Williams told court record cannot be accessed

Women of Zimbabwe Arise leaders Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu appeared at the Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court on 7 December 2009, only to be told that their court record was not accessible.

Their lawyer, Kossam Ncube, was informed that the record was locked in an “exhibit? room and the person with the keys was away on leave.

WOZA members in solidarity in the court counted at least seven plain-clothed state agents in the court room.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 09HARARE966, ZIM NOTES 12-14-2009

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DE RUEHSB #0966/01 3480944

ZNR UUUUU ZZH

R 140944Z DEC 09

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5213

INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 3207

RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 3316

RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1743

RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2577

RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2946

RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0004

RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0006

RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2486

RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE

RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000966

AF/S FOR B. WALCH

ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU

ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR

STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND J. HARMON

COMMERCE FOR ROBERT TELCHIN

SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A

TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PHUM ECON ZI

SUBJECT: ZIM NOTES 12-14-2009

———–

¶1. SUMMARY

———–

Ambassador Presents Credentials…

ZANU-PF Congress Begins…

Human Rights Day Marches…

Report on ZANU-PF Perpetrated Rape Released…

Kunonga Renews Attacks on Anglicans…

WOZA Cases Continue to Drag On…

Court Acquits Human Rights Lawyer…

MDC-T Suspends Corrupt Members…

Grain Marketing Board (GMB) Back on Market to Raise Money…

Interfin Holdings Limited Takes Over CFX Financial Services…

The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) Requires Money to Restore

Electric Locomotives…

LonZim Raises More Money to Support Recovery…

———————————

On the Political and Social Front

———————————-

¶2. Ambassador Ray presented his credentials to President Mugabe on

Wednesday. During the hour-long meeting, Mugabe gave his usual

“history lesson” starting with the liberation struggle, continuing

through the Lancaster House agreement, British betrayal on land

reform, and ending on illegal sanctions. The Herald ran a front-page

article on Thursday announcing the new ambassador, “Another

ex-soldier to run U.S. embassy.” The article explained, “Ambassador

Ray replaces Mr. James McGee, with both having served in the

disastrous Vietnam War of the 1960s and getting decorated for their

participation in that losing cause.” On December 10, Ambassador Ray

also met with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. See Harare 955 and

Harare 959.

¶3. President Robert Mugabe gave the keynote address at the official

opening of the ZANU-PF Congress today. (Delegates and officials have

been meeting since December 8; the official Congress will last two

days.) The theme of the Congress is “United in Defense of Our

National Resources and People?s Economic Empowerment.” Mugabe

focused much of his speech on U.S. and EU sanctions designed to

undermine the government so the West can gain access to Zimbabwe?s

resources. He sharply criticized the MDC for having supported

sanctions and for not having supported repeal of them. Showing

sensitivity to recent reports of serious ZANU-PF in-fighting,

Mugabe, and Vice President Joice Mujuru after him, implored the

several thousand people seated in the International Convention

Center to abjure factionalism. In the same vein, today?s banner

headline in The Herald was “President blasts factionalism,” based on

Mugabe?s address yesterday to the ZANU-PF Central Committee. We

expect the Congress to ratify decisions already made by the Central

Committee and Politburo. See Harare 946.

¶4. Zimrights and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights led separate

marches in Harare on December 10 to commemorate Human Rights Day.

Hundreds participated in each of the marches and the groups were led

by police escorts. Although the two groups hoped to have one, large

march, police refused permission and forced them to hold separate

marches.

¶5. New York-based NGO AIDS-Free World released a report this week

Q5. New York-based NGO AIDS-Free World released a report this week

detailing politically-motivated rape perpetrated by ZANU-PF

supporters and members of Mugabe’s regime.

The report is online at: http://www.aids-freeworld.org

¶6. On Sunday December 6, church services in every Anglican church

except one in Harare were interrupted by either police or supporters

of deposed Anglican Bishop Nolbert Kunonga. Police attempted to stop

services, lock churches, and intimidate priests who went ahead with

HARARE 00000966 002 OF 003

their services anyway. The disruptions are a continuation of a

nearly two-year dispute within the church as ZANU-PF-supported

Kunonga seeks to assert control over Anglican church-owned

property.

¶7. WOZA leaders Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu appeared in

Bulawayo Magistrate’s Court on Monday December 7, only to learn that

their court record file was not accessible. Upon returning on the

8th, their lawyer, Kossam Ncube, was informed that the file was

locked in an “exhibit? room and the person with the keys was away on

leave. With the keys missing, the magistrate directed the State to

bring the file for yet another hearing scheduled for December 14.

WOZA members in solidarity in the court counted at least seven

plain-clothed state agents in the court room. Since returning from

the U.S. where they received the RFK Human Rights Award from

President Obama, they have been frequently followed by suspected

security agents.

¶8. On December 10, Magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni acquitted human

rights lawyer Alec Muchadehama and High Court Clerk Constance

Gambara of contempt of court. Police had argued that Muchadehama and

Gambara committed the offense when they arranged the release from

prison of three abductees, Kisimusi Dhlamini, Gandhi Mudzingwa and

Andrisson Manyere in April, after the state failed to appeal to the

Supreme Court against bail. The acquittal ends an eight month ordeal

for Muchadehama and Gambara, at least for now.

¶9. MDC-T Suspends Corrupt Members…On December 8, the MDC National

Executive suspended three party members accused of corruption and

inciting violence: former Chitungwiza Councilor Rangarirai

Mutingwende, former Mayor of Chitungwiza Israel Marange, and Zengeza

East Member of Parliament Alexio Musundire. Mutingwende was

sanctioned for two years while Marange was barred from party

activities for five years. The two stand accused of allocating

residential stands in Chitungwiza to party supporters in exchange

for money. Although Musundire was suspended from holding any

position in the party for two years, he will keep his seat in the

House of Assembly. MDC Director General Toendepi Shonhe told us the

party took drastic action to make it clear that it was not following

the corrupt and violent practices of ZANU-PF.

———————————–

On the Economic and Business Front

———————————-

¶10. The GMB is planning to come onto the market to raise the USD2.5

million needed to purchase grain through grain bills even though

attempts to borrow an equal amount in November managed to raise only

USD1.6 million. The bills, which have a tenure of 90 days and

include other attractive features such as tax exemption, liquid

asset status and prescribed asset status, are designed to attract

funds from Pension and Provident Funds, Insurance Companies,

Commercial Banks and individuals.

¶11. The troubled CFX Financial Services, which failed to meet the

Q11. The troubled CFX Financial Services, which failed to meet the

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe?s minimum capital requirements threshold

set for September 30, has been taken over by Interfin Holdings

Limited following a flop in its USD10 million rights offer to

existing shareholders. Only 1.38 percent of the required amount was

raised by previous shareholders leaving the underwriter, Interfin

Holdings Limited, to take up the under-subscribed ordinary shares up

to a maximum of 51 percent, giving it a controlling stake in CFX.

¶12. NRZ requires USD200 million to buy equipment to restore

electric locomotives that were suspended because thieves stole

overhead cables used to transmit power and the poles supporting the

cables as well as control equipment. In view of the key role played

by railways in improving competitiveness, government allocated

USD16.7 million to NRZ to kick-start the revival of the country?s

rail network.

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¶13. The London alternative investment market (AIM) listed LonZim

raised 1.17 million pounds sterling designed to recapitalize its

Zimbabwean subsidiaries that include, among others, Celsys, Paynet,

Millpal Chemicals and Leopard Rock Hotel. In addition to this

portfolio, LonZim is also considering other investment opportunities

in Zimbabwe, including the operation of a low cost airline.

According to the company?s Executive Chairman, LonZim is taking

advantage of Zimbabwe?s economic recovery which he says is now quite

“tangible”.

—————–

Quote of the Week

—————–

¶14. “As Mr. Ray probably knows, Zimbabwe Government officials, from

the ZANU-PF side, have been slapped with unjustified, politically

motivated travel restrictions which prevent them from traveling to

Western capitals to tell the Zimbabwean story, except on

multilateral business… We hope Mr. Ray, as the eyes and ears of

Washington here, will tell the real Zimbabwean story to his

principals back home and impress on them the importance of lifting

their ruinous economic sanctions to help ‘restore the country to

prominence and prosperity’.” — Opinion column, The Herald, December

11, 2009.

RAY

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