ZANU-PF vote buying fails

Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front bagmen came to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions congress in 2001 with bags of money to buy votes for pro-ZANU-PF candidates but the plan flopped.

Since voting was by secret ballot delegates took the money but voted for pro-Movement for Democratic Change candidates, Nicholas Mudzengerere, a former deputy secretary of the ZCTU told United States embassy officials.

Reports said ZANU-PF had paid an additional Z$1.5 million to clear the arrears for various trade unions so that they could attend the congress and vote.

Not one pro-ZANU-PF candidate was elected.

Isidore Zindoga, the former acting secretary-general of the ZCTU who was reportedly head of the pro-ZANU-PF element received only 35 votes, while Wellington Chibhebhe, who won, received 81 votes.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 01HARARE859, ZCTU UNION LEADER CONFIRMS THAT LABOR CONGRESS

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

280543Z Feb 01

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PAGE 01       HARARE 00859 01 OF 02 281811Z

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INFO LOG-00   AF-00   AID-00   CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00

EUR-00   H-01     TEDE-00 INR-00   IO-00   L-00     NSAE-00

OIC-02   PM-00   PRS-00   P-00     SP-00   SS-00   STR-00

TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00   PRM-01   G-00     SAS-00     /006W

——————CBB2E4 281811Z /45

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8301

INFO NSC WASHDC

DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

AMEMBASSY NAIROBI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000859

SIPDIS

DRL/IL FOR KBRYANT

NSC FOR JFRAZER

ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD

LONDON FOR CGURNEY

PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS

NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD – DWELLER, AFR/SA – CPALMA,

NNEWMAN, AA/AFR – VDICKSON-HORTON

E.O. 12958: DECL 02/27/11

TAGS: ELAB PGOV PHUM PINR ZI

SUBJECT: ZCTU UNION LEADER CONFIRMS THAT LABOR CONGRESS

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PAGE 02       HARARE 00859 01 OF 02 281811Z

OUTCOME ASSURES COOPERATION BETWEEN THE ZCTU AND THE MDC

REFTEL: HARARE 846

CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D’ AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR

REASONS 1.5 (B/D).

——–

SUMMARY

——–

¶1. (C) ACCORDING TO A HIGH-LEVEL UNION OFFICIAL WHO IS

ALSO A MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITION PARTY’S NATIONAL

EXECUTIVE, THE JUST-ENDED ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF TRADE

UNION’S (ZCTU) FIVE-YEAR CONGRESS RESULTED IN THE

ELECTION OF A NATIONAL EXECUTIVE BODY THAT SOLIDLY

SUPPORTS THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC).

ZIMBABWE’S RULING PARTY, ZANU-PF, TRIED TO BUY

DELEGATES’ VOTES RIGHT UP TO VOTING TIME AT THE

CONGRESS, BUT NOT A SINGLE PRO-ZANU-PF LABOR LEADER WAS

ELECTED TO THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE. WHILE THE NEW

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE PUBLICLY AFFIRMED THAT THE ZCTU IS

NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY POLITICAL PARTY, AND THAT IT IS

NON-PARTISAN IN CHARACTER, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE NEW

LEADERSHIP WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE MDC IN SUPPORTING

THE PARTY’S CANDIDATE IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION. END SUMMARY.

¶2. (U) ON FEBRUARY 26, LABOFF MET WITH NICHOLAS

MUDZENGERERE, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ZIMBABWE CATERING

AND HOTEL WORKERS UNION, TO DISCUSS THE OUTCOME OF THE

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JUST-ENDED LABOR CONGRESS. MUDZENGERERE IS ALSO THE

FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ZCTU, AND A

MEMBER OF THE MDC NATIONAL EXECUTIVE.

—————————————-

A PRO-MDC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IS ELECTED

—————————————-

¶3. (C) MUDZENGERERE REVEALED THAT THE MDC IS VERY

PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE CONGRESS. ACCORDING TO

MUDZENGERERE, ALL THE MEMBERS ELECTED TO THE NEW ZCTU

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ARE PRO-MDC LABOR LEADERS (REFTEL).

THE NEW SECRETARY-GENERAL, WILLARD CHIBHEBHE, IS THE

FORMER PRESIDENT, AND NOW A TRUSTEE OF THE ZIMBABWE

RAILWAY ARTISANS WORKERS UNION, AND HAD THE BACKING OF

THE OTHER TWO RAILWAY UNIONS. HE ALSO WAS A CANDIDATE

FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE MDC WHEN THE PARTY WAS

FIRST FORMED IN 1999, AND LATER WAS THE SECRETARY OF

POLICY AND RESEARCH FOR THE MDC. THE NEW ZCTU

PRESIDENT, LOVEMORE MATAMBO, IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE

ZIMBABWE POST AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKERS UNION, AND

WAS PART OF THE ZCTU GENERAL COUNCIL WHEN THE LABOR BODY

VOTED TO ORGANIZE THE MDC IN 1998. THE OTHER NEW

MEMBERS OF THE ZCTU EXECUTIVE HAVE SIMILARLY STRONG

UNION AND MDC CREDENTIALS. THE FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT,

LUCIA MATIBENGU, IS THE HEAD OF THE MDC WOMEN’S LEAGUE.

—————————

ZANU-PF’S VOTE BUYING FAILS

—————————

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PAGE 04       HARARE 00859 01 OF 02 281811Z

¶4. (C) MUDZENGERERE ALLEGED THAT ZANU-PF WAS TRYING TO

BUY THE OUTCOME OF THE CONGRESS RIGHT UP UNTIL THE VOTES

WERE CAST. HE STATED THAT ZANU-PF BAGMEN CAME TO THE

CONGRESS WITH BAGS OF CASH, AND WERE TRYING TO BRIBE

CONGRESS DELEGATES TO ENSURE THAT THEY WOULD VOTE FOR

THE PRO-ZANU-PF SLATE OF CANDIDATES. THIS IS ON TOP OF

THE RUMORED ZIMBABWE $1.5 MILLION THAT THE RULING PARTY

PAID IN DUES ARREARAGES ON BEHALF OF VARIOUS UNIONS SO

THAT THEY COULD ATTEND THE CONGRESS AND VOTE FOR THE

PRO-ZANU-PF CANDIDATES. HOWEVER, MUDZENGERERE INDICATED

THAT BECAUSE THE VOTING WAS BY SECRET BALLOT, ZANU-PF’S

STRATEGY BACKFIRED, AS THE DELEGATES TOOK THE MONEY AND

THEN CAST THEIR BALLOTS FOR THE PRO-MDC CANDIDATES.

EVEN THOUGH THE PRO-MDC FORCES WERE UNABLE TO PRESENT A

SINGLE SLATE, NOT ONE PRO-ZANU-PF CANDIDATE WAS ELECTED.

ISIDORE ZINDOGA, THE FORMER ACTING SECRETARY-GENERAL OF

THE ZCTU AND HEAD OF THE PRO-ZANU-PF SLATE, RECEIVED

ONLY 35 VOTES, WHILE CHIBHEBHE RECEIVED 81 VOTES.

——————————————

A WARM GREETING FOR TSVANGIRAI AND SIBANDA

——————————————

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ACTION DRL-02

INFO LOG-00   AF-00   AID-00   CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00

EUR-00   H-01     TEDE-00 INR-00   IO-00   L-00     NSAE-00

OIC-02   PM-00   PRS-00   P-00     SP-00   SS-00   STR-00

TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00   PRM-01   G-00     SAS-00     /006W

——————CBB2F4 281811Z /45

R 280543Z FEB 01

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8302

INFO NSC WASHDC

DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

AMEMBASSY NAIROBI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000859

SIPDIS

DRL/IL FOR KBRYANT

NSC FOR JFRAZER

ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD

LONDON FOR CGURNEY

PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS

NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD – DWELLER, AFR/SA – CPALMA,

NNEWMAN, AA/AFR – VDICKSON-HORTON

E.O. 12958: DECL 02/27/11

TAGS: ELAB PGOV PHUM PINR ZI

SUBJECT: ZCTU UNION LEADER CONFIRMS THAT LABOR CONGRESS

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 00859 02 OF 02 281811Z

OUTCOME ASSURES COOPERATION BETWEEN THE ZCTU AND THE MDC

¶5. (C) THE FORMER SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ZCTU, AND

CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, AND THE

FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE ZCTU, AND CURRENT VICE-PRESIDENT

OF THE MDC, GIBSON SIBANDA, RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION

FROM THE DELEGATES WHEN THEY ADDRESSED THE CONGRESS.

TSVANGIRAI’S COMMENT THAT THE “ZCTU WAS THE SOUL OF THE

SIPDIS

MDC” WAS MET WITH AN ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE FROM THE

DELEGATES. ACCORDING TO MUDZENGERERE, THERE WERE NO

ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS EVIDENT AMONG THE DELEGATES AT THE

CONGRESS. WHILE THE NEW EXECUTIVE PUBLICLY AFFIRMED

THAT THE ZCTU IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY POLITICAL

PARTY, MUDZENGERERE MADE CLEAR THAT IN PRIVATE THE

ENTIRE NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS WORKERS IN

GENERAL, STRONGLY SUPPORT THE MDC AND WILL FULLY SUPPORT

TSVANGIRAI’S CAMPAIGN FOR THE PRESIDENCY.

SIPDIS

————————————–

MUDZENGERERE’S PENDING COURT CHALLENGE

————————————–

¶6. (C) IN ADDITION TO HAVING STRONG LABOR CREDENTIALS,

MUDZENGERERE IS AN MDC ACTIVIST AS WELL. HE WAS ONE OF

THE MDC CANDIDATES DEFEATED IN LAST JUNE’S PARLIAMENTARY

ELECTION AS A RESULT OF ZANU-PF INTIMIDATION OF VOTERS.

MUDZENGERERE REPORTEDLY LOST BY LESS THAN 60 VOTES OUT

OF AROUND 15,000 VOTES CAST IN THE MAKONI EAST DISTRICT.

HE RELATED HOW ZANU-PF THUGS AND “WAR VETS” HAD

PREVENTED COMMERCIAL FARM WORKERS FROM VOTING DURING THE

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PAGE 03       HARARE 00859 02 OF 02 281811Z

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION. THE EVIDENCE OF THE IMPACT OF

THIS INTIMIDATION, ACCORDING TO MUDZENGERERE, IS THAT

25,000 VOTED IN THE DISTRICT IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL

REFERENDUM (WHEN THERE WAS NO INTIMIDATION), VERSUS ONLY

15,000 IN THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION FOUR MONTHS LATER.

MUDZENGERERE’S COURT CHALLENGE IS TO BE HEARD IN THE

NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

——-

COMMENT

——-

¶7. (C) THE ELECTION OF A PRO-MDC NATIONAL EXECUTIVE AT

THE ZCTU CONGRESS WAS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO THE

FUTURE VIABILITY OF THE MDC AS A NATIONAL POLITICAL

PARTY. HAVING ACHIEVED THIS, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI AND THE

MDC LEADERSHIP CAN BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF. WHEN THE

NEW ZCTU PRESIDENT, LOVEMORE MATAMBO, TOLD THE GOZ-

CONTROLLED “THE HERALD” NEWSPAPER THAT “THE ZCTU IS A

NON-PARTISAN BODY THAT IS NOT THE SOUL OF THE MDC”, THIS

WAS FOR THE CONSUMPTION OF PRESIDENT MUGABE AND COMPANY,

AND DID NOT SIGNIFY THE TRUE LEANINGS OF THE NEW

LEADERSHIP. WE EXPECT THAT THE NEW ZCTU LEADERSHIP WILL

WORK TO SUPPORT TSVANGIRAI’S CANDIDACY IN THE UPCOMING

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN WAYS THAT ON THE SURFACE ARE

NON-PARTISAN (E.G. VOTER REGISTRATION, VOTER EDUCATION,

GET OUT THE VOTE EFFORTS), BUT WHICH WILL SERVE TO HELP

LEVEL THE POLITICAL PLAYING FIELD. END COMMENT.

IRVING

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