US embassy cable - 00HARARE2102

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002102 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S SUSAN RICE AND AF S/E HOWARD WOLPE 
FROM AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2010 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, PREL, ZI, CG 
SUBJECT: MPINGA: MNANGAGWA PLAYS BOTH ENDS AGAINST THE 
MIDDLE 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 
(B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY 
AFFAIRS EMMERSON MNANGAGWA TOLD ME APRIL 14 THAT HE HAS 
KNOWN SOUTH AFRICAN/CONGOLESE BUSINESSMAN KALAA MPINGA 
FOR FOUR YEARS.  MPINGA, WHOSE AGE HE GUESSED TO BE 38- 
40, IS THE NEPHEW OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO'S 
MINISTER OF STATE FOR PETROLEUM, PIERRE-VICTOR MPOYO, 
AND IS ORIGINALLY FROM KASAI ORIENTALE PROVINCE. 
ACCORDING TO MNANGAGWA, MPINGA IS A "POLITICAL INFANT," 
WHO CLAIMS TO BE THE HEAD OF 600 CONGOLESE INTELLECTUALS 
AND PROFESSIONALS IN THE DIASPORA (IN EUROPE AND CANADA) 
WHO CONSTITUTE HIS "BODY POLITIC."  MPINGA, WHO LAST 
CALLED ON MNANGAGWA "ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO," CLAIMS 
THAT HE IS IN CONTACT WITH JEAN-PIERRE BEMBA, WHOM HE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02102  01 OF 02  151004Z 
DESCRIBES AS "UNRELIABLE, UNPREDICTABLE, AND A MAN 
OF CHAOS." 
 
2.  (C) MPINGA ASKED MNANGAGWA WHAT INTERESTS ZIMBABWE 
HAD IN THE CONGO, TO WHICH, AFTER A LENGTHY PREFACE ON 
THE REASON FOR ZIMBABWE'S INTERVENTION IN THE DROC, THE 
MINISTER REPLIED THE COSLEG COMPANY, WHICH HE 
CHARACTERIZED AS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN THE "ECONOMIC 
ARMS" OF THE ZIMBABWEAN AND CONGOLESE ARMIES.  THE 
ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER CAUTIONED HIM THAT THOSE ECONOMIC 
INTERESTS DID NOT AFFECT "OUR STAYING OR LEAVING; WE ARE 
ANXIOUS TO LEAVE."  MPINGA THEN REPORTEDLY TOLD 
MNANGAGWA THAT HIS GROUP HAD ANALYZED THE CURRENT 
SITUATION AND CONCLUDED THAT ZIMBABWE'S INTERESTS IN THE 
CONGO SHOULD BE HONORED. 
 
3.  (C) MNANGAGWA EXPRESSED CURIOSITY THAT MPINGA, WHOM 
HE DESCRIBED AS AN "EMPLOYEE" IN CONTRAST TO MY 
REFERRING TO HIM AS A "BUSINESSMAN" BECAUSE BUSINESSMEN 
PAY SALARIES, SEEMED TO HAVE FEW PROFESSIONAL 
OBLIGATIONS AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE AROUND SO FREELY. 
ACCORDING TO THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER, MPINGA REVEALED 
THAT ANGLO-AMERICAN, HIS EMPLOYER, PUT A PLANE AT HIS 
DISPOSAL AND GAVE HIM AN UNLIMITED EXPENSE ACCOUNT. 
MPINGA REPORTED THAT HE HAD HELD DISCUSSIONS WITH BOTH 
THE REBELS AND THE GOVERNMENT.  ACCORDING TO MNANGAGWA, 
MPINGA'S PLAN IS TO CREATE A NEW NATIONAL LEADERSHIP 
THAT WOULD EXCLUDE BOTH KABILA AND BEMBA, OF WHICH HE, 
MPINGA, WOULD BE PART.  THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER TOLD ME 
HE WARNED MPINGA NOT ENTERTAIN THE VIEW OF SEEING THE 
ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT GOING AGAINST KABILA.  RATHER, HE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  02102  01 OF 02  151004Z 
COUNSELED MPINGA TO SEEK UNITY, BECAUSE BY EXCLUDING KEY 
FIGURES HE WON'T GET FAR.  HE ADVISED MPINGA TO FORM A 
PARTY AND CONTEST ELECTIONS, AND NOTED THAT ZIMBABWE 
WOULD ACCEPT THEIR RESULTS, EVEN IF KABILA WERE REMOVED 
BY THEM.  ON THAT POINT, MNANGAGWA THOUGHT THAT IF AN 
ELECTION WERE HELD IN THE CONGO TODAY, KABILA WOULD WIN, 
TAKING FIVE KEY PROVINCES, ALTHOUGH HE WOULD FACE 
SUBSTANTIAL OPPOSITION.  NEVERTHELESS, "WE ADVISE 
[KABILA] HOW TO STAY IN OFFICE," THE JUSTICE MINISTER 
JOKED. 
 
4.  (C) MNANGAGWA THEN TOLD ME THAT HE HAD NOT REVEALED 
TO KABILA THAT MPINGA IS AGAINST HIM, BUT RATHER 
INFORMED THE CONGOLESE PRESIDENT THAT THE YOUNGER MAN 
WAS LIKE A UNIVERSITY STUDENT, FULL OF "WILD DREAMS," 
AND READY TO RIOT AGAINST ANYTHING.  TO THE ZIMBABWEAN 
MINISTER'S KNOWLEDGE, MPINGA HAS MET KABILA 2-3 TIMES 
AND ONLY HIMSELF IN THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT.  MPINGA 
PLANNED TO RETURN TO ZIMBABWE IN EARLY MAY TO RESUME HIS 
QUEST TO SECURE SUPPORT FOR HIS PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS, 
ACCORDING TO MNANGAGWA.  THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER 
EXPRESSED SUSPICION OF ANGLO AMERICAN'S CLAIM, AS VOICED 
BY MPINGA, THAT IT SUPPORTS A MIDDLE FORCE TO BRING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ0004 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  02102  02 OF 02  151004Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    ACQ-00   CIAE-00  SMEC-00  DINT-00  DODE-00 
      DOEE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EUR-01   FAAE-00 
      FBIE-00  VC-01    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00 
      AC-01    NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00 
      PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00 
      DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00   SWCI-00    /010W 
                  ------------------4C317A  151004Z /38 
P 151009Z APR 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5770 
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 
AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 
AMEMBASSY KIGALI 
AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY LUANDA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 002102 
 
SIPDIS 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  02102  02 OF 02  151004Z 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S SUSAN RICE AND AF S/E HOWARD WOLPE 
FROM AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2010 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, PREL, ZI, CG 
SUBJECT: MPINGA: MNANGAGWA PLAYS BOTH ENDS AGAINST THE 
MIDDLE 
 
KABILA AND THE REBELS TOGETHER.  "ANGLO AMERICAN IS MORE 
EXPERIENCED THAN THAT," A MILDLY ANNOYED MNANGAGWA 
CONCLUDED. 
 
5.  (C) COMMENT: IN OUR JUDGMENT MNANGAGWA KEEPS HIS 
DOOR OPEN TO MPINGA BECAUSE HE DOES NOT VIEW HIM AS A 
THREAT TO THE INTERESTS OF ZIMBABWE OR HIS OWN.  BY 
CONTINUING TO RECEIVE HIM, HE KEEPS MPINGA VISIBLE AND 
MORE EASY TO MONITOR.  IF MPINGA SOME DAY AMOUNTS TO 
SOMETHING IN THE CONGO (NOT AN IMPOSSIBILITY GIVEN HIS 
LINEAGE), MNANGAGWA WILL HAVE THE INSIDE TRACK TO HIM, 
MUCH AS HE DOES TO KABILA TODAY.  IF HE DOES NOT, NO 
GREAT LOSS.  IN SUM, MNANGAGWA IS DOING THE POLITICALLY 
PRUDENT THING WITH MPINGA, BUT, TO THE EXTENT WE CAN 
DETERMINE, NOT PLAYING BALL. 
 
MCDONALD 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02102  02 OF 02  151004Z 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
>