US embassy urged Madhuku to invite others to join his protests

The United States embassy encouraged National Constitutional Assembly leader Lovemore Madhuku to invite other organisations to increase the scale of his protests as the country tittered on the brink of collapse nearly three months after the signing of the Global Political Accord that was supposed to usher a new inclusive government.

The embassy felt that though the NCA was holding “successful protests” regularly, the size and scale of these street marches did not come close to reflecting the anger, frustration, and struggles people faced in providing for their homes.

Civil society and the Movement for Democratic Change remained unable to translate these frustrations into effective popular action.

The NCA was pushing for a transitional government, not a government of national unity, a new constitution, and free and fair elections.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 08HARARE1132, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TEAR GASSING: POLICE BREAK UP

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OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN

DE RUEHSB #1132/01 3531540

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

O 181540Z DEC 08

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3840

INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

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RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1776

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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001132

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

STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2018

TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM KDEM ZI

SUBJECT: EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TEAR GASSING: POLICE BREAK UP

PROTEST AND ZANU-PF BRAWL

REF: A. HARARE 1056

¶B. HARARE 819

Classified By: Charge d’Affaires, a.i. Katherine Dhanani for reason 1.4

(d).

——

SUMMARY

——-

¶1. (SBU) Riot police were busy this week, tear gassing

groups of both ZANU-PF and opposition supporters. Police

used tear gas to break up back-to-back protests of over 500

marchers in Harare led by the National Constitutional

Assembly (NCA). Riot police also used tear gas to break up a

fight at the ZANU-PF headquarters between factions supporting

rival candidates for the position of ZANU-PF provincial

chairman for Harare province. The physical violence between

members – albeit internal rivals – of the ZANU-PF reflects

continued fissures within the party. No significant injuries

were reported in any of the incidents. END SUMMARY.

——————————————— —

Hundreds March, but Little Coverage of Protests

——————————————— —

¶2. (C) NCA organized three marches this week, two on

December 16 and another on December 17. On the 16th, 500

participants in Harare and 300 in Masvingo marched to push

NCA’s “Three Point Plan” (transitional government, a new

constitution, and free and fair elections) for democracy and

development in Zimbabwe. In Masvingo, protesters marched

without police interference. In Harare, however, police used

tear gas and batons to disrupt the march before it even

started. 51 were arrested, and NCA reported 10 sustained

injuries. 20 protesters were released without charge, and

th other 31 have not yet been charged or granted accss to

lawyers. On December 17, NCA held anothermarch in Harare

with over 600 protesters, who ha nearly completed their

march when riot police brke up the protest, again with

batons and tear ga. 11 were arrested and 12 sought medical

treatmnt for relatively minor injuries. Despite the

rlatively good turnout, the marches were not widelycovered

in the press, at least partly because thee were relatively

few injuries or arrests. Afte the third march, an ebullient

NCA President, Lovemore Madhuku told us that NCA is testing

its marching strategy and aims to hold a third march with as

many as 3,000 protesters early next week. In a recent

conversation with Madhuku (ref A), we encouraged him to work

with other organizations to increase the scale of these

protests; however these marches continue to be solely the

work of NCA and its members.

—————————————–

ZANU-PF Provincial Election Turns Violent

—————————————–

¶3. (SBU) On December 16, the election for ZANU-PF Harare

Provincial Chairman was held at ZANU-PF’s headquarters. The

election turned violent at about 4 a.m. when supporters of

the two candidates “went at each other’s throats,” according

to one witness. Supporters of the former Minister of Mines,

Amos Midzi, reportedly started a brawl with supporters of

Hubert Nyanhongo, Deputy Minister of Transportation, over the

election for provincial chairmanship. Both had bussed in

scores of supporters to help secure victory. When Midzi’s

supporters heard that Midzi was pulling out of the election,

citing “irregularities,” they reportedly attacked Nyanhongo’s

supporters. Riot police arrived on the scene and used water

cannons and tear gas to break up the fight. ZANU-PF Deputy

HARARE 00001132 002 OF 002

Spokesman Ephraim Masawi condemned the violence. (NOTE:

Nyanhongo represents Harare South and is the sole ZANU-PF MP

in all of Harare’s 28 constituencies. Midzi, who was

defeated in the March election to represent Epworth in

parliament, was responsible for orchestrating and funding

violence in Epworth after the March election and is widely

feared by residents. Even after the June presidential

election, he was often in Epworth organizing ZANU-PF meetings

and telling residents there would be another election soon.

The victor in Epworth, MDC-T MP Eliah Jembere was arrested

twice this year — including on the opening day of parliament

— on trumped-up charges of raping another MDC councilor’s

wife (ref B). END NOTE.)

——-

COMMENT

——-

¶4. (C) As the economy, cholera, and the daily struggles

facing Zimbabweans continue to worsen almost by the hour; the

need for a political solution grows increasingly urgent. By

Zimbabwean standards, NCA’s protests this week were

successful: strong turnout and relatively few injuries or

arrests. Despite the marches’ success, however, they were

organized exclusively by NCA without any other NGOs.

Although Madhuku has told us he believes the best way to

exert pressure on the government is through efforts by the

people of Zimbabwe, civil society’s efforts remain

fragmented. The size and scale of these street marches do

not come close to reflecting the anger, frustration, and

struggles people face in providing for their homes. Civil

society and the MDC remain unable to translate these

frustrations into effective popular action.

¶5. (C) For decades, Zimbabwean elections have been

characterized by violence. However, that violence has

usually been directed at the opposition. The brawl at

ZANU-PF headquarters between Midzi’s and Nyanhongo’s

supporters demonstrates both the factionalism within ZANU-PF

and also the ingrained impulse of the loser to resort to

violence to cling to power. With the ZANU-PF national

conference set to start December 20 in Bindura,

determinations of who will be “in” and “out” with the party

will become increasingly clear in the coming days. Some,

like Midzi, fear losing out on the benefits of the ZANU-PF

patronage system, and are likely desperate to remain within

the fold. It remains to be seen if this instance of

intraparty violence is a unique event or a sign of that

fractures within the party are growing. Either way, the time

is ripe for civil society and the political opposition to

exploit these fractures. However, divisions within and

between these groups constrain their ability to do so

effectively. END COMMENT.

DHANANI

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