US embassy cable - 01HARARE859

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000859 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DRL/IL FOR KBRYANT 
NSC FOR JFRAZER 
ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VDICKSON-HORTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 02/27/11 
TAGS: ELAB, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: ZCTU UNION LEADER CONFIRMS THAT LABOR CONGRESS 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00859  01 OF 02  281811Z 
OUTCOME ASSURES COOPERATION BETWEEN THE ZCTU AND THE MDC 
 
REFTEL: HARARE 846 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B/D). 
 
-------- 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
 
1. (C) ACCORDING TO A HIGH-LEVEL UNION OFFICIAL WHO IS 
ALSO A MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITION PARTY'S NATIONAL 
EXECUTIVE, THE JUST-ENDED ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF TRADE 
UNION'S (ZCTU) FIVE-YEAR CONGRESS RESULTED IN THE 
ELECTION OF A NATIONAL EXECUTIVE BODY THAT SOLIDLY 
SUPPORTS THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC). 
ZIMBABWE'S RULING PARTY, ZANU-PF, TRIED TO BUY 
DELEGATES' VOTES RIGHT UP TO VOTING TIME AT THE 
CONGRESS, BUT NOT A SINGLE PRO-ZANU-PF LABOR LEADER WAS 
ELECTED TO THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE.  WHILE THE NEW 
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE PUBLICLY AFFIRMED THAT THE ZCTU IS 
NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY POLITICAL PARTY, AND THAT IT IS 
NON-PARTISAN IN CHARACTER, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE NEW 
LEADERSHIP WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE MDC IN SUPPORTING 
THE PARTY'S CANDIDATE IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTION.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) ON FEBRUARY 26, LABOFF MET WITH NICHOLAS 
MUDZENGERERE, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ZIMBABWE CATERING 
AND HOTEL WORKERS UNION, TO DISCUSS THE OUTCOME OF THE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  00859  01 OF 02  281811Z 
JUST-ENDED LABOR CONGRESS.  MUDZENGERERE IS ALSO THE 
FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ZCTU, AND A 
MEMBER OF THE MDC NATIONAL EXECUTIVE. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
A PRO-MDC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IS ELECTED 
---------------------------------------- 
 
3. (C) MUDZENGERERE REVEALED THAT THE MDC IS VERY 
PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE CONGRESS.  ACCORDING TO 
MUDZENGERERE, ALL THE MEMBERS ELECTED TO THE NEW ZCTU 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ARE PRO-MDC LABOR LEADERS (REFTEL). 
THE NEW SECRETARY-GENERAL, WILLARD CHIBHEBHE, IS THE 
FORMER PRESIDENT, AND NOW A TRUSTEE OF THE ZIMBABWE 
RAILWAY ARTISANS WORKERS UNION, AND HAD THE BACKING OF 
THE OTHER TWO RAILWAY UNIONS.  HE ALSO WAS A CANDIDATE 
FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE MDC WHEN THE PARTY WAS 
FIRST FORMED IN 1999, AND LATER WAS THE SECRETARY OF 
POLICY AND RESEARCH FOR THE MDC.  THE NEW ZCTU 
PRESIDENT, LOVEMORE MATAMBO, IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE 
ZIMBABWE POST AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKERS UNION, AND 
WAS PART OF THE ZCTU GENERAL COUNCIL WHEN THE LABOR BODY 
VOTED TO ORGANIZE THE MDC IN 1998.  THE OTHER NEW 
MEMBERS OF THE ZCTU EXECUTIVE HAVE SIMILARLY STRONG 
UNION AND MDC CREDENTIALS.  THE FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT, 
LUCIA MATIBENGU, IS THE HEAD OF THE MDC WOMEN'S LEAGUE. 
 
--------------------------- 
ZANU-PF'S VOTE BUYING FAILS 
--------------------------- 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  00859  01 OF 02  281811Z 
4. (C) MUDZENGERERE ALLEGED THAT ZANU-PF WAS TRYING TO 
BUY THE OUTCOME OF THE CONGRESS RIGHT UP UNTIL THE VOTES 
WERE CAST.  HE STATED THAT ZANU-PF BAGMEN CAME TO THE 
CONGRESS WITH BAGS OF CASH, AND WERE TRYING TO BRIBE 
CONGRESS DELEGATES TO ENSURE THAT THEY WOULD VOTE FOR 
THE PRO-ZANU-PF SLATE OF CANDIDATES.  THIS IS ON TOP OF 
THE RUMORED ZIMBABWE $1.5 MILLION THAT THE RULING PARTY 
PAID IN DUES ARREARAGES ON BEHALF OF VARIOUS UNIONS SO 
THAT THEY COULD ATTEND THE CONGRESS AND VOTE FOR THE 
PRO-ZANU-PF CANDIDATES.  HOWEVER, MUDZENGERERE INDICATED 
THAT BECAUSE THE VOTING WAS BY SECRET BALLOT, ZANU-PF'S 
STRATEGY BACKFIRED, AS THE DELEGATES TOOK THE MONEY AND 
THEN CAST THEIR BALLOTS FOR THE PRO-MDC CANDIDATES. 
EVEN THOUGH THE PRO-MDC FORCES WERE UNABLE TO PRESENT A 
SINGLE SLATE, NOT ONE PRO-ZANU-PF CANDIDATE WAS ELECTED. 
ISIDORE ZINDOGA, THE FORMER ACTING SECRETARY-GENERAL OF 
THE ZCTU AND HEAD OF THE PRO-ZANU-PF SLATE, RECEIVED 
ONLY 35 VOTES, WHILE CHIBHEBHE RECEIVED 81 VOTES. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
A WARM GREETING FOR TSVANGIRAI AND SIBANDA 
------------------------------------------ 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ9639 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  00859  02 OF 02  281811Z 
ACTION DRL-02 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AF-00    AID-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00 
      EUR-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     NSAE-00 
      OIC-02   PM-00    PRS-00   P-00     SP-00    SS-00    STR-00 
      TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00   PRM-01   G-00     SAS-00     /006W 
                  ------------------CBB2F4  281811Z /45 
R 280543Z FEB 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8302 
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 000859 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DRL/IL FOR KBRYANT 
NSC FOR JFRAZER 
ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VDICKSON-HORTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 02/27/11 
TAGS: ELAB, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: ZCTU UNION LEADER CONFIRMS THAT LABOR CONGRESS 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  00859  02 OF 02  281811Z 
OUTCOME ASSURES COOPERATION BETWEEN THE ZCTU AND THE MDC 
 
5. (C) THE FORMER SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ZCTU, AND 
CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, AND THE 
FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE ZCTU, AND CURRENT VICE-PRESIDENT 
OF THE MDC, GIBSON SIBANDA, RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION 
FROM THE DELEGATES WHEN THEY ADDRESSED THE CONGRESS. 
TSVANGIRAI'S COMMENT THAT THE "ZCTU WAS THE SOUL OF THE 
 
SIPDIS 
MDC" WAS MET WITH AN ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE FROM THE 
DELEGATES.  ACCORDING TO MUDZENGERERE, THERE WERE NO 
ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS EVIDENT AMONG THE DELEGATES AT THE 
CONGRESS.  WHILE THE NEW EXECUTIVE PUBLICLY AFFIRMED 
THAT THE ZCTU IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY POLITICAL 
PARTY, MUDZENGERERE MADE CLEAR THAT IN PRIVATE THE 
ENTIRE NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS WORKERS IN 
GENERAL, STRONGLY SUPPORT THE MDC AND WILL FULLY SUPPORT 
TSVANGIRAI'S CAMPAIGN FOR THE PRESIDENCY. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
-------------------------------------- 
MUDZENGERERE'S PENDING COURT CHALLENGE 
-------------------------------------- 
 
6. (C) IN ADDITION TO HAVING STRONG LABOR CREDENTIALS, 
MUDZENGERERE IS AN MDC ACTIVIST AS WELL.  HE WAS ONE OF 
THE MDC CANDIDATES DEFEATED IN LAST JUNE'S PARLIAMENTARY 
ELECTION AS A RESULT OF ZANU-PF INTIMIDATION OF VOTERS. 
MUDZENGERERE REPORTEDLY LOST BY LESS THAN 60 VOTES OUT 
OF AROUND 15,000 VOTES CAST IN THE MAKONI EAST DISTRICT. 
HE RELATED HOW ZANU-PF THUGS AND "WAR VETS" HAD 
PREVENTED COMMERCIAL FARM WORKERS FROM VOTING DURING THE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  00859  02 OF 02  281811Z 
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION.  THE EVIDENCE OF THE IMPACT OF 
THIS INTIMIDATION, ACCORDING TO MUDZENGERERE, IS THAT 
25,000 VOTED IN THE DISTRICT IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL 
REFERENDUM (WHEN THERE WAS NO INTIMIDATION), VERSUS ONLY 
15,000 IN THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION FOUR MONTHS LATER. 
MUDZENGERERE'S COURT CHALLENGE IS TO BE HEARD IN THE 
NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
7. (C) THE ELECTION OF A PRO-MDC NATIONAL EXECUTIVE AT 
THE ZCTU CONGRESS WAS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO THE 
FUTURE VIABILITY OF THE MDC AS A NATIONAL POLITICAL 
PARTY.  HAVING ACHIEVED THIS, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI AND THE 
MDC LEADERSHIP CAN BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF.  WHEN THE 
NEW ZCTU PRESIDENT, LOVEMORE MATAMBO, TOLD THE GOZ- 
CONTROLLED "THE HERALD" NEWSPAPER THAT "THE ZCTU IS A 
NON-PARTISAN BODY THAT IS NOT THE SOUL OF THE MDC", THIS 
WAS FOR THE CONSUMPTION OF PRESIDENT MUGABE AND COMPANY, 
AND DID NOT SIGNIFY THE TRUE LEANINGS OF THE NEW 
LEADERSHIP.  WE EXPECT THAT THE NEW ZCTU LEADERSHIP WILL 
WORK TO SUPPORT TSVANGIRAI'S CANDIDACY IN THE UPCOMING 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN WAYS THAT ON THE SURFACE ARE 
NON-PARTISAN (E.G. VOTER REGISTRATION, VOTER EDUCATION, 
GET OUT THE VOTE EFFORTS), BUT WHICH WILL SERVE TO HELP 
LEVEL THE POLITICAL PLAYING FIELD.  END COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  00859  02 OF 02  281811Z 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
>