Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told United States ambassador James McGee that the inclusive government was going to work because he would not have joined it if he had “one iota of doubt” that it would not succeed.
He said this five days after assuming office adding that it was important to get past diversionary issues such as the continued detention of MDC and civil society activists and Roy Bennett.
Tsvangirai said he was going to press for their immediate release, even under stringent conditions, and allow the justice system to take its course.
McGee asked Tsvangirai to raise the case of detained USAID employee Frank Muchirahondo saying his continued detention had frightened other locally employed staff and could potentially impair the embassy United States’ ability to provide food assistance.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE129, AMBASSADOR CALLS ON PRIME MINISTER TSVANGIRAI
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VZCZCXRO4400
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0129/01 0481513
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 171513Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4052
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2636
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2758
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1235
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2027
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2383
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2807
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5235
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1928
RHEHAAA/NSC WASDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000129
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B.WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2019
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR CALLS ON PRIME MINISTER TSVANGIRAI
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
¶1. (C) The Ambassador today called on prime minister Morgan
Tsvangirai. Tsvangirai was accompanied by deputy prime
minister Arthur Mutambara, minister for state in the prime
minister’s office Gordon Moyo, and advisor Ian Makone.
Tsvangirai expressed the utmost confidence in the ability of
the new government to work; he stated he would not have
joined the government if he had “one iota of doubt” that it
would not succeed.
¶2. (C) Tsvangirai noted it was important to get past
diversionary issues such as the continuing detention of MDC
and civil society detainees and the detention of Roy Bennett
(septel). He said he would be discussing their situation
with the Joint Operation and Implementation Committee (JOMIC)
tomorrow, and would urge the immediate release of all
detainees. The justice system could be allowed to run its
course, but the object was immediate release, even if on
stringent bail conditions. In addition to meeting with
JOMIC, Tsvangirai said he would instruct the Minister of
Justice to instruct the Attorney General to support release.
¶3. (C) The Ambassador requested that Tsvangirai also raise
the case of detained USAID driver Frank Muchirahondo,
underscoring that he had been arrested on trumped-up charges
and that his continued detention, which had frightened other
Locally Employed Staff, could potentially impair our ability
to provide food assistance. Tsvangirai promised to raise the
issue.
¶4. (C) Turning to assistance, Tsvangirai acknowledged the
need for the new government to demonstrate progress before
receiving assistance, but also noted the need to demonstrate
to the Zimbabwean people that it was acting on their behalf.
Without disclosing the source, he said that today the GOZ had
paid members of the military R1000 and hoped to do the same
tomorrow with teachers. (COMMENT: The fact Tsvangirai
denoted payment in Rand would indicate the money came from
the South African government. END COMMENT.) The Ambassador
responded that the USG wanted to see the new government
survive and prosper. While we would continue to provide
humanitarian assistance, there was skepticism about technical
and developmental assistance to a government that included
Robert Mugabe as president. Such assistance would ultimately
be predicated on political and economic reform; important
first steps would be the immediate release of the detainees,
including Roy Bennett and Frank Muchirahondo. Tsvangirai
agreed these steps were necessary to begin to establish
credibility.
¶5. (C) Tsvangirai participated today in his first cabinet
meeting. He said he had “instructed” the foreign minister to
talk with the Ambassador, and to start thinking about
reengagement with the U.S. and EU countries. He commented
the new government was not ZANU-PF or MDC but was a new,
transitional government.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶6. (C) Tsvangirai is supremely confident the “all-inclusive”
Q6. (C) Tsvangirai is supremely confident the “all-inclusive”
government can work. He does not seem fazed by the continued
detention of his aides and supporters, or the arrest of Roy
Bennett immediately after his inauguration, treating these
events as part of a rear-guard process orchestrated by
ZANU-PF hawks; and expressing confidence that this will soon
be set right. There is a great desire by the international
community to help the new government, but continuing
detentions; disobeyed court orders e.g., refusing to allow
hospitalization for several detainees; and ZANU-PF efforts to
HARARE 00000129 002 OF 002
stack the cabinet with unagreed-upon ministers, do not
inspire the confidence that Tsvangirai readily admits is
necessary. The next few days will be important in
determining whether there is a basis for Tsvangirai’s
optimism.
MCGEE
(25 VIEWS)
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