ZANU-PF has become a monster

The Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front had become a monster which believed it was larger than life.

This was the view of one of the country leading weekly papers in its analysis of the amendments to the Electoral Act in the run up to the 2002 president elections which it said were going to be a gigantic fraud.

Another weekly belonging to the State-owned group welcomed the amendments, however, saying that this was a demonstration that Zimbabwe could handle elections on its own.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 01HARARE3365, MEDIA REPORT 2002 PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT; HARARE

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

131236Z Nov 01

UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1120

PAGE 01       HARARE 03365 01 OF 02 131319Z

ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   AF-00   A-00     ACQ-00   CIAE-00 INL-00

DODE-00 DS-00   EUR-00   OIGO-00 UTED-00 VC-00   TEDE-00

LAB-01   VCE-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00

IIP-00   DSCC-00 DRL-02   NFAT-00 SAS-00     /004W

——————3D82A0 131320Z /38

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0256

INFO NSC WASHDC

AMEMBASSY PRETORIA

AMEMBASSY LUSAKA

AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK

AMEMBASSY GABORONE

AMEMBASSY LILONGWE

AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003365

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR

SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM

SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT 2002 PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT; HARARE

¶1.   ALTHOUGH NO DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR THE 2002

PRESIDENTIAL POLL DUE EARLY NEXT YEAR, THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA

HAS STARTED RUNNING EDITORIAL COMMENTARIES FOCUSING ON THE

LANDMARK PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT. FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTS FROM

EDITORIALS FOCUSING ON THE DEBATE OVER PROPOSED AMENDMENTS

TO THE ELECTORAL ACT:

¶2.   UNDER HEADLINE “PREPARING THE GROUND FOR ELECTION

FRAUD,” THE NOVEMBER 12 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT DAILY

“THE DAILY NEWS” COMMENTS:

“THE GOVERNMENT’S APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS TO

THE ELECTORAL ACT THAT ENTAILS CHANGING REGULATIONS ON

POSTAL VOTING, CAMPAIGNING, POLLING AND ON THE VOTER’S

ROLL ITSELF. . .IS BOTH REGRETTABLE AND DISHEARTENING.

REGRETTABLE BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT, ARROGANT AS ALWAYS,

DECIDED ON THOSE AMENDMENTS ALONE WITHOUT CONSULTING

OTHER STAKEHOLDERS FOR CONSENSUS. THIS MAKES THE

AMENDMENTS A PARTISAN AFFAIR CLEARLY MEANT TO MAKE IT

EASIER FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO MANIPULATE THE BALLOT IN

FAVOR OF ZANU PF. . .   DISHEARTENING BECAUSE THE

AMENDMENTS ARE CLEARLY A SELF-SERVING MOVE DESIGNED TO

MAKE ALL OTHER ASPIRING CONTESTANTS IN THE NEXT AND

SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS LOSE ALL HOPE OF WINNING AS THE

CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF THE AMENDMENTS IS TO RENDER THE

POLITICAL PLAYING FIELD IN ZIMBABWE MUCH MORE UNEVEN

THAN IT HAD BEEN HITHERTO. OVER AND ABOVE THE PHYSICAL

DANGERS THOSE WHO BRAVE STANDING AGAINST ZANU PF

CANDIDATES FACE BECAUSE OF THE EVER-PRESENT VIOLENCE THE

PARTY ALWAYS UNLEASHES AGAINST THOSE WHO OPPOSE IT, THE

AMENDMENTS MAKE CONTEST BY ANYONE OUTSIDE ZANU PF A

COSTLY, FUTILE EXERCISE. . . PUT BLUNTLY, THE

GOVERNMENT HAS DEVISED AN EASY MECHANISM TO CHEAT ITS

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03       HARARE 03365 01 OF 02 131319Z

WAY INTO REMAINING IN POWER. . . THE GOVERNMENT IS

DOING ITS DAMNEDEST TO DISENFRANCHISE ALL ZIMBABWEANS IT

THINKS WILL VOTE FOR THE OPPOSITION. THIS IS CRIMINAL.”

¶3.   UNDER HEADLINE “WE CAN HANDLE ELECTIONS ON OUR OWN,”

THE NOVEMBER 9 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED

WEEKLY “THE MANICA POST” COMMENTS:

“A PROPOSAL BY THE GOVERNMENT TO AMEND THE ELECTORAL ACT

TO GIVE POWERS TO THE ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY COMMISSION

(ESC) TO RECRUIT, TRAIN AND DEPLOY ELECTION MONITORS IN

ALL ELECTIONS, BE THEY PRESIDENTIAL OR PARLIAMENTARY BY-

ELECTIONS, SHOULD BE WELCOMED BY EVERYONE WHO IS PROUD

TO BE ZIMBABWEAN. . . PREVIOUSLY THE ESC HAS RELIED ON

MONITORS TRAINED BY NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, AN

UNHEALTHY SITUATION CONSIDERING THAT THE SUPERVISORY

BODY WAS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THEIR TRAINING. THIS

PUT ESC IN AN AWKWARD POSITION. HOW, FOR INSTANCE,

COULD IT BE IN CHARGE OF PEOPLE WHOSE TRAINING IT HAD

LITTLE TO DO WITH? ON THE OTHER HAND, HOW MUCH CAN THE

NGOS BE TRUSTED TO TRAIN ELECTION MONITORS WHEN SOME OF

THEM ARE KNOWN TO BE HOSTILE TO THE ZANU PF GOVERNMENT?

. . .IT IS HIGH TIME THE OPPOSITION IS DISABUSED OF THE

NOTION THAT ZIMBABWEANS CANNOT HANDLE THEIR OWN AFFAIRS.

. . .”

¶4.   UNDER HEADLINE “THE HOUR HAS COME,” THE NOVEMBER 8

EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY “THE FINANCIAL

GAZETTE” COMMENTS:

“ALL THE PIECES OF ZERO HOUR OF ZIMBABWE BEING DESIGNED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04       HARARE 03365 01 OF 02 131319Z

BY THE RULING ZANU PF PARTY ARE FINALLY COMING INTO

PLACE, HERALDING FOREBODING TIMES FOR LONG-SUFFERING

CITIZENS AND CHALLENGING THE CONSCIENCE OF ALL RIGHT-

THINKING MEN AND WOMEN ACROSS THE GLOBE. AFTER MUCH

TIME AND ENERGY HAS BEEN SPENT ON AN EMPTY DIALOGUE WITH

THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND ZIMBABWEANS, ZANU PF HAS

NOW TAKEN OFF THE GLOVES TO SHOW ITS TRUE COLORS: A

MONSTER WHICH BELIEVES IT HAS BECOME LARGER THAN LIFE.

THUS THE GOVERNING PARTY WILL STAGE-MANAGE THE UPCOMING

PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT, WHICH ITS LEADER PRESIDENT ROBERT

MUGABE COULD LOSE, UNDER ITS OWN SO-CALLED RULES AND

ANYONE UNHAPPY WITH THIS STATE OF AFFAIRS CAN CRY OR

YELL UNTIL HELL FREEZES. SO FOREIGN OBSERVERS WILL ONLY

BE ALLOWED INTO ZIMBABWE AT THE BEHEST OF THE

GOVERNMENT. . .WHICH MEANS THAT ONLY THOSE PUPPETS FROM

‘FRIENDLY COUNTRIES’ WILL BE INVITED TO LEND THEIR

OBVIOUS SUPPORT TO A GIGANTIC FRAUD. . . ZIMBABWEANS

AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST THUS PREPARE FOR

THE VERY WORST: ZIMBABWEANS WILL HAVE TO DEFEND

THEMSELVES AGAINST TERROR GANGS AND VOTE OVERWHELMINGLY

TO END THIS TYRANNY WHILE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1119

PAGE 01       HARARE 03365 02 OF 02 131320Z

ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   AF-00   A-00     ACQ-00   CIAE-00 DODE-00

DS-00   EUR-00   UTED-00 VC-00   TEDE-00 LAB-01   VCE-00

NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00   DSCC-00 DRL-02   NFAT-00

SAS-00     /003W

——————3D82A2 131320Z /38

P 131236Z NOV 01

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0257

INFO NSC WASHDC

AMEMBASSY PRETORIA

AMEMBASSY LUSAKA

AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK

AMEMBASSY GABORONE

AMEMBASSY LILONGWE

AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003365

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR

SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM

SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT 2002 PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT; HARARE

TAKES WHATEVER MEASURES ARE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT

DEMOCRACY AND SANITY PREVAIL. . . .”

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02       HARARE 03365 02 OF 02 131320Z

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

(26 VIEWS)