2. (C) MUGABE'S NEWLY APPOINTED RULING PARTY POLITBURO, ANNOUNCED DECEMBER 15 AT THE ZANU-PF SPECIAL CONGRESS, APPEARS TO FAVOR THE ASCENDANCY OF SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA. MNANGAGWA, WHO DIRECTED THE CIO AND PRESIDED OVER THE MATABELELAND MASSACRES DURING THE 1980S, WAS ON THE BRINK OF POLITICAL OBLIVION EARLIER THIS YEAR AFTER HE LOST HIS KWEKWE SEAT IN THE JUNE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS TO THE OBSCURE BLESSING CHEBONDO OF THE MDC. MUGABE RESCUED HIM BY ENSURING HE WAS
ELECTED SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT IN AUGUST. MNANGAGWA'S POSITION WAS FURTHER STRENGTHENED WITH HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE NUMBER FOUR POSITION IN THE PARTY AS SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION (ONLY PRESIDENT MUGABE AND THE TWO VICE-PRESIDENTS HOLD HIGHER POSITIONS). MNANGAGWA REPLACED DIDYMUS MUTASA, WHO IS CANINELY LOYAL TO MNANGAGWA AND WHOSE OWN PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRATIONS NOW HAVE BEEN SIDELINED. FROM THIS PLATFORM, MNANGAGWA WILL BE ABLE TO EXERCISE CONSIDERABLE CONTROL OVER ZANU-PF'S STRUCTURES AND THE PEOPLE WHO FILL THEM.
3. (C) STRENGTHENING MNANGAGWA'S POSITION IN THE NEW POLITBURO IS THE APPOINTMENT OF HIS ALLIES TO IMPORTANT POSITIONS AND THE SIDELINING OF HIS RIVALS. ACCORDING TO THE "ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT," RICHARD HOVE IS AN ALLY OF MNANGAGWA'S FROM HIS HOME MIDLANDS PROVINCE, AND WAS MADE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS. HOVE WAS ALSO APPOINTED TO HEAD UP THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE'S NEW LAND REFORM STANDING COMMITTEE (REF B). THE "INDEPENDENT" DESCRIBES OTHER POLITBURO ALLIES OF THE SPEAKER AS:
DAVID KARIMANZIRA (MASHONALAND EAST GOVERNOR AND ZANU-PF SECRETARY FOR FINANCE), WITNESS MANGWENDE (DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION),
AND ENOS CHIKOWORE (SECRETARY FOR LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT).
EACH NOW OCCUPIES SOME OF THE POLITBURO'S MOST CRITICAL PORTFOLIOS,
AND EACH WAS ELEVATED FROM OBSCURE POSTS IN THE POLITBURO STRUCTURE. THEY ARE ALSO MOSTLY SPENT FORCES KNOWN FOR THEIR STRIDENT AND SHRILL ANTI-WESTERN REMARKS. (NOTE: ALTHOUGH IT IS UNKNOWN TO WHAT EXTENT YOUTH DEVELOPMENT MINISTER AND PARTY COMMISSAR BORDER GEZI SUPPORTS MNANGAGWA, THE 36-YEAR-OLD GEZI HAS ALL THE MAKINGS OF AN MNANGAGWA PROTEGE. GEZI, AS GOVERNOR OF MASHONALAND WEST, WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN DIRECTING THE TERROR CAMPAIGN AGAINST MDC SUPPORTERS IN HIS PROVINCE EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND HE IS CURRENTLY LEADING A CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE IN THE BIKITA WEST CONSTITUENCY FOR THE JANUARY BY- ELECTION [REF A]. END NOTE.)
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