US embassy cable - 01HARARE782

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000782 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 02/21/11 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00782  01 OF 02  211005Z 
TAGS: ELAB, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: CONTINUED INDEPENDENCE OF ZIMBABWE LABOR 
FEDERATION HINGES ON UPCOMING CONGRESS 
 
REFS: A. HARARE 661, B. HARARE 612, C. HARARE 573, 
 
D. 00 HARARE 3680 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B/D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: THE CONTINUED INDEPENDENCE OF THE 
ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS (ZCTU) FROM THE RULING 
ZANU-PF PARTY, AND ITS SUPPORT FOR THE OPPOSITION 
MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC), HINGES ON THE 
UPCOMING CONGRESS, ACCORDING TO SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE 
UMBRELLA LABOR ORGANIZATION.  ZANU-PF IS ACTIVELY 
ATTEMPTING TO BUY THE ELECTION OF A FRIENDLY LABOR 
FEDERATION LEADERSHIP BY PAYING UNIONS' BACK DUES TO THE 
ZCTU.  THE SUCCESS OF THESE EFFORTS WILL LIKELY DEPEND 
ON WHETHER THE PRO-MDC FORCES WITHIN THE ZCTU ARE ABLE 
TO PRESENT A UNIFIED SLATE OF CANDIDATES TO OPPOSE THOSE 
BELIEVED TO BE SYMPATHETIC TO ZANU-PF.  THE OUTCOME OF 
THIS STRUGGLE WILL BE CRITICAL FOR THE FUTURE VIABILITY 
OF THE MDC AS AN OPPOSITION PARTY, AND ITS CANDIDATE'S 
CHANCES IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) ON FEBRUARY 14 AND 15 LABOFF MET, RESPECTIVELY, 
WITH GIFT CHIMANIKIRE AND ISAAC MATONGO TO DISCUSS THE 
UPCOMING ZCTU CONGRESS, WHICH WILL BE HELD FEBRUARY 23- 
24 IN MASVINGO.  CHIMANIKIRE IS THE DEPUTY SECRETARY- 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  00782  01 OF 02  211005Z 
GENERAL OF THE MDC, A MEMBER OF THE ZCTU EXECUTIVE 
COMMITTEE, AND SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE 7,000-MEMBER 
STRONG ZIMBABWE POST AND TELECOMMUNICATION WORKERS 
UNION, ONE OF THE ZCTU'S LARGER AND MORE INFLUENTIAL 
UNIONS.  MATONGO IS THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE ZCTU AND 
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF THE MDC.  BOTH MEN ARE KEY MEMBERS 
OF THE MDC LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS INFLUENTIAL MEMBERS OF 
ORGANIZED LABOR IN ZIMBABWE, AND PLAYED CENTRAL ROLES IN 
THE ZCTU'S DECISION TO FORM THE MDC IN 1998. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
THE ZCTU'S INDEPENDENCE DEPENDS ON CONGRESS OUTCOME 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
3. (C) CHIMANIKIRE AND MATONGO WERE IN COMPLETE 
AGREEMENT THAT THE FEBRUARY CONGRESS WILL BE CRUCIAL IN 
DETERMINING WHETHER THE ZCTU REMAINS A TRULY INDEPENDENT 
LABOR FEDERATION OR IS COOPTED BY ZANU-PF.  MATONGO TOLD 
LABOFF THAT ZANU-PF WAS INDEED PAYING AFFILIATED UNIONS' 
DUES ARREARAGES TO THE ZCTU IN ORDER TO INFLUENCE THEIR 
VOTES AT THE UPCOMING CONGRESS.  HE ADDED THAT HE DID 
NOT BELIEVE THIS TACTIC WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL IN 
INFLUENCING THE VOTES OF MOST OF THE UNIONS' 
REPRESENTATIVES BECAUSE THEY AND THEIR MEMBERSHIPS 
REMAIN OVERWHELMINGLY PRO-MDC.  CHIMANIKIRE STATED THAT 
AT LEAST TWO UNION LEADERS ARE PLANNING TO REVEAL AT THE 
CONGRESS THAT ZANU-PF HAD PAID THEIR UNION'S BACK DUES. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
A UNIFIED PRO-ZANU-PF SLATE OF CANDIDATES 
----------------------------------------- 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  00782  01 OF 02  211005Z 
 
4. (C) ACCORDING TO CHIMANIKIRE AND MATONGO, THERE IS NO 
DOUBT THAT THE ACTING SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ZCTU, 
ISIDORE ZINDOGA, IS A ZANU-PF PARTISAN.  ZINDOGA, THEY 
SAID, WAS AGAINST ZCTU STAYAWAYS THAT PROTESTED 
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) POLICIES, AND OPPOSED THE 
FORMATION OF THE MDC.  IN ADDITION, HE HAS TRAVELED WITH 
PRESIDENT MUGABE ON TRIPS OVERSEAS WITHOUT INFORMING THE 
ZCTU GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE REASON FOR THESE TRIPS. 
MOST RECENTLY, HE SIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO ENTER INTO A 
TRIPARTITE SOCIAL CONTRACT WITH THE GOZ AND BUSINESS 
WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE ZCTU GENERAL COUNCIL.  ON 
FEBRUARY 10 THE ZCTU GENERAL COUNCIL ANNULLED THE 
TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT ZINDOGA SIGNED.  CHIMANIKIRE 
MENTIONED THE WIDELY REPORTED SUSPICION THAT ZINDOGA IS 
AN OPERATIVE OF THE GOZ CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE 
ORGANIZATION (CIO), BUT OFFERED LITTLE EVIDENCE TO 
SUBSTANTIATE HIS CLAIM.  BOTH STATED THAT IF ZINDOGA IS 
ELECTED TO HIS CURRENT POSITION, HE WOULD SEEK TO SEVER 
ALL INFORMAL LINKAGES BETWEEN THE ZCTU AND THE MDC AND 
PREVENT ITS SUPPORTING THE MDC IN ANY MANNER.  MATONGO 
ADDED THAT ZINDOGA IS THE HEAD OF A UNIFIED SLATE OF 
PRO-ZANU-PF CANDIDATES THAT WILL BE NOMINATED AT THE 
CONGRESS BY THEIR SUPPORTERS. 
 
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                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ3365 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  00782  02 OF 02  211006Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CEA-01   CIAE-00  COME-00 
      CTME-00  DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  WHA-00   SRPP-00  DS-00 
      EB-00    EUR-00   EXIM-01  E-00     FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00 
      FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    ITC-01   LAB-01 
      L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01 
      PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00 
      STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  BBG-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-01 
      DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /013W 
                  ------------------C821A6  211006Z /38 
R 211005Z FEB 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8257 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000782 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 02/21/11 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00782  02 OF 02  211006Z 
TAGS: ELAB, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: CONTINUED INDEPENDENCE OF ZIMBABWE LABOR 
FEDERATION HINGES ON UPCOMING CONGRESS 
 
WILL THE PRO-MDC FORCES UNIFY BEHIND CANDIDATES? 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
5. (C) CHIMANIKIRE AND MATONGO WERE BOTH ADAMANT THAT 
THE UNIONS AND THEIR MEMBERSHIPS REMAIN OVERWHELMINGLY 
PRO-MDC.  AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, THEY EXPRESSED 
CONCERN THAT IF THE PRO-MDC FORCES AT THE CONGRESS DID 
NOT UNIFY BEHIND A SINGLE SLATE OF CANDIDATES, ZINDOGA 
AND THE PRO-ZANU-PF SLATE COULD END UP BEING ELECTED. 
CHIMANIKIRE AND MATONGO SAID A NUMBER OF QUALIFIED PRO- 
MDC UNION LEADERS FEEL IT IS THEIR TIME TO ASSUME 
LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE ZCTU, COMPLICATING AGREEMENT 
ON A SINGLE SLATE.  THERE ARE THREE SUCH CANDIDATES FOR 
EACH OF THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT POSITIONS IN THE ZCTU: 
SECRETARY-GENERAL AND PRESIDENT.  CHIMANIKIRE AND 
 
SIPDIS 
MATONGO BOTH STATED THAT THE MDC WAS WORKING 
AGGRESSIVELY BEHIND THE SCENES, THROUGH PERSONAL 
MEETINGS AND TELEPHONE CALLS TO THE DIFFERENT 
CANDIDATES, TO SECURE AGREEMENT ON A SINGLE PRO-MDC 
SLATE.  MATONGO WAS CONFIDENT THAT SUCH AGREEMENT WOULD 
BE REACHED BEFORE THE CONGRESS BEGINS, WHEREAS 
CHIMANIKIRE BELIEVED THAT THE HORSE-TRADING INVOLVED MAY 
MEAN THAT AGREEMENT WILL ONLY BE REACHED AT THE 
CONGRESS.  BOTH MEN AGREED THAT IF THE PRO-MDC FORCES 
PRESENT A UNIFIED SLATE, THEY WILL BE ELECTED BY A 
LANDSLIDE. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  00782  02 OF 02  211006Z 
-------------------------------------------- 
THE DIRECTION OF THE ZCTU AFTER THE CONGRESS 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
6. (C) IF THE PRO-ZANU-PF CANDIDATES ARE ELECTED, 
CHIMANIKIRE AND MATONGO DOUBT THAT ZINDOGA WILL MAKE A 
PUBLIC BREAK FROM THE MDC AND DECLARE THE ZCTU'S 
ALLEGIANCE TO ZANU-PF.  RATHER, THEY BELIEVE HIS 
STRATEGY WILL BE TO PREVENT THE ZCTU FROM UNDERTAKING 
ANY ACTIVITIES THAT HE BELIEVES WILL AID THE MDC, SUCH 
AS UNION EFFORTS AT VOTER REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION. 
AT THE SAME TIME, HE WILL OPPOSE STAYAWAYS AND OTHER 
ACTIONS PERCEIVED TO BE DIRECTED AT HARMING THE GOZ AND 
ZANU-PF.  HE WILL ALSO LIKELY PURSUE A SOCIAL CONTRACT 
THAT THE GOZ AND ZANU-PF CAN TOUT AS A GREAT ADVANCE FOR 
WORKERS' INTERESTS. 
 
7. (C) CHIMANIKIRE AND MATONGO WERE CLEAR ON WHAT WILL 
OCCUR IF PRO-MDC CANDIDATES ARE ELECTED AT THE CONGRESS. 
THE ZCTU LEADERSHIP WILL DECLARE THAT IT IS FORMALLY 
INDEPENDENT AND AUTONOMOUS OF THE MDC, BUT IT WILL ALSO 
STATE THAT THE LABOR FEDERATION CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE 
GOALS OF THE MDC.  IN RECOGNITION OF ITS ROLE IN THE 
FORMATION OF AND CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR THE MDC, IT WILL 
ASK THE MDC TO ESTABLISH A FORMAL QUOTA WHEREBY ONE 
QUARTER OF THE MDC'S CANDIDATES FOR PARLIAMENT WOULD BE 
WORKERS.  THE ZCTU WILL ALSO AID THE MDC'S ELECTION 
STRATEGY BY ENGAGING IN ACTIVITIES SUCH AS VOTER 
REGISTRATION, VOTER EDUCATION, GETTING OUT THE VOTE, AND 
TRAINING OF ELECTION OBSERVERS.  THESE STEPS WILL 
ENHANCE THE CHANCES OF THE MDC CANDIDATE IN THE UPCOMING 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  00782  02 OF 02  211006Z 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. 
 
8. (C) COMMENT: THE UPCOMING ZCTU CONGRESS REMAINS A 
CRITICAL EVENT IN ZIMBABWEAN POLITICS.  PRESIDENT MUGABE 
AND ZANU-PF WOULD CLEARLY LIKE TO CUT INTO ORGANIZED 
LABOR'S SUPPORT FOR THE MDC, AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY 
TO DO THIS WOULD BE TO SEVER THE INFORMAL CONNECTIONS 
THAT EXIST BETWEEN THE ZCTU AND THE MDC.  FOR THE MDC, 
MAINTAINING THE ZCTU'S SUPPORT IS CRITICAL TO BOTH ITS 
CONTINUED EXISTENCE AS A VIABLE POLITICAL PARTY, AS WELL 
AS ITS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE'S CHANCES IN 2002.  IF THE 
PRO-MDC FORCES ARE ABLE TO PRESENT A UNIFIED SLATE OF 
CANDIDATES, WE BELIEVE IT LIKELY THAT THEY WILL BE 
ELECTED, AND THE ZCTU WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE MDC. 
IF THEY CANNOT UNIFY BEFORE THE VOTE AT THE CONGRESS, 
MUGABE AND ZANU-PF ARE LIKELY TO SUCCEED AT BUYING THE 
ELECTION OF PRO-ZANU-PF CANDIDATES.  SUCH AN OUTCOME 
WOULD GREATLY HINDER THE MDC'S CHANCES IN THE UPCOMING 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.  END COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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