US embassy cable - 04HARARE1206

UNCLAS HARARE 001206 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVELLE, D. TEITELBAUM 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, ECON, ZI 
SUBJECT: LITTLE NEW IN MUGABE'S OPENING OF PARLIAMENT 
 
REF: (A) HARARE 1157 (B) HARARE 1067 
 
1.  (U) In his remarks opening the fifth and final session of 
the country's fifth parliament, President Mugabe projected 
familiar GOZ refrains: good harvests assured adequate food 
supplies into the next season; the nation's economy was 
recovering; ongoing land acquisitions would meet the 
population's demand for land; corruption was being addressed. 
 Castigating the business sector for its "neocolonial 
dependence" on Western markets, Mugabe advocated orientation 
to developing country markets that were "doing better" than 
the "risky ... declining" West.  Stricter regulation and 
better pricing policies would boost the economy, with 
parastatals providing the "cutting edge" of renewed 
productivity.  Mugabe pledged to "indigenize" the 
conservancy/wildlife ranch and mineral sectors, and announced 
the planned introduction to parliament of a bill establishing 
a framework for a "more comprehensive and systematic economic 
empowerment and indigenization program." 
 
2.  (U) Warning that NGOs had to work "for the betterment of 
the country, not against it," the President confirmed GOZ 
plans to scrap its private voluntary organization law for a 
new NGO law to "rationalize macro-management of all NGOs." 
He also urged support for the electoral reform bill that was 
being drafted consistent with "ongoing consultations on 
developing regional election norms and standards for SADC." 
(reftels)  The jurisdiction of chiefs in the area of 
customary law administration would be expanded.  To address a 
host of national challenges, the parliament would pass bills 
creating new commissions, boards or councils in the areas of 
health services, education, and youth development.  Resources 
were pledged to refurbish the government's broadcasting 
facilities and to build a new house for  parliament. 
 
2.  (SBU) COMMENT: Employing high-brow English and no local 
dialect, the address was dressed up for elite and diplomatic 
audiences but did not depart substantively from already 
charted courses.  Mugabe's failure to mention purported sins 
of the MDC or traditionally identified foreign "enemies" 
probably reflected his self-imposed distance from them more 
than any desire not to offend.  Wider indigenization efforts 
and greater regulation of NGOs are long-standing ruling party 
objectives that have been raised loudly and frequently before 
with little GOZ follow-through; NGO regulation may get some 
real attention during this session (to be reported septel). 
The establishment of new public bodies rather than meaningful 
policy prescriptions testifies to a dearth of ideas, debate 
or genuine interest within the ruling party leadership about 
how to tackle the innumerable fundamental challenges facing 
the nation. 
SULLIVAN