US embassy cable - 01HARARE1354

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 001354 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER AND AFR/SA - CPALMA AND 
 
NNEWMAN 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/11 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, ZI, UK 
SUBJECT: MUGABE ANNOUNCES RE-ELECTION BID AND LASHES OUT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  01354  01 OF 03  191450Z 
AT THE BRITISH AND WHITE ZIMBABWEANS WHILE MARKING 
ZIMBABWE'S 21ST INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B/D). 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (C) PRESIDENT MUGABE, IN A ZIMBABWE BROADCASTING 
CORPORATION (ZBC) TELEVISION INTERVIEW THE NIGHT OF 
APRIL 17, AND THEN AGAIN IN HIS SPEECH AT THE OFFICIAL 
INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS IN HARARE ON APRIL 18, 
REPEATEDLY CRITICIZED BRITAIN AND WHITE ZIMBABWEANS FOR 
BEING THE PRINCIPLE CAUSES OF ZIMBABWE'S CURRENT 
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.  MOST OF THIS CRITICISM OF THE 
BRITISH AND WHITES CENTERED ON THE LAND ISSUE, BUT HE 
ALSO AGAIN ATTACKED THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR 
DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) FOR MERELY BEING A FRONT FOR 
WHITES.  HE CONFIRMED THAT HE WILL BE THE ZIMBABWE 
AFRICAN NATIONAL UNION - PATRIOTIC FRONT (ZANU-PF) 
CANDIDATE IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AND 
WILL ONLY RETIRE WHEN HE IS SURE THAT ZANU-PF HAS A 
SECURE HOLD ON POWER.  MUGABE ALSO THREATENED THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) WILL TAKE OVER COMPANIES 
THAT ATTEMPT TO SHUTDOWN OPERATIONS WITHOUT "GENUINE 
REASONS", ALLEGING THESE COMPANIES COMPLICITY IN 
FRUSTRATING THE "FAST-TRACK" LAND RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM. 
WE SEE THIS THREAT AS A HARBINGER OF MORE URBAN VIOLENCE 
TO COME.  END SUMMARY. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  01354  01 OF 03  191450Z 
 
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THE BRITISH ARE TO BLAME 
------------------------ 
 
2. (SBU) ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OCCASIONS IN BOTH THE 
TELEVISION INTERVIEW AND DURING HIS SPEECH PRESIDENT 
MUGABE CASTIGATED THE BRITISH FOR INTERFERING IN 
ZIMBABWE'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS AND SEEKING TO TURN THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AGAINST ZIMBABWE.  THE FOCUS OF 
HIS ATTACK AGAINST THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT REVOLVED 
AROUND THE LAND ISSUE, AND HIS BELIEF THAT THE BRITISH 
GOVERNMENT RENEGED ON ITS COMMITMENT TO PAY FOR LAND 
REFORM IN ZIMBABWE.  HE CRITICIZED THE BRITISH LABOR 
GOVERNMENT, AND PRIME MINISTER BLAIR, BY NAME ON 
NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, AND ALLEGED THAT "BRITAIN WAS 
BEHAVING LIKE AN INTERNATIONAL DELINQUENT ON THE 
MATTER."  HE WENT ON TO ARGUE THAT THOSE COUNTRIES THAT 
SUPPORT THE BRITISH POSITION NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT 
ZIMBABWE IS A SOVEREIGN STATE AND THAT IT SHOULD BE 
ASSISTED WITH THE PROGRAMS IT DEVELOPS WITHOUT 
INTERFERENCE FROM ANY SOURCE.  REVEALING HIS OBSESSION 
WITH THE INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE, DURING HIS INDEPENDENCE 
DAY SPEECH HE SAID, "THIS LAND, THIS ZIMBABWE, IS A 
SACRED INHERITANCE FROM OUR FOREFATHERS.  IT WAS THE 
'CASUS BELLI' OF OUR ARMED NATIONAL LIBERATION STRUGGLE. 
IT CANNOT, THEREFORE, BE THAT WHICH WE HAVE TO BEG A 
FOREIGN POWER FOR AND SO WE SAY HANDS OFF, BRITAIN, 
HANDS OFF, BRITAIN!"  HE WENT ON TO SHOUT, "WE ARE NOT 
AN EXTENSION OF BRITAIN.  SO MR. BLAIR HANDS OFF, 
PLEASE!"  TOWARDS THE END OF THE TELEVISION INTERVIEW, 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  01354  01 OF 03  191450Z 
MUGABE STATED THAT "LOOKING BACK 21 YEARS THE GREATEST 
MOMENT IN MY LIFE WAS SEEING THE BRITISH FLAG GO DOWN 
AND REPLACED BY THE FLAG OF THE NEW NATION OF ZIMBABWE." 
 
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AND SO ARE THE WHITES 
--------------------- 
 
3. (U) MUGABE CONTINUED HIS VITRIOLIC ATTACKS ON WHITE 
ZIMBABWEANS IN BOTH THE TELEVISION INTERVIEW AND 
INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH.  HE CRITICIZED THE WHITES FOR 
HAVING SPURNED THE HAND OF RECONCILIATION HE HAD 
EXTENDED AT INDEPENDENCE, SAYING "RECONCILIATION WAS NOT 
A ONE-SIDED AFFAIR.  THE WHITES HAD NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING 
AND BEHAVED AS IF THEY BELONGED TO BRITAIN AND WERE IN 
ZIMBABWE ONLY TO MAKE MONEY."  HE CONTINUED THAT, "THE 
WHITES WANTED TO REVERSE THE GAINS ATTAINED AT 
INDEPENDENCE BY OPPOSING THE 'FAST-TRACK' LAND REFORM 
PROGRAM."  AS HE OFTEN DOES, HE REFERRED NUMEROUS TIMES 
TO WHITE ZIMBABWEANS, THE MAJORITY OF WHOM WERE BORN IN 
THIS COUNTRY, AS "SETTLERS."  ACCORDING TO MUGABE, "THE 
SETTLERS ARE USING EVERY TRICK, INCLUDING THAT OF USING 
SOME AMONG US, TO DERAIL THE EFFORT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO 
ALLOW AN EQUITABLE REDISTRIBUTION OF LAND." 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ0658 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  01354  02 OF 03  191450Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00 
      SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    TEDE-00 
      INR-00   LAB-01   VCE-00   NSAE-00  SS-00    STR-00   USIE-00 
      BBG-00   IIP-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   NFAT-00  SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------E171E3  191451Z /38 
R 191447Z APR 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8668 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 001354 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER AND AFR/SA - CPALMA AND 
 
NNEWMAN 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/11 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, PINR, ZI, UK 
SUBJECT: MUGABE ANNOUNCES RE-ELECTION BID AND LASHES OUT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  01354  02 OF 03  191450Z 
AT THE BRITISH AND WHITE ZIMBABWEANS WHILE MARKING 
ZIMBABWE'S 21ST INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY 
 
------------------------- 
THE WHITES BEHIND THE MDC 
------------------------- 
 
4. (U) IN THE TELEVISION INTERVIEW MUGABE CRITICIZED THE 
MDC AS BEING JUST A FRONT FOR WHITES, SAYING THAT THE 
"MDC HAD MADE A MISTAKE BY PUTTING WHITES IN THE 
FOREFRONT."  HE LINKED THIS ALLEGED DOMINATION OF THE 
MDC BY WHITES AS EVIDENCE OF THE CONSPIRACY TO RETURN 
ZIMBABWE TO WHITE MINORITY RULE, STATING "IT INVOKES IN 
ALL OF US A BELIEF THAT THE WHITE MAN DOES NOT CHANGE. 
AS LONG AS THE WHITES DID NOT CHANGE, PEOPLE SHOULD 
STRENGTHEN THEMSELVES TO FIGHT EVEN HARDER."  IN HIS 
INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH HE STATED "LET US WATCH OUT FOR 
THESE VICIOUS ENEMIES AMONG US AND TRY TO OVERCOME 
THEM", CLEARLY A REFERENCE TO BOTH THE MDC AND 
ZIMBABWE'S WHITE MINORITY AND THEIR OSTENSIBLY VIOLENT 
AGENDA. 
 
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MUGABE WILL RUN AGAIN 
--------------------- 
 
5. (U) MUGABE PUBLICLY CONFIRMED FOR THE FIRST TIME 
SINCE THE ZANU-PF PARTY CONGRESS LAST FEBRUARY THAT HE 
WILL BE THE PARTY'S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.  HE ASSERTED 
THAT HE IS IN GOOD HEALTH, AND THAT HE WILL ONLY 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  01354  02 OF 03  191450Z 
CONSIDER RETIRING AFTER HE AGAIN LEADS ZANU-PF TO 
VICTORY IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
NO COMPANY CLOSURES WITHOUT GOZ APPROVAL 
---------------------------------------- 
 
6. (U) IN BOTH THE TELEVISON INTERVIEW AND THE 
INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH MUGABE THREATENED THAT THE GOZ 
WILL TAKE OVER THE OPERATIONS OF ANY COMPANIES THAT TRY 
TO SHUTDOWN OPERATIONS WITHOUT GOZ APPROVAL.  HE 
ASSERTED THAT MANY OF THESE COMPANY CLOSURES DID NOT 
RESULT FROM THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE IN ZIMBABWE, BUT WERE 
BEING DONE AS PART OF THE BRITISH AND WHITE ZIMBABWEANS' 
CAMPAIGN TO FRUSTRATE THE "FAST-TRACK" LAND PROGRAM.  HE 
STATED THAT "GOVERNMENT WILL IN THE FUTURE NOT ALLOW ANY 
VIABLE MINING OR MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISE TO CLOSE FOR 
UNCLEAR REASONS.  ANY CLOSURES WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE 
ASSENT OF THE GOVERNMENT." 
 
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COMMENT 
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7. (C) PRESIDENT MUGABE'S TELEVISION INTERVIEW, AND 
INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH AT THE HALF-FILLED NATIONAL 
STADIUM (WHERE A SOCCER MATCH BETWEEN RIVAL TEAMS 
HIGHLANDERS AND DYNAMOS THAT AFTERNOON WAS LIKELY THE 
BIGGER DRAW), CONFIRMED THAT HE IS A LEADER TRAPPED IN 
THE TIME WARP OF ZIMBABWE'S INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE AND 
HIS PERCEIVED GLORY DAYS.  THE FACT THAT HIS "FAST- 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  01354  02 OF 03  191450Z 
TRACK" LAND REFORM PROGRAM WILL BE THE ISSUE ON WHICH HE 
WILL RUN HIS 2002 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN WAS 
EVIDENCED BY THE CENTRAL ROLE IT PLAYED IN THE INTERVIEW 
AND THE SPEECH.  IN REALITY, THIS IS THE ONLY ISSUE 
MUGABE AND ZANU-PF CAN USE TO TRY AND GARNER SUPPORT 
FROM THE ZIMBABWE PEOPLE.  HE MENTIONED THE TREMENDOUS 
STRIDES THAT ZIMBABWE HAD MADE SINCE INDEPENDENCE IN THE 
FIELDS OF EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE, BUT THE COLD-HARD 
TRUTH IS THAT BOTH THE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PUBLIC 
HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS ARE ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE. 
INDEED, A TWENTY-ONE MINUTE POWER FAILURE AT THE 
BEGINNING OF THE INDEPENDENCE DAY CEREMONIES WAS ALMOST 
A LITERARY TROPE: A PATHETIC FALLACY TO ZIMBABWE'S 
REACHING THE AGE OF MAJORITY UNDER MUGABE'S LEADERSHIP. 
LASTLY, MUGABE'S BIZARRE AND PROBABLY UNENFORCEABLE 
THREAT TO PREVENT COMPANIES FROM SHUTTING DOWN, ALLEGING 
THEY ARE DOING SO JUST TO FRUSTRATE LAND REFORM, 
PORTENDS MORE URBAN VIOLENCE TO US.  WE SEE ZANU-PF 
DEPLOYING WAR VETERANS IN EVEN GREATER NUMBERS TO FORCE 
OWNERS OF FALTERING FACTORIES AND OTHER BUSINESSES TO 
REMAIN OPEN THROUGH PSYCHOLOGICAL INTIMIDATION AND THE 
OCCASIONAL VICIOUS BEATING.  NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS WILL 
NOT HELP THE ZIMBABWE ECONOMY TO IMPROVE NOR RESTORE 
INVESTOR CONFIDENCE.  END COMMENT. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ0661 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  01354  03 OF 03  191450Z 
ACTION AF-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00 
      SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    TEDE-00 
      INR-00   LAB-01   VCE-00   NSAE-00  SS-00    STR-00   USIE-00 
      BBG-00   IIP-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   NFAT-00  SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------E171F8  191452Z /38 
R 191447Z APR 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8669 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 001354 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER AND AFR/SA - CPALMA AND 
 
NNEWMAN 
PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/11 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, PINR, ZI, UK 
SUBJECT: MUGABE ANNOUNCES RE-ELECTION BID AND LASHES OUT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  01354  03 OF 03  191450Z 
AT THE BRITISH AND WHITE ZIMBABWEANS WHILE MARKING 
ZIMBABWE'S 21ST INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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