Former army commander Solomon Mujuru said elections should be a clean fight and both sides should be able to accept the outcome.
He told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Joseph Sullivan that he had been responsible for making sure that the by-election in Chikomba, his home area, was the most peaceful election since June 2000.
He had hosted a barbecue for both Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and Movement for Democratic Change candidates at his home and had urged everyone to conduct a peaceful campaign.
Mujuru said it was not in Zimbabwe’s interests for political parties to regard each other as enemies instead of legitimate opponents.
He said that the MDC would have been in control of Parliament if people had voted Yes in the 2000 referendum because this would have abolished the 30 seats appointed by the president and increased the number of seats representing urban areas, where the MDC was stronger.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE3439, AMBASSADOR’S DISCUSSION WITH INFLUENTIAL ZANU-PF
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
170759Z Nov 01
CONFIDENTIAL PTO8656
PAGE 01 HARARE 03439 170913Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 VC-00
TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 CAEX-01 IRM-00 EPAE-00
DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W
——————3FB2EE 170913Z /75
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0300
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003439
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL. 11/13/11
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR’S DISCUSSION WITH INFLUENTIAL ZANU-PF
POLITBURO MEMBER
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MATT HARRINGTON. REASONS:
1.5 (B) AND (D).
IMPORTANCE OF POLITICAL DIALOGUE
——————————–
¶1. (C) IN A NOVEMBER 12 CONVERSATION WITH THE AMBASSADOR AND
POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF, ZANU-PF POLITBURO MEMBER SOLOMON MUJURU
SAID HE WAS PROUD OF HIS ROLE IN ENSURING THAT THE SEPTEMBER BY-
ELECTION IN CHIKOMBA (HIS HOME BASE) WAS THE MOST PEACEFUL BY-
ELECTION SINCE JUNE 2000. HE TOLD US THAT HE HAD HOSTED A
BARBECUE AT HIS LOCAL HOME THAT INCLUDED THE RULING PARTY AND MDC
PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES, AS WELL AS LOCAL OFFICIALS FROM BOTH
PARTIES, AT WHICH HE HAD URGED EVERYONE INVOLVED TO CONDUCT A
PEACEFUL CAMPAIGN. HE SAID HE WAS WORKING WITH OTHERS TO MINIMIZE
INCIDENTS OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN THE RUNUP TO THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION IN EARLY 2002.
¶2. (C) MUJURU EXPRESSED REGRET THAT THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT HAS
BECOME SO CHARGED THAT MANY ZIMBABWEANS DO NOT FEEL FREE TO SHARE
THEIR POLITICAL OPINIONS. HE SAID BOTH PARTIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO
ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE ABOUT THE WAY FORWARD, AND HE THOUGHT AN
ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT WAS A GOOD IDEA. THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN
SHOULD BE A CLEAN FIGHT, AND BOTH SIDES SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCEPT
THE OUTCOME. IT WAS NOT IN ZIMBABWE’S INTEREST FOR POLITICAL
PARTIES TO REGARD EACH OTHER AS ENEMIES INSTEAD OF LEGITIMATE
OPPONENTS, BUT HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE DIFFICULTY OF BUILDING TRUST
BETWEEN ZANU-PF AND THE MDC AND OF CREATING AN ENABLING
ENVIRONMENT FOR CONSTRUCTIVE INTER-PARTY TALKS. MUJURU ASSERTED
THAT THE MDC WOULD NOW CONTROL PARLIAMENT IF THE “YES” VOTE HAD
CARRIED THE DAY IN THE FEBRUARY 2000 REFERENDUM, AS THE DRAFT
CONSTITUTION WOULD HAVE ABOLISHED THE 30 SEATS APPOINTED BY THE
PRESIDENT AND INCREASED THE NUMBER OF SEATS REPRESENTING URBAN
AREAS, THE OPPOSITION PARTY’S STRONGHOLD. HE SAID HIS “FRIENDS IN
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 03439 170913Z
ZANU-PF” QUESTION HIS OPENNESS WITH PEOPLE OF ALL POLITICAL
STRIPES. HE JOKED THAT HE TALKS TO THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS SO MUCH
THAT WHEN HE SPEAKS WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE, THE FIRST THING THE
PRESIDENT ASKS IS WHETHER MUJURU HAS FARMERS WITH HIM.
¶3. (C) MUJURU SAID THE DECISION ON THE TIMING OF THE ELECTION
WOULD BE MADE AT ZANU-PF’S CONGRESS IN DECEMBER AND WOULD BE MADE
PUBLIC SOON AFTER THAT. ASKED WHO WOULD WIN THE ELECTION, MUJURU
SAID ONLY THAT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY CLOSE. HE PREDICTED THAT THE
VICTORIOUS PARTY WOULD GARNER BETWEEN 51 AND 55% OF THE TOTAL VOTE
COUNT. (N.B. MUJURU RECENTLY REMARKED TO A BRITISH COLLEAGUE
THAT THE RULING PARTY WOULD WIN 55% OF THE VOTE. ASKED WHAT
PERCENTAGE IT WOULD GARNER IF MUGABE WERE NOT THE CANDIDATE,
MUJURU REPORTEDLY SAID “75%.” END N.B.)
LINKS WITH MILITARY
——————-
¶4. (C) THE AMBASSADOR ASKED WHETHER MUJURU HAD RETAINED CLOSE
LINKS TO MILITARY COMMANDERS SINCE HIS RETIREMENT AS CHIEF OF THE
DEFENSE FORCES IN 1992. YES, MUJURU REPLIED, HE STILL HAD GOOD
RELATIONS WITH “THE BOYS.” THE AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT HE HAD HAD A
GOOD MEETING RECENTLY WITH MINISTER OF DEFENSE SEKERAMAYI. MUJURI
SAID SEKERAMAYI HAD CALLED HIM IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS TO BRIEF HIM
ON THAT MEETING, AND THAT THE MINISTER SHARED THE AMBASSADOR’S
POSITIVE ASSESSMENT OF THEIR CONVERSATION.
FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM
——————————-
¶5. (C) MUJURU WAS NOT HAPPY WITH HOW THE FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 03439 170913Z
PROGRAM HAS UNFOLDED. THE PARTY, HE CLAIMED, HAD SET OUT VERY
CLEAR AND REASONABLE CRITERIA FOR LAND REFORM. THE UNLEASHING OF
THE WAR VETERANS, HOWEVER, HAD KNOCKED THE PROGRAM OFF-TRACK, AND
IT WAS NOT “WORKING AS WE HAD PLANNED.” NOTING THAT HE WAS A
WHEAT AND SOYBEAN FARMER HIMSELF, HE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT
RESETTLED FAMILIES WERE NOT BEING PROVIDED WITH SUFFICIENT
RESOURCES TO TURN THEIR NEW PROPERTIES INTO SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC
ENTERPRISES.
COMMENT
——-
¶6. (C) ALTHOUGH NOT PARTICULARLY ARTICULATE OR INTELLECTUALLY
IMPRESSIVE, GENERAL MUJURU CARRIES SIGNIFICANT BEHIND-THE-SCENES
INFLUENCE WITH KEY DECISION-MAKERS, AS EVIDENCED BY SEKERAMAYI’S
TELPHONE CALL TO HIM. HE IS, IN FACT, CONSIDERED A POTENTIAL
KINGMAKER BY MANY OBSERVERS. IN ADDITION, SOME OF THE MILITARY’S
KEY COMMANDERS SERVED UNDER MUJURU, RETAIN STRONG LOYALTIES TO
HIM, AND WOULD FOLLOW HIS LEAD IF THE DETERIORATION OF THE
POLITICAL EVENTS HERE SPARKED SOME DEGREE OF MILITARY INVOLVEMENT.
CONSEQUENTLY, MUJURU IS REPORTEDLY ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHOSE
ADVICE PRESIDENT MUGABE TAKES SERIOUSLY. GIVEN HIS POSITIVE ROLE
IN THE CHIKOMBA BY-ELECTION AND HIS MODERATE, NO NONSENSE VIEWS ON
ISSUES SUCH AS POLITICAL DIALOGUE, WE BELIEVE HE CAN, AND IS
TRYING TO, MINIMIZE THE RULING PARTY’S WORST EXCESSES.
SULLIVAN
CONFIDENTIAL
>
@@@OASYS@@@
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ4191
PAGE 01 HARARE 03439 01 OF 02 170844Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 VC-00
TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 CAEX-01 IRM-00 EPAE-00
DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W
——————3FB140 170844Z /38
P 170759Z NOV 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0300
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003439
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL. 11/13/11
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR’S DISCUSSION WITH INFLUENTIAL ZANU-PF
POLITBURO MEMBER
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MATT HARRINGTON. REASONS:
1.5 (B) AND (D).
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 03439 01 OF 02 170844Z
IMPORTANCE OF POLITICAL DIALOGUE
——————————–
¶1. (C) IN A NOVEMBER 12 CONVERSATION WITH THE AMBASSADOR AND
POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF, ZANU-PF POLITBURO MEMBER SOLOMON MUJURU
SAID HE WAS PROUD OF HIS ROLE IN ENSURING THAT THE SEPTEMBER BY-
ELECTION IN CHIKOMBA (HIS HOME BASE) WAS THE MOST PEACEFUL BY-
ELECTION SINCE JUNE 2000. HE TOLD US THAT HE HAD HOSTED A
BARBECUE AT HIS LOCAL HOME THAT INCLUDED THE RULING PARTY AND MDC
PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES, AS WELL AS LOCAL OFFICIALS FROM BOTH
PARTIES, AT WHICH HE HAD URGED EVERYONE INVOLVED TO CONDUCT A
PEACEFUL CAMPAIGN. HE SAID HE WAS WORKING WITH OTHERS TO MINIMIZE
INCIDENTS OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN THE RUNUP TO THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION IN EARLY 2002.
¶2. (C) MUJURU EXPRESSED REGRET THAT THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT HAS
BECOME SO CHARGED THAT MANY ZIMBABWEANS DO NOT FEEL FREE TO SHARE
THEIR POLITICAL OPINIONS. HE SAID BOTH PARTIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO
ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE ABOUT THE WAY FORWARD, AND HE THOUGHT AN
ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT WAS A GOOD IDEA. THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN
SHOULD BE A CLEAN FIGHT, AND BOTH SIDES SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCEPT
THE OUTCOME. IT WAS NOT IN ZIMBABWE’S INTEREST FOR POLITICAL
PARTIES TO REGARD EACH OTHER AS ENEMIES INSTEAD OF LEGITIMATE
OPPONENTS, BUT HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE DIFFICULTY OF BUILDING TRUST
BETWEEN ZANU-PF AND THE MDC AND OF CREATING AN ENABLING
ENVIRONMENT FOR CONSTRUCTIVE INTER-PARTY TALKS. MUJURU ASSERTED
THAT THE MDC WOULD NOW CONTROL PARLIAMENT IF THE “YES” VOTE HAD
CARRIED THE DAY IN THE FEBRUARY 2000 REFERENDUM, AS THE DRAFT
CONSTITUTION WOULD HAVE ABOLISHED THE 30 SEATS APPOINTED BY THE
PRESIDENT AND INCREASED THE NUMBER OF SEATS REPRESENTING URBAN
AREAS, THE OPPOSITION PARTY’S STRONGHOLD. HE SAID HIS “FRIENDS IN
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 03439 01 OF 02 170844Z
ZANU-PF” QUESTION HIS OPENNESS WITH PEOPLE OF ALL POLITICAL
STRIPES. HE JOKED THAT HE TALKS TO THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS SO MUCH
THAT WHEN HE SPEAKS WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE, THE FIRST THING THE
PRESIDENT ASKS IS WHETHER MUJURU HAS FARMERS WITH HIM.
¶3. (C) MUJURU SAID THE DECISION ON THE TIMING OF THE ELECTION
WOULD BE MADE AT ZANU-PF’S CONGRESS IN DECEMBER AND WOULD BE MADE
PUBLIC SOON AFTER THAT. ASKED WHO WOULD WIN THE ELECTION, MUJURU
SAID ONLY THAT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY CLOSE. HE PREDICTED THAT THE
VICTORIOUS PARTY WOULD GARNER BETWEEN 51 AND 55% OF THE TOTAL VOTE
COUNT. (N.B. MUJURU RECENTLY REMARKED TO A BRITISH COLLEAGUE
THAT THE RULING PARTY WOULD WIN 55% OF THE VOTE. ASKED WHAT
PERCENTAGE IT WOULD GARNER IF MUGABE WERE NOT THE CANDIDATE,
MUJURU REPORTEDLY SAID “75%.” END N.B.)
LINKS WITH MILITARY
——————-
¶4. (C) THE AMBASSADOR ASKED WHETHER MUJURU HAD RETAINED CLOSE
LINKS TO MILITARY COMMANDERS SINCE HIS RETIREMENT AS CHIEF OF THE
DEFENSE FORCES IN 1992. YES, MUJURU REPLIED, HE STILL HAD GOOD
RELATIONS WITH “THE BOYS.” THE AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT HE HAD HAD A
GOOD MEETING RECENTLY WITH MINISTER OF DEFENSE SEKERAMAYI. MUJURI
SAID SEKERAMAYI HAD CALLED HIM IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS TO BRIEF HIM
ON THAT MEETING, AND THAT THE MINISTER SHARED THE AMBASSADOR’S
POSITIVE ASSESSMENT OF THEIR CONVERSATION.
FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM
——————————-
¶5. (C) MUJURU WAS NOT HAPPY WITH HOW THE FAST TRACK RESETTLEMENT
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 03439 01 OF 02 170844Z
PROGRAM HAS UNFOLDED. THE PARTY, HE CLAIMED, HAD SET OUT VERY
CLEAR AND REASONABLE CRITERIA FOR LAND REFORM. THE UNLEASHING OF
THE WAR VETERANS, HOWEVER, HAD KNOCKED THE PROGRAM OFF-TRACK, AND
IT WAS NOT “WORKING AS WE HAD PLANNED.” NOTING THAT HE WAS A
WHEAT AND SOYBEAN FARMER HIMSELF, HE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT
RESETTLED FAMILIES WERE NOT BEING PROVIDED WITH SUFFICIENT
RESOURCES TO TURN THEIR NEW PROPERTIES INTO SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC
ENTERPRISES.
COMMENT
——-
¶6. (C) ALTHOUGH NOT PARTICULARLY ARTICULATE OR INTELLECTUALLY
IMPRESSIVE, GENERAL MUJURU CARRIES SIGNIFICANT BEHIND-THE-SCENES
INFLUENCE WITH KEY DECISION-MAKERS, AS EVIDENCED BY SEKERAMAYI’S
TELPHONE CALL TO HIM. HE IS, IN FACT, CONSIDERED A POTENTIAL
KINGMAKER BY MANY OBSERVERS. IN ADDITION, SOME OF THE MILITARY’S
KEY COMMANDERS SERVED UNDER MUJURU, RETAIN STRONG LOYALTIES TO
HIM, AND WOULD FOLLOW HIS LEAD IF THE DETERIORATION OF THE
POLITICAL EVENTS HERE SPARKED SOME DEGREE OF MILITARY INVOLVEMENT.
CONSEQUENTLY, MUJURU IS REPORTEDLY ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHOSE
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ4190
PAGE 01 HARARE 03439 02 OF 02 170844Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 VC-00
TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 IRM-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W
——————3FB143 170844Z /38
P 170759Z NOV 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0301
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003439
SIPDIS
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL. 11/13/11
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR’S DISCUSSION WITH INFLUENTIAL ZANU-PF
POLITBURO MEMBER
ADVICE PRESIDENT MUGABE TAKES SERIOUSLY. GIVEN HIS POSITIVE ROLE
IN THE CHIKOMBA BY-ELECTION AND HIS MODERATE, NO NONSENSE VIEWS ON
ISSUES SUCH AS POLITICAL DIALOGUE, WE BELIEVE HE CAN, AND IS
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 03439 02 OF 02 170844Z
TRYING TO, MINIMIZE THE RULING PARTY’S WORST EXCESSES.
SULLIVAN
CONFIDENTIAL
>
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