Why ZANU-PF did not want to concede Home Affairs

The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front did not want to concede the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Movement for Democratic Change because this was going to allow the MDC to direct the police to gather evidence against ZANU-PF members.

Senior ZANU-PF officers, including Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, were highly concerned about being prosecuted for human rights violations and fraud if they ceded too much power. 

Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono was particularly concerned that if ZANU-PF gave up the Ministry of Finance, MDC-T would be able to uncover rampant fraud.

Finance was ultimately handed over to the MDC but the two parties agreed to share the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 08HARARE867, ZANU-PF EXPANDING MINISTERIAL DEMANDS

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

VZCZCXRO9053

OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN

DE RUEHSB #0867/01 2670650

ZNY SSSSS ZZH

O 230650Z SEP 08

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3479

INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2320

RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2439

RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0953

RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1717

RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2072

RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2493

RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4925

RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE

RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1588

RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000867

SIPDIS

AF/S FOR G. GARLAND

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: 09/22/2018

TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM ZI 

SUBJECT: ZANU-PF EXPANDING MINISTERIAL DEMANDS

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

(d).

——-

SUMMARY

——-

¶1.  (S) A well-connected businessman detailed ZANU-PF’s

ministerial demands, which effectively amount to 18 of the

most significant ministries, instead of the 15 laid out in

last week’s signed power-sharing agreement.  The merger of

four separate ministries into two, and the proposed

integration of the national security ministry into the

President’s Office account for the increase.  Fear of

prosecution for human rights violations and fraud appear to

be driving ZANU-PF’s aggressive ministerial demands.  END

SUMMARY.

¶2.  (S) Well-connecte%QQQ=% to put forward a list

representing non-negotiable demands that they would either

force the MDC-T to accept, or alternatively, would result in

delay of the implementation process.  Delay would benefit

ZANU-PF in two ways: it would give ZANU-PF more time to

extract illicit profits, and ultimately it would allow

ZANU-PF to declare that the stalled deal demonstrates how

unfit the MDC is for governance.

¶4.  (S) The list of ministries presented by ZANU-PF also

includes several notable alterations from the list attached

as an addendum to the signed deal on September 15.  The list

submitted on September 18 actually represents 17 ministries

because Land and Resettlement and Agriculture were formerly

two separate ministries, as was Youth, Arts, Sport and

Culture and State Enterprises, Indigenization and

Empowerment.  Mutanda explained that ZANU-PF was also now

insisting that the national security ministry (responsible

for overseeing the Central Intelligence Organization) be

placed within the Office of the President, thereby

effectively granting ZANU-PF 18 ministries.

¶5.  (S) We have received multiple reports that senior ZANU-PF

HARARE 00000867  002 OF 002

officers are highly concerned about being prosecuted for

human rights violations and fraud if they cede too much

power.  Mutanda said that Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono

was particularly concerned that if ZANU-PF gave up the

Ministry of Finance, MDC-T would be able to uncover rampant

fraud.  Meanwhile, a contact with frequent access to ZANU-PF

negotiator Patrick Chinamasa said that Chinamasa refuses to

concede Home Affairs because it would allow the MDC to direct

the police to gather evidence against ZANU-PF members.

——-

COMMENT

——-

¶6.  (C) ZANU-PF’s outrageous demands are likely in part a

negotiating strategy to protect its members by securing the

best deal possible and in part an effort to cause the power

sharing process to collapse.  Tsvangirai’s willingness to

sign a highly flawed and incomplete agreement may have

signaled to ZANU-PF that the harder they push, the more he

will yield.  We believe Tsvangirai and the MDC know that

unless they control, at a minimum, Finance and the police,

their participation in government cannot bring about real

change.  Unless outside pressure is brought to bear on

ZANU-PF or the MDC is willing to offer ZANU-PF elites amnesty

for past offenses, the current stalemate may last for some

time.  END COMMENT.

DHANANI

(66 VIEWS)