, D. BOOTH, AND T. FAULK

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA WJEFFERS AND A/AFR MCCALL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/10

TAGS: PGOV PINS PHUM ZI MDC

SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR’S CALL ON MDC LEADER TSVANGIRAI

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD.

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PAGE 02       HARARE 03779 01 OF 04 121802Z

REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).

¶1. (C) SUMMARY: IN A JULY 10 MEETING WITH THE

AMBASSADOR, MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) LEADER

MORGAN TSVANGIRAI AND MDC PARLIAMENTARY LEADER GIBSON

SIBANDA OUTLINED THE PARTY’S PARLIAMENTARY AGENDA, WHICH

INCLUDES LAND REFORM, THE ECONOMY, AND THE CREATION OF

MECHANISMS FOR HOLDING THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE. THE

PARTY WILL ALSO PUSH FOR THE REMOVAL OF WAR VETS FROM

FARMS, A WITHDRAWAL FROM THE DRC, AND A COMMISSION OF

INQUIRY INTO THE VIOLENCE SURROUNDING THE JUNE 24-25

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, AND WILL ADVOCATE

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM AIMED AT LIMITING EXECUTIVE

POWERS. TSVANGIRAI TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT IT IS JUST

AS WELL THAT HIS PARTY DID NOT WIN A MAJORITY OF

PARLIAMENTARY SEATS, SINCE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN

DESTABILIZING. THE MDC WILL CHALLENGE THE RESULTS OF A

NUMBER OF CONTESTS, INCLUDING TSVANGIRAI’S OWN. THE

PARTY LEADERS SAID THEY PLAN TO WORK HARD ON

TRANSFORMING THE MDC FROM A UNION-BASED OPPOSITION FRONT

TO A GENUINE POLITICAL PARTY. THE MDC’S AMBITIOUS

AGENDA IS TEMPERED BY REALISM ABOUT WHAT IT CAN ACHIEVE,

AND THE PARTY APPEARS WELL-POSITIONED TO DEAL WITH THE

TOUGH PROBLEMS THAT LIE AHEAD. END COMMENT.

¶2. (U) AMBASSADOR, ACCOMPANIED BY POLOFF, CALLED ON

MDC LEADER MORGAN TSVANGIRAI JULY 10. TSVANGIRAI WAS

ACCOMPANIED BY MDC VICE PRESIDENT GIBSON SIBANDA, WHO

WILL SERVE AS THE LEADER OF THE PARLIAMENTARY

OPPOSITION.

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PAGE 03       HARARE 03779 01 OF 04 121802Z

“A FOOTHOLD IN DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT”

¶3. (C) THE AMBASSADOR CONGRATULATED THE MDC LEADERS

FOR THE PARTY’S STRONG PERFORMANCE IN THE JUNE 24-25

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, AND APPLAUDED THE CONCILIATORY

STANCE THE PARTY HAS ADOPTED SINCE THE ELECTION DESPITE

ITS VALID CONCERNS ABOUT POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND

ELECTORAL IRREGULARITIES. HE NOTED THAT THE PARTY’S

RAPID SUCCESS — OBTAINING ALMOST HALF OF THE CONTESTED

PARLIAMENTARY SEATS ONLY NINE MONTHS AFTER ITS FOUNDING

WAS INDEED MOST IMPRESSIVE. THE AMBASSADOR ALSO

APPLAUDED THEIR COURAGE IN THE FACE OF SERIOUS THREATS

TO THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY.

¶4. (C) TSVANGIRAI RESPONDED THAT THE MDC KNEW ALL

ALONG THAT IT WAS GOING INTO AN IMPERFECT ELECTION

PROCESS AND IS GRATIFIED TO HAVE OBTAINED A “FOOTHOLD IN

DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT.” HE SAID THAT IT IS HEALTHY FOR

THE COUNTRY THAT MDC DID NOT SCORE AN OUTRIGHT ELECTION

VICTORY, SINCE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DESTABILIZING. THE

PARTY WILL LIKELY CHALLENGE THE RESULTS IN 20 TO 25

CONSTITUENCIES WHERE IT KNOWS THAT RIGGING TOOK PLACE,

BUT IS STILL ASSESSING THE SITUATION. IF THE MDC IS

SUCCESSFUL IN ENOUGH OF THE CHALLENGES TO OBTAIN A

MAJORITY, THE COUNTRY WILL HAVE HAD TIME TO ABSORB THE

CONSEQUENCES OF AN MDC SUCCESS. (NOTE: ZANU-PF WON 62

SEATS TO THE MDC’S 57; PRESIDENT MUGABE IS ENTITLED TO

APPOINT 30 ADDITIONAL PARLIAMENTARIANS. END NOTE.) THE

AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO OVERTURN

ELECTION RESULTS NOT ONLY IN ZIMBABWE BUT IN THE UNITED

STATES AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD; TSVANGIRAI ACKNOWLEDGED

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PAGE 04       HARARE 03779 01 OF 04 121802Z

THAT THIS IS TRUE. TSVANGIRAI ALSO NOTED THAT EVEN WITH

AN MDC PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY ZANU-PF WOULD STILL

CONTROL THE PRESIDENCY, AND THUS THE GOVERNMENT.

¶5. (C) ASKED WHETHER HE WILL CONTEST HIS OWN LOST

RACE, TSVANGIRAI RESPONDED THAT HE PLANS TO DO SO, MORE

FOR THE SAKE OF SHOWING THE COUNTRY THAT ZANU-PF

COMMITTED ELECTORAL FRAUD THERE THAN TO OBTAIN A SEAT IN

PARLIAMENT. WITHOUT A SEAT, HE SAID, HE WILL HAVE MORE

TIME TO FOCUS ON PARTY MATTERS. HE ADDED THAT HE DID

NOT REGRET HAVING CONTESTED IN A RURAL AREA RATHER THAN

IN AN URBAN AREA WHERE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SHOO-IN,

SINCE IT WAS IMPORTANT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE MDC’S

SUPPORT IS NOT SIMPLY AN URBAN OR LABOR PHENOMENON.

DESPITE HIS OWN LOSS, THE NATIONWIDE RESULTS HAVE BORNE

THIS OUT; THE MDC, FOR EXAMPLE, WON A MAJORITY OF THE

VOTE IN BOTH MATABELELAND NORTH AND SOUTH PROVINCES AND

ABOUT HALF THE VOTE IN THE RURAL PROVINCE OF MANICALAND.

THE TWO AREAS WHERE THE MDC PERFORMED MOST POORLY, HE

CONTINUED, WERE MASHONALAND EAST AND MASHONALAND

CENTRAL, WHERE THE LEVELS OF VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION

WERE HIGHEST. THE MDC ARGUES, THEREFORE, THAT IT IS THE

“ONLY NATIONAL PARTY,” CUTTING ACROSS TRIBE AND REGION.

¶6. (C) WITH THE MDC’S SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE,

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P 121809Z JUL 00

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6583

INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 04 HARARE 003779

SIPDIS

AF FOR P/DAS POWELL AND DAS SCHNEIDMAN

AF/S FOR A. RENDER, D. BOOTH, AND T. FAULK

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA WJEFFERS AND A/AFR MCCALL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/10

TAGS: PGOV PINS PHUM ZI MDC

SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR’S CALL ON MDC LEADER TSVANGIRAI

TSVANGIRAI SAID, POWER HAS SHIFTED FROM THE EXECUTIVE TO

SIPDIS

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PAGE 02       HARARE 03779 02 OF 04 121802Z

PARLIAMENT. HE TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT THE MDC HAS NO

PLANS TO JOIN A GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY, SINCE

DOING SO WOULD “DESTROY THIS WHOLE EMBRYONIC

DEVELOPMENT” OF ZIMBABWEAN MULTIPARTYISM. “WE THINK

IT’S IMPORTANT THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS THE GOVERNMENT AND

THE OPPOSITION IS THE OPPOSITION.” TSVANGIRAI CONTINUED

THAT PEOPLE (I.E. ZANU-PF) ARE TRYING TO COOPT MDC

MEMBERS TO DESTROY THEIR CREDIBILITY, BUT THEY HAVE NOT

BEEN SUCCESSFUL. THE AMBASSADOR SAID THAT, IN SPITE OF

THIS, HE ASSUMED THAT THE MDC WOULD WORK WITH ZANU-PF IN

PARLIAMENT. “OF COURSE,” TSVANGIRAI REPLIED.

MDC PRIORITIES: ACCOUNTABILITY, THE ECONOMY, AND LAND

¶7. (C) TSVANGIRAI TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT THE MDC

PLANS TO FOCUS ON TWO BROAD OBJECTIVES AFTER PARLIAMENT

BEGINS. THE PARTY’S FIRST GOAL IS TO GET ZANU-PF TO

“OPEN THE BOOKS” IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH GOVERNMENT

ACCOUNTABILITY NOT ONLY FINANCIALLY BUT IN ALL AREAS OF

GOVERNANCE. THE SECOND OBJECTIVE IS TO WORK TO

DEMOCRATIZE THE PROCESS OF GOVERNMENT.

¶8. (C) THE TWO SPECIFIC ISSUES THE MDC WILL ADDRESS

FIRST, TSVANGIRAI TOLD THE AMBASSADOR, ARE THE ECONOMY

AND LAND. ZIMBABWE HAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT CAN ACCESS

THE LAND REFORM FUNDS THAT THE DONORS HAVE PROMISED.

THE AMBASSADOR SAID THAT REESTABLISHING THE RULE OF LAW

AND ENSURING A TRANSPARENT PROCESS WILL BE THE KEY TO

THIS. DONORS WANT TO BE HELPFUL, BUT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE

IN THE CURRENT CLIMATE. THE AMBASSADOR AND TSVANGIRAI

AGREED THAT REMOVING THE WAR VETS FROM THE FARMS WOULD

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PAGE 03       HARARE 03779 02 OF 04 121802Z

BE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD REESTABLISHING A CLIMATE WHERE

– MEANINGFUL LAND REFORM CAN BE DISCUSSED. TSVANGIRAI

SAID THAT, IF ANYTHING, THE SITUATION ON THE FARMS SEEMS

TO BE GETTING WORSE. WHEREAS BEFORE FARMERS WERE

ALLOWED TO WORK THEIR LAND WHILE IT WAS OCCUPIED, NOW

THEY ARE BEING DRIVEN OFF. THE FARM OCCUPATIONS,

TSAVANGIRAI CONTINUED, ARE MUGABE’S “OBSESSION,” BUT

THERE IS NO CONSENSUS IN THE CABINET SUPPORTING THIS

POLICY. WHETHER THE MDC CAN EFFECTIVELY PRESS FOR A

RESOLUTION OF THIS ISSUE IN PARLIAMENT, HE ACKNOWLEDGED,

HAS YET TO BE TESTED.

¶9. (C) THE ECONOMY, TSVANGIRAI CONTINUED, CANNOT

CONTINUE IN ITS CURRENT STATE OF “MELTDOWN.” HE NOTED

THAT A MAJOR PAPER PRODUCTS FACTORY IN BULAWAYO HAD

CLOSED ON JULY 7 DUE TO A LACK OF FOREIGN CURRENCY.

TSVANGIRAI AND SIBANDA POINTED TO A NUMBER OF STEPS THAT

MUST BE TAKEN BEFORE THE ECONOMY CAN BE REINVIGORATED,

INCLUDING ENDING THE FARM OCCUPATIONS, GETTING

CORRUPTION UNDER CONTROL, AND WITHDRAWING ZIMBABWEAN

TROOPS FROM THE DRC (SEE PARA 18). THE MDC WILL TRY TO

CREATE MORE TRANSPARENCY SURROUNDING PUBLIC ACCOUNTS,

PRIVATIZATION, AND LAND.

¶10. (C) EARLY IN THE PARLIAMENTARY SESSION, SIBANDA

SAID, THE MDC WILL CALL FOR A FULL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

INTO THE PRE- AND POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE. ZANU-PF WILL

TRY TO RESIST THIS, BUT THIS IS ONE AREA WHERE THE MDC

IS LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. TSVANGIRAI SAID THAT THE

MDC IS TRYING TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF HOW TO ASSIST

THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF THE VIOLENCE. THE PARTY

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PAGE 04       HARARE 03779 02 OF 04 121802Z

IS SEEKING INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THIS EFFORT.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT ISSUE WILL BE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM,

WITH A FOCUS ON SHIFTING SOME PRESIDENTIAL POWERS TO

PARLIAMENT.

¶11. (C) THE AMBASSADOR INFORMED THE MDC LEADERS THAT

THE USG IS CURRENTLY FUNDING A PROGRAM FOR PARLIAMENTARY

CAPACITY BUILDING CONDUCTED BY THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF

NEW YORK AT ALBANY, WHICH HAS BEEN OPERATIONAL SINCE

SEPTEMBER 1999.   HE URGED THE PARTY’S PARLIAMENTARIANS

TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM. EVEN BEFORE THE MDC’S

STRONG PERFORMANCE BROUGHT MULTIPARTYISM TO PARLIAMENT,

THE AMBASSADOR NOTED, THE USG HAD IDENTIFIED PARLIAMENT

AS A PROMISING VEHICLE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE.

CONTINUING VIOLENCE

¶12. (C) ASKED BY THE AMBASSADOR FOR HIS ASSESSMENT OF

THE CURRENT LEVEL OF VIOLENCE, TSVANGIRAI SAID THAT

VIOLENCE ON FARMS BY WAR VETERANS IS CONTINUING. IN A

NUMBER OF FARMS IN THE MARONDERA AND MACHEKE AREAS OF

MASHONALAND EAST PROVINCE, SUPERVISORY FARM WORKERS HAVE

BEEN ROUNDED UP AND BEATEN. THE PERPETRATORS ARE

LOYALISTS OF WAR VET LEADER HITLER HUNZVI. IN MASVINGO

PROVINCE, PEOPLE ARE RANDOMLY INVADING FARMS, ACCORDING

CONFIDENTIAL

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——————6D57D4 121803Z /38

P 121809Z JUL 00

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6584

INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 04 HARARE 003779

SIPDIS

AF FOR P/DAS POWELL AND DAS SCHNEIDMAN

AF/S FOR A. RENDER, D. BOOTH, AND T. FAULK

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA WJEFFERS AND A/AFR MCCALL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/10

TAGS: PGOV PINS PHUM ZI MDC

SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR’S CALL ON MDC LEADER TSVANGIRAI

TO TSVANGIRAI. HE ALSO NOTED THAT SOLDIERS HAVE GONE TO

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PAGE 02       HARARE 03779 03 OF 04 121803Z

HARARE AREAS PERCEIVED AS MDC STRONGHOLDS AND BEATEN UP

LOCAL RESIDENTS. “THE VIOLENCE,” TSVANGIRAI SUMMARIZED,

“IS NOT EBBING.” (NOTE: OTHER SOURCES CONFIRM THESE

CONTINUED FARM OCCUPATIONS AND BEATINGS OF MDC

SUPPORTERS. END NOTE.) THE AMBASSADOR RESPONDED BY

INDICATING THAT THE EMBASSY CONTINUES TO BE VERY

CONCERNED ABOUT THE VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION AND IS

FOLLOWING THE ISSUE CLOSELY. “WE WILL CONTINUE TO SPEAK

OUT ABOUT THE MATTER,” HE SAID.

FOCUS TURNS TO PARTY-BUILDING AND LOCAL ELECTIONS

¶13. (C) TSVANGIRAI ACKNOWLEDGED TO THE AMBASSADOR THAT

THE MDC FACES A CHALLENGING TASK IN TRANSFORMING THE MDC

FROM A LABOR-BASED OPPOSITION MOVEMENT TO A GENUINE

POLITICAL PARTY. SINCE ITS CREATION, THE MDC HAS BEEN

OPERATING WITH INTERIM STRUCTURES, SUCH AS LOCAL

BRANCHES AND PROVINCIAL COMMITTEES, THAT ARE MOSTLY

BASED ON ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF TRADE UNION (ZCTU)

STRUCTURES. GIVEN THE PARTY’S BROAD BASE, THERE WILL

INEVITABLY BE TENSIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT PARTY ELEMENTS.

THE WAY TO RESOLVE THIS IS TO HAVE DIALOGUE WITHIN THE

PARTY, WITH WIDE PARTICIPATION, ABOUT WHAT THE MDC IS TO

STAND FOR AND HOW COMPETING INTERESTS CAN BE ADDRESSED.

ASKED BY THE AMBASSADOR HOW THE MDC WILL ATTEMPT TO

DELIVER TO ITS CONSTITUENTS GIVEN ITS LACK OF ACCESS TO

GOVERNMENT COFFERS, TSVANGIRAI REPLIED THAT HE DOES NOT

BELIEVE THAT MDC SUPPORTERS EXPECT DELIVERY OF TANGIBLES

SUCH AS ROADS. RATHER, THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT HOW WELL

THE PARTY IS ADVOCATING THEIR INTERESTS. ONCE THE MDC

WINS SOME MAYORAL POSITIONS, IT WILL BE ABLE TO START

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PAGE 03       HARARE 03779 03 OF 04 121803Z

DELIVERING. (NOTE: THREE KEY MAYORAL POSITIONS ARE TO

BE FILLED IN HARARE, BULAWAYO, AND MASVINGO IN THE NEAR

FUTURE. THE MDC PLANS TO ACTIVELY CONTEST ALL OF THEM.

END NOTE.)

¶14. (C) WHEN PEOPLE VOTED FOR THE MDC, TSVANGIRAI

SAID, THEY VOTED FOR CHANGE, WHICH IS “NOT AN EVENT BUT

A PROCESS.” THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WERE JUST THE

FIRST PHASE. THE MDC HAS ALREADY BEGUN FOCUSING ON THE

NEXT PHASE, THE AS YET UNSCHEDULED LOCAL ELECTIONS. THE

PARTY PLANS TO CONTEST A LARGE NUMBER OF MAYORAL POSTS

AND OTHER LOCAL POSITIONS. TSVANGIRAI STATED THAT HE

PLANS TO BE A CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY IN 2002

(ASSUMING, HE TOOK CARE TO ADD, THAT HE IS SELECTED BY

PARTY STRUCTURES).

¶15. (C) CLAIMS THAT THE MDC HAS RECEIVED MASSIVE

FOREIGN FUNDING ARE FALSE, TSVANGIRAI SAID. WITH ALMOST

FIFTY PERCENT OF THE VOTE, THE MDC IS NOW ELIGIBLE FOR

PUBLIC FUNDING UNDER THE POLITICAL PARTIES FINANCE ACT.

HOWEVER, IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THESE FUNDS WILL ACTUALLY

BE AVAILABLE. ASKED BY THE AMBASSADOR WHETHER THE MDC

PLANS TO ESTABLISH LINKS WITH OTHER SMALL PARTIES THAT

DID NOT FARE WELL IN THE ELECTIONS, TSVANGIRAI REPLIED

THAT THE ELECTIONS HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE MDC IS THE

ONLY SIGNIFICANT OPPOSITION FORCE IN ZIMBABWE. MEMBERS

OF OTHER PARTIES ARE, HOWEVER, WELCOME TO COME INTO THE

MDC. TSVANGIRAI SAID THAT PEOPLE WISHING TO COME TO THE

MDC FROM OTHER PARTIES WILL BE EDUCATED ABOUT THE MDC’S

PRINCIPLES TO ENSURE THAT THEY SHARE THE PARTY’S VALUES.

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PAGE 04       HARARE 03779 03 OF 04 121803Z

MDC’S VIEWS OF CURRENT STATE OF ZANU-PF

¶16. (C) TSVANGIRAI TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT IT APPEARS

THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF POWER STRUGGLES CURRENTLY

UNDERWAY IN ZANU-PF. ONCE THEY HAVE PLAYED THEMSELVES

OUT, IT WILL BE EASIER TO MAKE AN ASSESSMENT OF ZANU-

PF’S FUTURE. HE SAID THAT THE NEW CABINET, AS YET

UNNAMED, IS LIKELY TO BE “A MIXTURE OF OLD GUARD

RESISTANCE AND SO-CALLED NEW BLOOD FRUSTRATION.” ASKED

WHO HE BELIEVED WOULD BE NAMED TO THE NEW CABINET,

TSVANGIRAI AND SIBANDA CITED HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER

SIPDIS

DUMISO DABENGWA, JUSTICE MINISTER EMMERSON MNANGAGWA,

SECRETARY OF STATE FOR GENDER AFFAIRS OPPAH MUCHINGURI,

SIPDIS

AND MINISTER OF MINES, ENVIRONMENT, AND TOURISM SIMON

KHAYA MOYO AS PEOPLE TO BE ACCOMMODATED IN SOME

MINISTERIAL OR OTHER SENIOR GOVERNMENT POSITIONS.

FORMER MASHONALAND CENTRAL GOVERNOR BORDER GEZI,

TSVANGIRAI BELIEVES, WILL BE NAMED MINISTER OF LOCAL

SIPDIS

GOVERNMENT.

¶17. (C) ASKED BY THE AMBASSADOR WHETHER HE BELIEVED IT

WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO WORK WITH RELATIVELY REFORMIST

ELEMENTS WITHIN ZANU-PF IN PARLIAMENT, TSVANGIRAI

RESPONDED THAT “THE ‘NEW BLOOD’ ELEMENT IS UNFORTUNATELY

NOT NEW IN PRACTICES IN ETHICS.” RATHER, THE YOUNGER

ZANU-PF MEMBERS ARE SIMPLY “MORE OF THE SAME.”

CONFIDENTIAL

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——————6D57DC 121803Z /38

P 121809Z JUL 00

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6585

INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 04 OF 04 HARARE 003779

SIPDIS

AF FOR P/DAS POWELL AND DAS SCHNEIDMAN

AF/S FOR A. RENDER, D. BOOTH, AND T. FAULK

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH

PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA WJEFFERS AND A/AFR MCCALL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/10

TAGS: PGOV PINS PHUM ZI MDC

SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR’S CALL ON MDC LEADER TSVANGIRAI

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FOREIGN RELATIONS

¶18. (C) THE AMBASSADOR ASKED WHAT APPROACH THE MDC

PLANS TO TAKE ON ZIMBABWE’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE CONGO.

TSVANGIRAI SAID THAT THE PARTY WILL MAKE A STRONG CALL

SIPDIS

FOR A WITHDRAWAL, EMPHASIZING THE EXPENSE OF THE

OPERATION. A RETURN TO MACROECONOMIC STABILITY IS NOT

POSSIBLE WITHOUT A WITHDRAWAL. SIBANDA ADDED THAT THE

FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE IS THAT “THERE IS NO REASON TO HAVE

OUR YOUNG BOYS DYING THERE.”

¶19. (C) ASKED WHAT THE MDC PLANS TO DO TO STRENGTHEN

TIES WITH OTHER SADC COUNTRIES, TSVANGIRAI SAID THAT,

DURING THE WORST OF THE PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE, THE MDC

EXPRESSED INTEREST IN SENDING GROUPS OF EMINENT PERSONS

TO MOZAMBIQUE, BOTSWANA, ZAMBIA AND SOUTH AFRICA. THE

MDC’S FIRST PRIORITY IS NOW A VISIT TO MOZAMBIQUE, SINCE

THE MOZAMBICAN GOVERNMENT RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO THE

MDC’S OVERTURE. THE MDC THEN PLANS TO REACH OUT TO THE

OTHER SADC COUNTRIES.

COMMENT

¶20. (C) IN HIS MEETING WITH THE: AMBASSADOR AS IN HIS

PUBLIC STATEMENTS, TSVANGIRAI WAS UPBEAT, FOCUSING ON

THE MDC’S SUCCESS RATHER THAN DWELLING ON ITS

(LEGITIMATE) FRUSTRATIONS. THE PARTY HAS SET AN

AMBITIOUS AGENDA IN PARLIAMENT, BUT SEEMS TO BE

REALISTIC ABOUT HOW MUCH CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.

TSVANGIRAI AND SIBANDA ALSO HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF THE

SIPDIS

IMPORTANCE, AND DIFFICULTY,-OF PARTY-BUILDING. THE MDC

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IS INDEED A PARTY OF DIVERSE INTERESTS WHO ALL OPPOSED

THE CONTINUED BAD GOVERNANCE OF ZANU-PF. THE CHALLENGE

WILL NOW BE TO TURN THAT DISSATISFACTION INTO

CONSTRUCTIVE, UNIFIED PROGRAMS AND POLICIES. END

COMMENT.

MCDONALD

CONFIDENTIAL

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