US embassy cable - 05GABORONE651

C O N F I D E N T I A L GABORONE 000651 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S DIFFILY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ZI, BC, Zimbabwe 
SUBJECT: MOYO'S DEPARTURE CHEERS GOB 
 
REF: 04 GABORONE 676 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH HUGGINS FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D 
 
1. (C)  SUMMARY:  Botswana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 
International Cooperation hopes that the appointment of 
Tichaona Jokonya as Zimbabwe's Minister of Information and 
Publicity will calm the stormy relations between the two 
nations.  In a May 9 conversation with PolOff, Mr. Manyepedza 
Lesetedi, Director of the MFA's Africa and Asia Division, 
indicated to PolOff that Jonathan Moyo's manipulation of the 
Zimbabwe media to attack Botswana had caused bilateral ties 
to become "unfriendly."  In contrast, the MFA feels that it 
knows Jokonya and expects him to handle differences more 
discreetly, thereby easing tensions between Zimbabwe and 
Botswana.  END SUMMARY 
 
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GOB WELCOMES JOKONYA'S APPOINTMENT 
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2. (C)  In a May 9 conversation with PolOff, Mr. Manyepedza 
Lesetedi, the Director of the Africa and Asia Division of 
Botswana's MFA, forecast smoother sailing in 
Botswana-Zimbabwe relations.  Thanks to former Minister for 
Information and Publicity Jonathan Moyo's tendency to deal 
with differences "through the media," bilateral relations 
"had been unfriendly" (reftel).  He complained that, under 
Moyo, any Zimbabwean with a complaint against Botswana spoke 
freely about it.  While Lesetedi wondered whether this was 
deliberate or simply the result of inept management, the GOB 
found this exasperating, particularly because it exercised 
careful discipline regarding which government officials spoke 
and what they said about Zimbabwe. 
 
3. (C)  Lesetedi predicted that as a career diplomat, 
Tichaona Jokonya is more likely to address bilateral disputes 
through "proper channels."  He asserted that the MFA knows 
Jokonya well and feels that with his cooperation tensions 
between Zimbabwe and Botswana can begin to subside.  Lesetedi 
reminded PolOff that Botswana faces constant criticism from 
Zimbabwe over its closeness with the US.  That criticism, he 
indicated, is likely to continue irrespective of Jokonya's 
role as Minister of Information and Publicity. 
 
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MFA CRITICAL OF MDC 
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4. (C)  Commenting on Zimbabwe's March 31 elections, Lesetedi 
described them as less flawed than the previous elections 
there.  As a consequence, he opined, the Movement for 
Democratic Change's (MDC) poor showing undermined its 
credibility in capitals around the continent and boosted that 
of President Mugabe.  Offering his personal assessment, 
Lesetedi argued that Morgan Tsvangirai is not capable of 
effectively leading the MDC.  He dismissed as unrealistic the 
Movement's recent rebuff of the Government of South Africa as 
a mediator in the Zimbabwe crisis, claiming that no other 
government could possibly play that role. 
 
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COMMENT 
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5. (C)  The hope sparked within the GOB that Jokonya's 
appointment could help repair damage to Botswana-Zimbabwe 
relations is symptomatic of the GOB's reluctance to speak 
frankly to the GOZ in support of a democratic solution to the 
crisis there. 
HUGGINS