US embassy cable - 00HARARE3680

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 HARARE 003680 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S - ARLENE RENDER AND TODD FAULK 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
DOL FOR ILAB/ROBERT SHEPARD 
 
TREASURY FOR OASIA/RALYEA AND NATAN EPSTEIN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03680  01 OF 05  070943Z 
USDOC FOR DHENKE-ROGERS 
 
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
PARIS FOR WILLIAMS 
 
PASS USAID WASHDC FOR AFR/SA - NAN NEWMAN, OTI - MARC 
SCOTT, AND A/AID - RICHARD MCCALL 
 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2001 
TAGS: ELAB, PINR, PGOV, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT: SUSPECTED CIO MOLE RENDERS ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF 
TRADE UNIONS INEFFECTIVE 
 
CLASSIFIED BY LABOFF SHAWN THORNE FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) 
AND (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: ISADORE ZINDOGA, WHO WAS 
ADMINISTRATIVELY PROMOTED TO SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE 
ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS (ZCTU) IN APRIL AFTER 
MORGAN TSVANGIRAI TOOK A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM THE 
POSITION TO LEAD THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE 
(MDC), IS WIDELY ACCUSED BY MANY UNIONISTS OF PURPOSELY 
FAILING TO LEAD THE ZCTU AND RENDERING THE ORGANIZATION 
INEFFECTIVE. ZINDOGA'S LOYALTY TO THE RULING PARTY, 
ZANU-PF, IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE, AND HE IS RUMORED TO BE A 
FORMER (SOME SAY CURRENT) AGENT OF THE CENTRAL 
INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION (CIO). WHETHER OR NOT ZINDOGA 
IS GUILTY OF SUBVERSION, THE FACT IS THAT THE ZCTU HAS 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03680  01 OF 05  070943Z 
FALLEN DEAFLY SILENT UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP. REGULAR ZCTU 
ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING LABOR WORKSHOPS AND TRADITIONAL 
RECRUITING ACTIVITIES, ARE AT A STANDSTILL. IN THE RUN- 
UP TO THE JUNE 24-25 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, THE ZCTU 
FAILED TO JOIN CIVIL SOCIETY IN CONDEMNING PRE-ELECTION 
VIOLENCE AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO VOTE. ISAAC MATONGO, 
PRESIDENT OF THE ZCTU AND CHAIRMAN OF THE MDC, IS 
CONFIDENT THAT UNIONISTS WILL VOTE ZINDOGA OUT OF OFFICE 
AT THE NEXT ANNUAL CONGRESS, WHICH MATONGO HOPES WILL 
TAKE PLACE IN SEPTEMBER 2000. UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, WE DO 
NOT EXPECT THE ZCTU TO RE-EMERGE AS A CHAMPION OF 
WORKERS' RIGHTS AND A VOCAL STAKEHOLDER IN DISCUSSIONS 
WITH BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT ON ECONOMIC REFORM. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
----------------- 
GOZ PLANTS A MOLE 
----------------- 
 
2. (C) ISADORE ZINDOGA, WHO WORKED FOR AND MANAGED 
SEVERAL LEATHER PROCESSING COMPANIES IN ZIMBABWE IN HIS 
CAREER, JOINED THE LEATHER WORKERS' UNION (ONE OF THE 
ZCTU'S 35 MEMBER UNIONS) IN 1995. HE QUICKLY MOVED UP 
THROUGH THE RANKS OF THE ZCTU, AND IN SEPTEMBER 1998 WAS 
ELECTED TO THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ("THE 
EXECUTIVE") AS DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL. (MORGAN 
TSVANGIRAI WAS THE ZCTU'S SECRETARY GENERAL, AND GIBSON 
 
SIPDIS 
SIBANDA ITS PRESIDENT.) IN APRIL (SEVEN MONTHS AFTER THE 
LAUNCH OF THE MDC IN SEPTEMBER 1999), TSVANGIRAI AND 
SIBANDA OFFICIALLY TOOK PAID LEAVES OF ABSENCE TO FOCUS 
FULL-TIME ON THE NEW PARTY. THE ZCTU USED ADMINISTRATIVE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03680  01 OF 05  070943Z 
PROMOTIONS TO FILL THE LEADERSHIP VOID. ZINDOGA, AS 
DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL, TOOK TSVANGIRAI'S JOB; AND 
ISAAC MATONGO, WHO HAD BEEN FIRST VICE PRESIDENT, TOOK 
SIBANDA'S JOB AS PRESIDENT. 
 
3. (C) AS SECRETARY GENERAL, ZINDOGA HOLDS THE MOST 
POWERFUL POSITION IN THE ZCTU. HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL 
OF THE ORGANIZATION'S DAILY OPERATIONS, AND THE OTHER 
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND GENERAL COUNCIL (WHO 
REPRESENT THE 35 MEMBER UNIONS AND THE ZCTU'S SIX 
DEPARTMENTS) RECEIVE THEIR INSTRUCTIONS DIRECTLY FROM 
HIM. ZINDOGA'S LOYALTY TO THE RULING ZANU-PF PARTY IS 
WIDELY RECOGNIZED WITHIN THE ZCTU, AS IS THAT OF 
ZINDOGA'S "RIGHT HAND MAN," SHANGWA CHIFAMBA, WHO IS 
SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE COMMERCIAL WORKERS' UNION AND 
 
SIPDIS 
HAS BEEN THE ZCTU'S FIRST VICE PRESIDENT SINCE NOVEMBER 
1999. ZINDOGA AND CHIFAMBA, ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER 
GENERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE SMALL 
ZANU-PF "CAMP" WITHIN THE ZCTU, WHILE THE VAST MAJORITY 
OF UNION MEMBERS SUPPORT THE MDC. ZINDOGA'S CHIEF RIVAL 
IS ZCTU PRESIDENT AND MDC CHAIRMAN ISAAC MATONGO. 
ALTHOUGH THE ZCTU PRESIDENCY IS NOT A FULL-TIME POSITION 
AND NORMALLY IS CONSIDERED MORE CEREMONIAL THAN 
SUBSTANTIVE, MATONGO COMMANDS SIGNIFICANT RESPECT AND 
LOYALTY FROM ZCTU OFFICIALS -- LARGELY BECAUSE OF HIS 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5114 
 
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                  ------------------6B4528  070943Z /38 
R 070945Z JUL 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6541 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC 
DEPTTREAS WASHDC 
USDOC WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 05 HARARE 003680 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S - ARLENE RENDER AND TODD FAULK 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
DOL FOR ILAB/ROBERT SHEPARD 
 
TREASURY FOR OASIA/RALYEA AND NATAN EPSTEIN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03680  02 OF 05  070943Z 
USDOC FOR DHENKE-ROGERS 
 
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
PARIS FOR WILLIAMS 
 
PASS USAID WASHDC FOR AFR/SA - NAN NEWMAN, OTI - MARC 
SCOTT, AND A/AID - RICHARD MCCALL 
 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2001 
TAGS: ELAB, PINR, PGOV, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT: SUSPECTED CIO MOLE RENDERS ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF 
TRADE UNIONS INEFFECTIVE 
 
MANY YEARS IN THE ORGANIZATION, HIS LEADERSHIP ROLE IN 
THE MDC, AND HIS CLOSE PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP WITH 
TSVANGIRAI. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
4. (C) BEYOND HIS OPEN SUPPORT FOR THE RULING PARTY, 
RUMORS ABOUND THAT ZINDOGA PREVIOUSLY WAS AN AGENT FOR 
THE CIO. SOME UNION CONTACTS ASSERT THAT ZINDOGA STILL 
IS IN THE CIO'S EMPLOY AS AN UNDERCOVER AGENT TASKED 
WITH WREAKING HAVOC IN THE ZCTU. (ZINDOGA'S WIFE IS A 
ZIMBABWE REPUBLIC POLICE OFFICER AND REPORTEDLY A STRONG 
ZANU-PF SUPPORTER.) ZINDOGA AND HIS ZANU-PF CAMP DID NOT 
SUPPORT THE ZCTU'S NATIONWIDE "STAYAWAYS" (WORK 
STOPPAGES) IN LATE 1998 TO DEMAND SALARY INCREASES, NOR 
DID THEY SUPPORT THE FORMATION OF THE MDC. ALTHOUGH HE 
WAS LARGELY NONCOMMITTAL IN HIS BRIEF MEETING WITH 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03680  02 OF 05  070943Z 
LABOFF ON JUNE 30, ZINDOGA NOTED THAT, IN HIS OPINION, 
THE MDC HAD CONSUMED ENTIRELY TOO MUCH OF THE ZCTU'S 
MANPOWER, AS ZCTU OFFICIALS AT THE LOCAL, PROVINCIAL, 
AND NATIONAL LEVELS DEVOTED THEIR TIME AND ENERGY TO THE 
PARTY RATHER THAN TRADITIONAL UNION DUTIES. ZINDOGA 
ADDED THAT HE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO SEE WORKERS' 
DEMANDS ADDRESSED THROUGH TRADITIONAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN 
EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES IN EACH INDUSTRY'S NATIONAL 
ECONOMIC COUNCIL (NEC), RATHER THAN BY FORMING A NEW 
POLITICAL PARTY THAT WAS UNTESTED AND HAD NO EXPERIENCE 
WITH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. 
 
5. (C) LABOFF ASKED MATONGO AND ZCTU DIRECTOR OF 
ORGANIZING JAMES MAKORE HOW ZINDOGA, A KNOWN ZANU-PF 
LOYALIST, COULD RISE THROUGH THE RANKS OF THE ZCTU TO 
BECOME DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL (AND THUS POISED TO 
ASSUME LEADERSHIP OF THE ORGANIZATION), AT A TIME WHEN 
UNION MEMBERS' FRUSTRATION WITH GOZ POLICIES WAS 
APPROACHING ITS APEX. THE ANSWER WAS SIMPLE, THEY SAID - 
- CASH PAY-OFFS. SUPPORT FOR ZINDOGA WAS NOT DRAWN ALONG 
UNION LINES, BUT RATHER FROM INDIVIDUAL UNION MEMBERS 
WHOM ZINDOGA, WITH FINANCIAL BACKING FROM THE MINISTER 
OF LABOR AND THE BLESSING OF PRESIDENT MUGABE, PAID TO 
HELP VOTE HIM IN AS DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL AT THE 1998 
ANNUAL CONGRESS. (COMMENT: ALTHOUGH WE CANNOT ATTEST TO 
THE VALIDITY OF THESE ACCUSATIONS, THE IDEA THAT ZINDOGA 
PAID OFF THE RIGHT ZCTU MEMBERS TO HELP GENERATE VOTES 
IN 1998 IS PLAUSIBLE, PARTICULARLY CONSIDERING HIS 
UNUSUALLY RAPID RISE THROUGH THE RANKS SINCE JOINING THE 
ZCTU IN 1995. END NOTE.) 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03680  02 OF 05  070943Z 
------------------------- 
ZCTU RENDERED INEFFECTIVE 
------------------------- 
 
6. (C) ACCORDING TO MATONGO AND MAKORE, ZINDOGA HAS 
FAILED TO CARRY OUT HIS LEADERSHIP DUTIES AT THE ZCTU IN 
A PREMEDITATED EFFORT TO BRING THE ORGANIZATION TO A 
STANDSTILL. ZINDOGA, ON THE OTHER HAND, TOLD LABOFF THAT 
IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO "RALLY THE TROOPS," 
PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE ZCTU EXECUTIVE, AS THEY HAVE 
BEEN DEVOTING SO MUCH OF THEIR TIME DURING BUSINESS 
HOURS TO MDC ACTIVITIES. WHATEVER THE REASONS, THE FACT 
IS THAT THE ZCTU HAS BEEN VIRTUALLY SILENT AND INERT 
SINCE THE DEPARTURE OF TSVANGIRAI AND SIBANDA IN APRIL. 
ZINDOGA AND MATONGO ADMIT THAT MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE 
-- ONCE A REQUIRED BI-MONTHLY EVENT -- HAVE BEEN FEW AND 
FAR BETWEEN IN RECENT MONTHS, WITH EACH MAN BLAMING THE 
OTHER FOR "SCHEDULING PROBLEMS." OTHER UNION CONTACTS 
TELL US THAT ZINDOGA NO LONGER MEETS REGULARLY WITH 
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ZCTU'S 35 MEMBER UNIONS, AND 
THAT HE PROVIDES VIRTUALLY NO INSTRUCTION OR FEEDBACK TO 
THE ZCTU'S SIX OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS. 
 
7. (C) OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO MATONGO AND MAKORE IS 
ZINDOGA'S CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH FLORENCE 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5115 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  03680  03 OF 05  070943Z 
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                  ------------------6B4532  070944Z /38 
R 070945Z JUL 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6542 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC 
DEPTTREAS WASHDC 
USDOC WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 05 HARARE 003680 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S - ARLENE RENDER AND TODD FAULK 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
DOL FOR ILAB/ROBERT SHEPARD 
 
TREASURY FOR OASIA/RALYEA AND NATAN EPSTEIN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03680  03 OF 05  070943Z 
USDOC FOR DHENKE-ROGERS 
 
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
PARIS FOR WILLIAMS 
 
PASS USAID WASHDC FOR AFR/SA - NAN NEWMAN, OTI - MARC 
SCOTT, AND A/AID - RICHARD MCCALL 
 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2001 
TAGS: ELAB, PINR, PGOV, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT: SUSPECTED CIO MOLE RENDERS ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF 
TRADE UNIONS INEFFECTIVE 
 
CHITAURO, MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOR, AND SOCIAL 
WELFARE. THEY CLAIM THAT ZINDOGA, UNLIKE ANY OF HIS ZCTU 
PREDECESSORS, HOLDS REGULAR PRIVATE MEETINGS WITH 
CHITAURO AT HER MINISTRY. ON TWO OCCASIONS THIS YEAR, 
ADDED MATONGO, ZINDOGA AND CHITAURO HAVE MET DIRECTLY 
(AND PRIVATELY) WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE. ZINDOGA DOES NOT 
DISCLOSE THE DETAILS OF THESE DISCUSSIONS TO ANY OF HIS 
ZCTU COLLEAGUES. "HE SPENDS MORE TIME WITH FLORENCE THAN 
WITH ANY OF US," HUFFED MATONGO. "FOR INSTANCE, WE HAD 
FINALLY MANAGED TO SCHEDULE A MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE 
COMMITTEE IN LATE JUNE TO PLAN FOR THE ANNUAL CONGRESS. 
ZINDOGA NEVER SHOWED, NEVER CALLED -- NOTHING. HIS 
SECRETARY TOLD ME HOURS LATER THAT HE HAD GONE TO GENEVA 
 
SIPDIS 
WITH CHITAURO FOR THE ILO CONVENTION. HE HADN'T 
MENTIONED TO ANY OF US THAT HE WAS LEAVING." 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03680  03 OF 05  070943Z 
 
8. (C) MEANWHILE, WORKSHOPS ON A VARIETY OF LABOR TOPICS 
-- WHICH ARE AMONG THE ZCTU'S CORE "BREAD AND BUTTER" 
SERVICES TO ITS MEMBERS -- HAVE BEEN CANCELED OR DELAYED 
BECAUSE OF ZINDOGA'S REFUSAL TO AUTHORIZE FUNDING. THE 
ZCTU'S ADVOCACY DEPARTMENT, WHOSE ATTORNEYS ASSIST 
INDIVIDUAL WORKERS WITH LEGAL DISPUTES, HAS BEEN 
SIMILARLY INACTIVE PENDING A "BUDGET REVIEW." MATONGO 
AND MAKORE ARGUE THAT LACK OF FINANCES IS A SPURIOUS 
ARGUMENT ON ZINDOGA'S PART; THE ZCTU'S FY2000 BUDGET WAS 
APPROVED AT ITS ANNUAL CONGRESS IN SEPTEMBER 1999. 
MEMBERSHIP DUES HAVE NOT DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE 
THAT TIME, AND THE ZCTU'S SIX DEPARTMENTS WERE ALLOCATED 
ROUGHLY THE SAME RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED IN 
PREVIOUS YEARS. IN SHORT, THERE IS NO REASON WHY FUNDING 
FOR NORMAL ZCTU FUNCTIONS SHOULD NOT BE READILY 
AVAILABLE. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
POOR RELATIONS WITH AFL-CIO'S SOLIDARITY CENTER 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
9. (C) EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING, SAID MATONGO, HAS BEEN 
ZINDOGA'S BLOCKAGE OF FUNDS FROM THE SOLIDARITY CENTER 
IN HARARE, A BRANCH OF THE AFL-CIO'S AMERICAN CENTER FOR 
INTERNATIONAL LABOR SOLIDARITY. FORMER SOLIDARITY CENTER 
RESREP MARTIN DOUGHERTY TOLD LABOFF BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE 
IN JUNE THAT, DESPITE HISTORICALLY EXCELLENT RELATIONS 
WITH THE ZCTU, ZINDOGA HAS SHUNNED THE AMERICAN NGO, 
WHICH FUNDS IT HAS USED PRIMARILY TO HELP THE ZCTU 
CONDUCT LABOR WORKSHOPS AND GRASSROOTS CAPACITY 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03680  03 OF 05  070943Z 
BUILDING. ACCORDING TO DOUGHERTY, ZINDOGA SHARES THE 
GOZ'S SUSPICION THAT THE SOLIDARITY CENTER IS REALLY 
FUNDING THE MDC IN YET ANOTHER EFFORT BY THE WEST TO 
DESTABILIZE THE RULING PARTY. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
ZCTU REMAINS SILENT ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE 
----------------------------------------- 
 
10. (C) SEVERAL UNION CONTACTS TOLD US THAT ONE OF THE 
MOST TROUBLING FACETS OF THE ZCTU'S INACTIVITY WAS 
ZINDOGA'S REFUSAL TO ALLOW THE ORGANIZATION TO ISSUE ANY 
PUBLIC STATEMENTS CONDEMNING PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE OR 
ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO VOTE IN THE JUST HELD 
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. AS THE ZCTU UNDER TSVANGIRAI 
AND SIBANDA HAD BECOME A POWERFUL CRITIC OF THE GOZ -- 
ULTIMATELY GIVING BIRTH TO THE MDC -- TRADE UNIONISTS 
WERE HORRIFIED WHEN THE ZCTU REMAINED DEAFLY SILENT AS 
WAR VETERANS ENGAGED IN A STATE-SPONSORED CAMPAIGN OF 
TERROR AND INTIMIDATION IN THE RUN-UP TO THE 
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. UNDER ZINDOGA'S LEADERSHIP, THE 
ZCTU FAILED TO MUSTER EVEN A GENERAL CONDEMNATION OF THE 
POLITICAL VIOLENCE, NOR DID IT ISSUE ANY STATEMENT 
ENCOURAGING WORKERS TO VOTE. FAR FROM THE TRADITIONAL 
WORKERS' RALLY IN HARARE ON MAY 1, THE ZCTU DID NOTHING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5117 
 
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                  ------------------6B453F  070944Z /38 
R 070945Z JUL 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6543 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC 
DEPTTREAS WASHDC 
USDOC WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 04 OF 05 HARARE 003680 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S - ARLENE RENDER AND TODD FAULK 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
DOL FOR ILAB/ROBERT SHEPARD 
 
TREASURY FOR OASIA/RALYEA AND NATAN EPSTEIN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03680  04 OF 05  070944Z 
USDOC FOR DHENKE-ROGERS 
 
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
PARIS FOR WILLIAMS 
 
PASS USAID WASHDC FOR AFR/SA - NAN NEWMAN, OTI - MARC 
SCOTT, AND A/AID - RICHARD MCCALL 
 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2001 
TAGS: ELAB, PINR, PGOV, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT: SUSPECTED CIO MOLE RENDERS ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF 
TRADE UNIONS INEFFECTIVE 
 
TO COMMEMORATE WORKERS' DAY 2000 -- WHICH MANY UNION 
MEMBERS BELIEVE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PERFECT VENUE FOR 
SOME PRE-ELECTION RHETORIC. INSTEAD, ZINDOGA TOLD THE 
PRESS ON MAY 1 THAT THE SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY WAS 
"TOO FAR GONE" FOR THE ZCTU TO HOLD A CELEBRATION, AND 
THAT WORKERS' BEST RECOURSE WAS SIMPLY TO "PRAY." 
 
------------------------------ 
LOOKING TO THE ANNUAL CONGRESS 
------------------------------ 
 
11. (C) ZCTU MEMBERS NORMALLY ELECT THE SIX-MEMBER 
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT EVERY FIFTH ANNUAL 
CONGRESS. ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT A SCHEDULED ELECTION 
YEAR, THE LEADERSHIP VOID CREATED BY THE DEPARTURE OF 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03680  04 OF 05  070944Z 
TSVANGIRAI AND SIBANDA DICTATES THAT ZCTU MEMBERS CHOOSE 
 
SIPDIS 
A NEW EXECUTIVE AT THE 2000 ANNUAL CONGRESS. (NOTE: 
EVERYONE, INCLUDING MATONGO AND ZINDOGA, EXPECTS THE TWO 
MDC LEADERS TO FORMALLY RESIGN FROM THE ZCTU IN THE 
COMING WEEKS. MATONGO IS PUSHING HARD TO HOLD THE ZCTU'S 
ANNUAL CONGRESS AS USUAL IN SEPTEMBER. HE AND MAKORE ARE 
CONFIDENT THAT ZINDOGA AND CHIFAMBA WILL BE VOTED OUT OF 
OFFICE BY THE LARGELY MDC MEMBERSHIP OF THE LABOR 
UNIONS. MATONGO NOTED THAT SEVERAL YOUNG, ENERGETIC, AND 
POPULAR CANDIDATES FROM THE RAILWAY WORKERS' AND BANK 
WORKERS' UNIONS ARE EAGER TO SECURE SEATS ON THE 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, OPINING THAT THEY WILL HAVE NO 
TROUBLE OUSTING THE ZANU-PF CAMP. ZINDOGA, MEANWHILE, 
TOLD LABOFF THAT PLANS FOR THE ANNUAL CONGRESS WERE 
"PROCEEDING," BUT AGAIN THE LACK OF FUNDS WAS PREVENTING 
ORGANIZATION OF THE EVENT IN A TIMELY FASHION. ZINDOGA 
WOULD NOT COMMENT ON HIS CHANCES OF BEING ELECTED 
SECRETARY GENERAL (NOT ADMINISTRATIVELY PROMOTED BECAUSE 
 
SIPDIS 
OF TSVANGIRAI'S DEPARTURE, AS WAS PREVIOUSLY THE CASE), 
OR ON THE EXPECTED DATE OF THE CONGRESS. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
12. (C) IT IS ENTIRELY PLAUSIBLE AND INDEED LIKELY THAT, 
AS THE ZCTU GREW IN STATURE AND ITS CRITICISM OF THE 
GOVERNMENT BECAME INCREASINGLY STRIDENT IN 1998, 
PRESIDENT MUGABE INSTRUCTED MINISTER CHITAURO (HERSELF A 
FORMER TRADE UNIONIST) TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE 
PROBLEM. WHILE ZINDOGA'S ENTRANCE INTO THE ZCTU MAY OR 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  03680  04 OF 05  070944Z 
MAY NOT BE PART OF A MASTER PLAN, HIS RAPID RISE TO THE 
TOP ALMOST CERTAINLY IS NO ACCIDENT. HE WAS PERFECTLY 
POISED TO TAKE TSVANGIRAI'S POSITION UPON HIS DEPARTURE 
FOR THE MDC IN APRIL, AND THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE 
THEORY THAT ZINDOGA HAS WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE THE 
ZCTU -- THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OPPOSITION 
MOVEMENT IN ZIMBABWEAN HISTORY -- HAS BECOME TOOTHLESS 
AND INERT. 
 
13. (C) NONETHELESS, THE ZCTU'S LOCAL, PROVINCIAL, AND 
NATIONAL STRUCTURES HAVE BECOME FIRMLY ESTABLISHED 
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY -- THANKS IN LARGE PART TO THE 
TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE AMERICAN 
SOLIDARITY CENTER. WITH THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP, THE ZCTU 
CERTAINLY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO RETURN TO ITS GLORY DAYS. 
AS INFLATION, THE COST OF LIVING, AND UNEMPLOYMENT 
CONTINUE TO SPIRAL UPWARD -- WITH THE GOVERNMENT MAKING 
NO STEPS TOWARD RECOVERY -- WORKERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE A 
REVITALIZED LABOR MOVEMENT NOW MORE THAN EVER. WE AGREE 
WITH MATONGO'S PREDICTION THAT ZINDOGA PROBABLY WILL BE 
VOTED OUT OF OFFICE AT THE NEXT ZCTU CONGRESS, ALTHOUGH 
WE EXPECT ZINDOGA'S ATTEMPTS TO STALL THE EVENT TO BE 
EFFECTIVE, PERHAPS EVEN INTO 2001. UNTIL ZINDOGA'S 
EFFORTS TO FLATLINE THE ZCTU ARE HALTED AND A BETTER 
LEADERSHIP RESTORED, WE DO NOT EXPECT TO HEAR OR SEE 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5118 
 
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      EUR-00   EXIM-01  E-00     FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    FRB-00 
      H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   ITC-01   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00 
      AC-01    NSAE-00  OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00 
      ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00   STR-00   USIE-00  R-00 
      PMB-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------6B4548  070944Z /38 
R 070945Z JUL 00 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6544 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC 
DEPTTREAS WASHDC 
USDOC WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 05 OF 05 HARARE 003680 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S - ARLENE RENDER AND TODD FAULK 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH 
 
DOL FOR ILAB/ROBERT SHEPARD 
 
TREASURY FOR OASIA/RALYEA AND NATAN EPSTEIN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  03680  05 OF 05  070944Z 
USDOC FOR DHENKE-ROGERS 
 
LONDON FOR PFLAUMER 
 
PARIS FOR WILLIAMS 
 
PASS USAID WASHDC FOR AFR/SA - NAN NEWMAN, OTI - MARC 
SCOTT, AND A/AID - RICHARD MCCALL 
 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2001 
TAGS: ELAB, PINR, PGOV, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT: SUSPECTED CIO MOLE RENDERS ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF 
TRADE UNIONS INEFFECTIVE 
 
MUCH FROM ZIMBABWE'S LABOR MOVEMENT. END COMMENT. 
 
MCDONALD 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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