US embassy cable - 01HARARE1054

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001054 
 
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 03/19/11 
TAGS: ELAB, PGOV, PHUM, PINR 
SUBJECT: NEW ELECTIONS FOR ZIMBABWE'S UMBRELLA LABOR 
ORGANIZATION NOT LIKELY. 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B/D). 
 
1. (SBU) THE MARCH 18 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF 
ZIMBABWE (GOZ)-CONTROLLED "THE SUNDAY MAIL" RAN A FRONT- 
PAGE STORY STATING THAT THE JUST-ELECTED LEADERSHIP OF 
THE ZIMBABWE CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS (ZCTU), 
ZIMBABWE'S INDEPENDENT UMBRELLA LABOR ORGANIZATION, WAS 
BEING PRESSURED TO HOLD NEW ELECTIONS BECAUSE OF 
IRREGULARITIES AT ITS FEBRUARY 23-24 FIVE-YEAR CONGRESS. 
NO OTHER NEWS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE REPORTED ON THIS 
ALLEGED DEVELOPMENT.  THE ALLEGED IRREGULARITIES ARE NOT 
RELATED TO THE ELECTION OF THE NEW ZCTU NATIONAL 
LEADERSHIP.  RATHER, THE IRREGULARITIES ARE THAT THE 
JUST-COMPLETED CONGRESS FAILED TO CONFIRM OR REJECT 
AMENDMENTS AND CORRECTIONS MADE TO THE ZCTU CONSTITUTION 
AT THE 1995 CONGRESS.  ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE, 15 OF 
THE 32 UNIONS AFFILIATED TO THE ZCTU ARE NOW CLAIMING 
THAT THE ELECTIONS OF THE NEW LEADERSHIP ARE NULLIFIED, 
AND DEMANDING THAT NEW ELECTIONS BE HELD. 
 
2. (C) LABOFF, THOUGH UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE AT THE 
ZCTU, DID TALK WITH GEBRE GEBREMARIAM (PROTECT), THE 
AMCIT REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AFL-CIO SOLIDARITY 
CENTER IN HARARE, WHO MAINTAINS CLOSE TIES WITH THE ZCTU 
LEADERSHIP.  GEBREMARIAM STATED THAT THE ARTICLE WAS, TO 
THE BEST OF HIS KNOWLEDGE, GOZ PROPAGANDA AIMED AT 
DISCREDITING THE NEW ZCTU EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP (WHOSE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  01054  191807Z 
MEMBERS ALL SUPPORT THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR 
DEMOCRATIC CHANGE).  HE OPINED THAT THE ALLEGED 
IRREGULARITIES MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE, EVEN IF TRUE, 
WOULD NOT NECESSITATE THE HOLDING OF NEW ELECTIONS FOR 
THE ZCTU LEADERSHIP.  HE WAS ALSO VERY SKEPTICAL THAT 15 
OF THE 32 AFFILIATED UNIONS DESIRED THAT NEW ELECTIONS 
BE HELD. 
 
3. (C) COMMENT: "THE SUNDAY MAIL" ARTICLE DEFINITELY 
SMACKS OF A GOZ/ZANU-PF PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN TO DISCREDIT 
THE NEW ZCTU LEADERSHIP.  THE ZCTU IS A MAJOR PLAYER IN 
ZIMBABWE POLITICS, AND COULD HOLD A VERY INFLUENTIAL, IF 
NOT DECISIVE, ROLE IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTIONS.  THE GOZ/ZANU-PF ARE STILL FUMING THAT, 
HAVING FUNDED THE PAYMENT OF BACK-DUES OF UNIONS TO THE 
ZCTU AND, ALLEGEDLY, BRIBING INDIVIDUAL UNION DELEGATES 
IN ORDER TO INFLUENCE THE ZCTU ELECTIONS, NOT ONE PRO- 
ZANU-PF CANDIDATE WAS ELECTED TO THE ZCTU LEADERSHIP. 
THEY WOULD DEARLY LOVE TO HAVE ANOTHER SHOT AT GAINING 
CONTROL OF THE ZCTU, AND THE HOLDING OF NEW ELECTIONS 
FOR THE ZCTU LEADERSHIP WOULD PRESENT THIS OPPORTUNITY. 
WHILE "THE SUNDAY MAIL" ARTICLE IS THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT 
FORCING NEW ELECTIONS, WE STRONGLY DOUBT IT WILL BE THE 
LAST.  END COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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