President Robert Mugabe wants reform but he has no power to enforce the reforms and is heavily influenced by people like Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, according to Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi.
Mzembi who accompanied Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on as trip to the United States and Europe in 2009 said he had had a candid discussion with Mugabe after the trip and had told him that ZANU-PF was becoming ossified and that the survival of the party depended on newer and younger leadership.
“Mugabe responded by saying that a number of ZANU-PF elders were resisting change; they did not realize or accept that ZANU-PF had not won the election and that compromise was therefore necessary,” a cable released by Wikileaks says.
When asked why, if Mugabe appeared to accept the case for reform, he didn’t take necessary steps, including compliance with the Global Political Agreement, Mzembi replied that he did not know if Mugabe had the power to enforce his will on these issues.
Despite his seeming openness to Mzembi, Mugabe was influenced by those with whom he had frequent contact such as Emmerson Mnangagwa and the service chiefs, Mzembi said.
United States embassy officials were baffled by Mugabe reaction:
“Mugabe’s position is ambiguous,” they said in a comment in the cable. “He bucked ZANU-PF hard-liners by entering into the GPA, but he is resistant to taking necessary steps to make the GPA work. This is probably due both to pressure from hard-liners and his own desire to perpetuate himself as the holder of the balance of power.”
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE544, ZANU-PF MINISTER BRIEFS ON WASHINGTON VISIT
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VZCZCXRO4775
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0544/01 1830941
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 020941Z JUL 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4676
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2926
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 3044
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1476
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2307
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2674
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 3092
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5535
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2222
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000544
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B.WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR J. HARMON AND L. DOBBINS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2019
SUBJECT: ZANU-PF MINISTER BRIEFS ON WASHINGTON VISIT
HARARE 00000544 001.3 OF 002
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Minister of Tourism Walter Mzembi (ZANU-PF)
briefed polecon chief on his recent visit to Washington as
part of a delegation headed by Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai. Mzembi took away the clear message that reforms
and compliance with the Global Political Agreement (GPA) were
necessary for developmental assistance. Shortly after his
return, he briefed President Robert Mugabe. Mugabe asked
Mzembi, who is viewed as a reformer and has been the subject
of attacks by ZANU-PF hard-liners, to address the ZANU-PF
Politburo and make his case for reform. END SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) We met with Mzembi on July 1. He returned from a
21-day trip to the U.S. and Europe with Tsvangirai, Minister
of Economic Development Elton Mangoma (MDC-T) and Minister of
Regional and International Cooperation Priscilla
Misihairabwi-Mashonga (MDC-M) a few days earlier.
¶3. (C) Mzembi told us that in virtually every meeting during
the trip, whether in the U.S. or Europe, the subject of
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono was raised. In
general, western interlocutors made clear dissatisfaction
with the slow pace of completing the provisions ofQ{VQbexpanded assistance.
¶4. (C) Mzembi was particularly enthusiastic about the
Washington phase of the trip and a range of meetings that
included Secretary Clinton (whom he described as extremely
gracious and interested in Zimbabwe), NGOs such as NDI and
IRI, and Senator John Kerry. He proudly showed us photos.
He lamented he had been excluded from the meeting with
President Obama. Obama was an “idol” and he had read both of
his books. Further, in Mzembi’s talks with reporters, the
focus of discussion was his absence from the White House
meeting rather than the substance of the trip.
¶5. (C) Mzembi said he briefed Mugabe on the trip soon after
his return. Mugabe’s first question was why Mzembi had not
been permitted into the meeting with Obama. Mzembi said he
told Mugabe he doubted Obama was aware of the decision — it
had probably been made by a staffer for political reasons.
¶6. (C) According to Mzembi, in his post-trip meeting he was
extremely candid with Mugabe. He relayed western concerns
about ZANU-PF obstruction of compliance with the GPA,
including Gono’s continuing role, and urged Mugabe to carry
out its terms. He told Mugabe that Tsvangirai had spoken
positively about Mugabe’s current role in government and his
partnership with Mugabe and that he (Mzembi) therefore
thought it inappropriate that Mugabe and ZANU-PF had been
publicly criticizing Tsvangirai and the trip. He also told
Mugabe that ZANU-PF was becoming ossified and that the
survival of the party depended on newer and younger
Qsurvival of the party depended on newer and younger
leadership.
¶7. (C) Mugabe responded by saying that a number of ZANU-PF
elders were resisting change; they did not realize or accept
that ZANU-PF had not won the election and that compromise was
therefore necessary. He asked Mzembi to address the next
meeting of the ZANU-PF Politburo and make his case for reform.
¶8. (C) We asked Mzembi why, if Mugabe appeared to accept the
case for reform, he didn’t take necessary steps, including
compliance with the GPA. Mzembi replied that: 1) he didn’t
know if Mugabe had the power to enforce his will on these
issues; and 2) despite his seeming openness to Mzembi, Mugabe
was influenced by those with whom he had frequent contact
such as Emmerson Mnangagwa and the service chiefs.
HARARE 00000544 002 OF 002
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶9. (C) Mugabe’s position is ambiguous. He bucked ZANU-PF
hard-liners by entering into the GPA, but he is resistant to
taking necessary steps to make the GPA work. This is
probably due both to pressure from hard-liners and his own
desire to perpetuate himself as the holder of the balance of
power. Mugabe is the key to additional reform; whether or
not he acts is dependent on reformers such as Mzembi (and now
Vice President Joice Mujuru) convincing him that it is in his
interest. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
(25 VIEWS)
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