US embassy cable - 01HARARE3286

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003286 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY 
PARIS FOR CHARLES NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR TERRY PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/11 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE RULING PARTY DUE TO TABLE LEGISLATION 
BANNING POLITICAL FUNDING OF NGOS 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL OFFICER TODD FAULK FOR REASONS: 
1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) IN A LUNCH MEETING WITH POLOFF NOVEMBER 1, NEW 
DEPUTY JUSTICE MINISTER PAUL MANGWANA -- AND ZANU-PF 
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT -- REVEALED THAT HIS MINISTRY IS 
CURRENTLY DRAFTING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BAN FOREIGN 
FUNDING CHANNELED THROUGH NGOS FOR "POLITICAL TASKS," 
SUCH AS VOTER EDUCATION.  HOWEVER, THE LEGISLATION WOULD 
CLEARLY EXEMPT MONEY HEADED TO NGOS FOR USE IN 
HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS, MANGWANA SAID.  A PREVIOUS BILL 
THAT WOULD BAN ALL FOREIGN FUNDING OF NGOS IS NO LONGER 
UNDER CONSIDERATION.  THE DEPUTY MINISTER INTIMATED THAT 
THE BILL IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT ZIMBABWE'S SOVEREIGNTY. 
IT IS NOT FOR FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS TO INTERFERE IN 
ZIMBABWE'S ELECTORAL PROCESSES; IT IS UP TO THE 
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE ALONE TO "EDUCATE" VOTERS, HE 
STATED.  THE JUSTICE MINISTRY IS PLANNING ON SUBMITTING 
THE BILL TO PARLIAMENT BY DECEMBER SO THAT IT CAN BE 
PASSED BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS RECESS, MANGWANA CONCLUDED. 
 
2.  (C) COMMENT:  BY DUMPING A BLANKET BAN ON FOREIGN 
NGO FUNDING AND DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN "POLITICAL" AND 
"HUMANITARIAN" NGOS IN NEW LEGISLATION, THE GOZ APPEARS 
TO BE BOWING TO THE REALITY OF LOOMING FOOD SHORTAGES IN 
THE COUNTRY AND THE NEED FOR FOREIGN NGO HELP.  IT IS 
UNCLEAR WHETHER FUNDING FOR SPECIFIC NGOS WILL BE 
BANNED, OR JUST CATEGORIES OF ORGANIZATIONS.  IT IS ALSO 
UNCLEAR HOW "POLITICAL TASKS" MAY BE DEFINED IN THE 
FINAL LEGISLATION.  IN ANY CASE, IT WILL PROBABLY PROVE 
IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE GOZ TO TRACK HOW FOREIGN FUNDS GOING 
TO ZIMBABWEAN NGOS ARE USED -- ALL IT WILL NEED IS A 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03286  021059Z 
LEGAL PRETEXT AND A SUSPICION TO SHUT DOWN ORGANIZATIONS 
ENGAGED IN ACTIVITIES IT CONSIDERS A THREAT TO ITS 
CONTINUED HOLD ON POWER.  END COMMENT. 
 
3.  (U) BIO NOTE:  PAUL MANGWANA, THE ZANU-PF MP FOR 
KADOMA EAST, WAS MOVED FROM THE DEPUTY SLOT AT THE 
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS TO THE 
RECONSTITUTED POSITION OF DEPUTY JUSTICE MINISTER IN THE 
JULY 2001 CABINET RESHUFFLE.  MANGWANA, IN HIS LATE 
THIRTIES, CAN BE CONSIDERED A "YOUNG TURK" IN ZANU-PF 
WHO HAS ADMITTED THAT HE WOULD RATHER CHANGE THE SYSTEM 
FROM WITHIN THAN FROM WITHOUT.  MANGWANA OWNS A CHICKEN- 
PRODUCTION BUSINESS AND IS WELL-OFF.  THE DEPUTY 
MINISTER IS A LAWYER BY TRAINING AND ENTERED PRIVATE 
PRACTICE WITH CURRENT JUSTICE MINISTER PATRICK CHINAMASA 
IN 1986.  HE WAS ELECTED TO PARLIAMENT FOR THE FIRST 
TIME IN 2000.  END BIO NOTE. 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
>