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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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO7338
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0106/01 0411331
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 101331Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4021
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2615
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2737
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1217
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2006
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2362
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2786
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5214
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1907
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000106
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2019
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE – REACHING OUT TO REFORM-MINDED ZANU-PF
PARLIAMENTARIANS
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶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.
—————————————–
Young, Reform-Minded ZANU-PF MPs Emerging
—————————————–
¶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.
————————————
The Backlash from ZANU-PF Hardliners
————————————
¶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.)
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶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
(29 VIEWS)
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