US embassy cable - 01HARARE2364

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ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT RESHUFFLES CABINET

Identifier: 01HARARE2364
Wikileaks: View 01HARARE2364 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2001-08-09 13:46:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PGOV PINR ZI
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

091346Z Aug 01

 

                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTO7616

PAGE 01        HARARE  02364  091346Z 
ACTION AF-00    

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  
      SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EUR-00   FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    
      H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   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    IRM-00   SSO-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00   
      DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /007W
                  ------------------0FC709  091346Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9435
INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 002364 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/11 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT RESHUFFLES CABINET 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL OFFICER TODD FAULK FOR REASONS: 
1.5 (B) AND (D). 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  02364  091346Z 
 
1.  (U) INDEPENDENT PRESS REPORTS INDICATE THAT 
PRESIDENT MUGABE HAS RESHUFFLED HIS CABINET TO FILL 
THREE POSITIONS LEFT VACANT BY THE DEATHS OF TWO 
MINISTERS AND THE RESIGNATION OF ANOTHER.  THE OFFICIAL 
ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE ON STATE RADIO TODAY (AUGUST 9) 
AFTER THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY AT STATE HOUSE. 
 
2.  (U) BELOW ARE THE NEW MINISTRY CHIEFS: 
 
-- DEFENSE:  MINES AND ENERGY MINISTER SYDNEY SEKERAMAYI 
REPLACES ACTING DEFENSE MINISTER JOYCE MUJURU AND 
PERMANENTLY FILLS THE POST LEFT VACANT BY THE DEATH OF 
MOVEN MAHACHI. 
 
-- MINES AND ENERGY:  DEPUTY ENVIRONMENT MINISTER EDWARD 
CHINDORI-CHININGA REPLACES SEKERAMAYI. 
 
-- YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, GENDER AND EMPLOYMENT CREATION: 
NEWLY ELECTED BINDURA MP AND FORMER MASHONALAND CENTRAL 
GOVERNOR ELLIOT MANYIKA FILLS THE MINISTERIAL POSITION 
LEFT OPEN BY THE DEATH OF BORDER GEZI. 
 
-- INDUSTRY AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE:  ACTING INDUSTRY 
MINISTER AND FORMER HIGHER EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY 
MINISTER HERBERT MURERWA OFFICIALLY FILLS THE 
MINISTERIAL SLOT VACATED BY NKOSANA MOYO, WHO RESIGNED 
IN MARCH. 
 
-- HIGHER EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY:  FORMER EDUCATION 
MINISTER SAMUEL MUMBENGEGWI REPLACES MURERWA. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02364  091346Z 
 
-- EDUCATION, SPORTS AND CULTURE:  DEPUTY EDUCATION 
MINISTER AENEAS CHIGWEDERE MOVES INTO THE TOP POST, 
REPLACING MUMBENGEGWI. 
 
3.  (U) AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ABEDINICO 
NCUBE, THE ZANU-PF DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP IN PARLIAMENT, 
MOVES INTO THE NEWLY RECONSTITUTED POST OF DEPUTY 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER. 
 
4.  (C) COMMENT: PRESIDENT MUGABE HAD APPARENTLY WAITED 
TO MAKE SURE ELLIOT MANYIKA WAS ELECTED TO PARLIAMENT 
BEFORE ANNOUNCING HIS LONG-OVERDUE CABINET RESHUFFLE. 
IT LOOKS LIKE MANYIKA IS ON THE FAST-TRACK TO IMPORTANT 
THINGS IN GOVERNMENT AND THE RULING PARTY, FOLLOWING IN 
LOCK-STEP THE METEORIC RISE OF BORDER GEZI.  THE ONLY 
BIG SURPRISE IN THE RESHUFFLE IS THE APPOINTMENT OF 
SEKERAMAYI AS DEFENSE MINISTER.  SEKERAMAYI IS AN OLD 
RIVAL OF PRESIDENTIAL HEIR APPARENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, 
AND AT ONE POINT HIS POLITICAL FUTURE APPEARED DIM.  HE 
WAS SIDELINED AT MINES AND ENERGY TO MAKE WAY FOR 
MNANGAGWA.  THE DEFENSE MINISTRY IS A SMALL STEP UP FOR 
SEKERAMAYI, AND SINCE HE IS A FRIEND OF THE UNHAPPY 
POWERBROKER SOLOMON MUJURU, SEKERAMAYI'S APPOINTMENT MAY 
INDICATE THAT MUGABE SEES A NEED TO PLACATE THE OLD 
BARON.  END COMMENT. 
 
HOOKS 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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