ZANU-PF MP said he was closer to MDC than ZANU-PF

The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front Member of Parliament for Chivi South Irvine Dzingirai told United States embassy officials that he had closer ties to the Movement for Democratic Change side of Parliament than to the ZANU-PF side.

He said he was part of a circle of moderate ZANU-PF MPs who recognised the reality that Zimbabwe was in an economic and humanitarian crisis that required a political solution involving both parties.

Dzingirai said that he was someone “who saw things as they were” and would not simply adhere to the ZANU-PF party line.

Other ZANU-PF MPs who shared his moderate outlook included Kudakwashe Bhasikiti of Mwenezi East, Walter Mzembi of Masvingo South, and Makhosini Hlongwane of Mberengwa East.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 09HARARE106, ZIMBABWE – REACHING OUT TO REFORM-MINDED ZANU-PF

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2019

TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ZI

SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE – REACHING OUT TO REFORM-MINDED ZANU-PF

PARLIAMENTARIANS

Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)

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SUMMARY

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¶1. (C) As part of an effort to engage with moderate members

of ZANU-PF, poloff met with Ivene Dzingirayi, a first-time

ZANU-PF parliamentarian with good working relationships with

his MDC counterparts. Dzingirayi discussed his perspective

of reform elements within the ZANU-PF side of Parliament and

shared that his ties to the MDC had made him a target of

hardliners in his own party. END SUMMARY.

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Young, Reform-Minded ZANU-PF MPs Emerging

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¶2. (C) On February 10, poloff met with the ZANU-PF MP for

Chivi South in Masvingo province, Ivene Dzingirayi, to

discuss his perspective of reform elements in ZANU-PF and the

prospects for cooperation in Parliament between his party and

the MDC-T. Dzingirayi told us that he is part of a circle of

moderate ZANU-PF MPs who recognize the reality that Zimbabwe

is in an economic and humanitarian crisis that requires a

political solution involving both parties. While not openly

critical of his party, he said that he was someone “who saw

things as they were” and that his voting record would

demonstrate support for his constituency; he would not simply

adhere to the ZANU-PF party line. He said that other ZANU-PF

MPs who shared his moderate outlook included Kudakwashe

Bhasikiti of Mwenezi East, Walter Mzembi of Masvingo South,

and Makhosini Hlongwane of Mberengwa East.

¶3. (C) Dzingirayi told us that he believed power should be

shared 50/50 in the government and that he actually had

closer ties to the MDC side of Parliament than to the ZANU-PF

side. He repeatedly referred to the old ZANU-PF MPs as being

resistant to change, while claiming the younger ZANU-PF MPs

were better able to work with the MDC and were pushing for

reform. Dzingirayi said that his priorities were to

refurbish and supply the health clinic in his constituency,

as well as generate economic opportunities stemming from

Chivi’s strategic location on the main road leading to South

Africa.

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The Backlash from ZANU-PF Hardliners

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¶4. (C) Dzingirayi explained that his ties to the MDC were

well known and had made him a target of some hard-line

elements in his own party. He mentioned that he had been

falsely named in a February 6 article in the state-controlled

daily newspaper, the Herald, alleging that he had abused free

agricultural inputs he received from the state. (NOTE: The

MDC-T chief whip, Innocent Gonese told us that he doubted the

charges against Dzingirayi were credible, and he agreed that

it was most likely an act of political retribution. The same

article named one other ZANU-PF MP and seven MDC-T MPs. END

NOTE.)

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COMMENT

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¶5. (C) With the MDC on the verge of entering into a

Q5. (C) With the MDC on the verge of entering into a

government of national unity, cooperation between ZANU-PF and

the MDC will be sorely tested. Parliament appears to be one

venue where there is some convergence of priorities. Post

HARARE 00000106 002 OF 002

will continue to reach out to reformist elements in ZANU-PF

to better evaluate the prospects for political cooperation

and success. END COMMENT.

MCGEE

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