US embassy cable - 04HARARE1643

UNCLAS HARARE 001643 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR BNEULING 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, ZI, Land Reform, U.S.-Zimbabwe Bilateral Relations, ZANU-PF 
SUBJECT: NKOMO OPEN TO DIALOGUE 
 
 1. On September 27, Ambassador Dell met briefly with 
Minister of Special Affairs for Lands, Land Reform, and 
Resettlement and ZANU-PF Party Chairman John Nkomo in Nkomo's 
office. Nkomo welcomed the Ambassador to Zimbabwe and said he 
was interested in developing a better relationship. He then 
recited a familiar history of land and land reform in 
Zimbabwe. Nkomo mulled over the problem of tenure in the new 
land regime and seemed optimistic about the likely success of 
99-year leases in helping A1 (smallholder) farmers secure 
bank financing.  Nkomo expressed optimism that money for land 
reform would pour in once Zimbabwe's international image 
improved.  In particular, he seemed to think Americans and 
U.S. organizations wanted to assist but were simply afraid to 
get involved in the land process because of the negative 
publicity associated with Zimbabwe. 
 
2. The Ambassador emphasized the importance of looking 
forward, particularly since the GOZ acknowledged that its 
land reform process was almost complete.  The Ambassador also 
told Nkomo that he was interested in how to make a success of 
land reform by empowering the people.  Nkomo expressed some 
interest in U.S. help in studying land tenure issues. 
 
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Comment: 
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3. The recitation of the history of land in Zimbabwe is a 
standard part of any meeting with GOZ Cabinet and ZANU-PF 
party members. Nkomo added nothing new to the exchange in 
that regard.  If anything, his complaints about the 
intricacies of land reform reveal his own impotence in the 
land redistribution process. 
 
4.  When Nkomo was appointed to his newly created position in 
February 2004, it was widely believed that Nkomo, because of 
his seniority within the party, would be able to implement 
some of the recommendations of the Utete Commission, such as 
the one farmer-one farm policy. Nkomo, however, has hit a 
dead end--there is little meaningful debate within the ruling 
party over how to rejuvenate the deteriorating agriculture 
sector.  Land reform remains a sterile political issue 
revolving around populist anti-colonial, racial  themes 
instead of real economic empowerment.  Ironically, GOZ 
failure to realize economic benefits from land reform fuels 
resentment in ZANU-PF's rural heartland, and frustration 
among ZANU-PF elites, most of whom are saddled with 
problematic farms themselves. End comment. 
Dell