US embassy cable - 05HARARE804

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000804 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR B. NEULING 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2010 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, ZI, Parliamentary Affairs 
SUBJECT: NO NEW DIRECTION IN MUGABE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Eric Schultz under Section 1.4 b/ 
d 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (SBU) President Mugabe's speech to the opening session of 
the new Parliament on June 9 projected familiar themes of 
western conspiracies and government intervention in the 
economy.  It broke little new ground and reinforced that the 
GOZ was unlikely to relax its heavy-handedness in political, 
economic, or social spheres.  Mugabe made no mention of the 
opposition, which boycotted the session in solidarity with 
the stay-away it was supporting with civil society 
organizations to protest the GOZ,s Operation Restore Order 
(septel).  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Anti-Imperialist Opening 
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2.  (U) Mugabe opened his half-hour nationally broadcast 
speech with high praise for the conduct of Zimbabwe's recent 
parliamentary elections, which he cast as in compliance with 
SADC election principles.  He thanked the broader 
international community for its unqualified endorsement of 
the elections as free and fair.  Mugabe castigated the UK and 
the U.S. for their "shameless refusal" to join "international 
consensus" ) proof, he claimed, of their neo-colonial agenda 
to undermine Zimbabwe's sovereignty.  He pledged to intensify 
Zimbabwe's relations with SADC members and Asian nations. 
Zimbabwe would work hard to reform the UN to stem the 
"excesses of a unipolar world where might prevails over 
right." 
 
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Changes in Constitution and Law Enforcement 
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3.  (U) The President did not elaborate on the GOZ's highly 
publicized plans for constitutional amendments, other than to 
reiterate that they would provide for establishment of (1) a 
Senate, (2) a consolidated independent election commission, 
and (3) provisions for streamlining GOZ acquisition of land. 
To combat corruption, the GOZ would establish a new 
Anti-Corruption Commission and establish stiff mandatory 
penalties for illicit trade in currency and minerals.  A 
Judicial Services Bill and an Attorney General Office's Bill 
would streamline the administration of justice and stem brain 
drain the legal sector. 
 
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Nothing New in Economic Priorities 
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4.  (U) Turning to economic policy, Mugabe reported that the 
GOZ would eliminate the country's reliance on rain by putting 
nearly 600,000 hectares under irrigation.  It would dedicate 
Z$1 trillion (US$110 million at the GOZ auction rate) to 
irrigation development, supplementing the existing GOZ 
commitment to make available Z$5 trillion (US$550 million) in 
concessionary loans for the agricultural sector.  To stem 
inflation, the GOZ would establish a National Income and 
Salary Commission with unspecified authority. 
 
5.  (U) Mugabe painted rosy pictures of "strong recovery" in 
the tourism sector, progress in education, and unspecified 
new initiatives to attract investment and develop alternative 
fuels in the energy sector.  The GOZ would introduce 
legislation to advance its indigenization objectives, 
including amendments to the Mine and Mineral Act.  The GOZ 
would address urban ills through its Operation "Restore 
Order" (septels), unspecified amendments to the Urban and 
Rural Council Acts, and a Z$12 trillion (US$1.2 billion) 
municipal working capital fund.  A corporate governance 
framework would turn around parastatals that he characterized 
as "opaque, bottomless receptacles."  He reiterated the GOZ's 
priority on combating HIV/AIDS and pledged legislation to 
curb domestic violence and victimization of women and 
children. 
 
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MDC Boycott 
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6.  (SBU) None of the MDC's delegation of 41 attended the 
opening.  Party Secretary-General Welshman Ncube told the 
Embassy it was boycotting the session, consistent with the 
June 9-10 stay-away it was supporting with civil society to 
protest Operation Restore Order.  Also absent from the 
opening was independent MP and former Information Minister 
Jonathan Moyo, who reportedly was on an Air Zimbabwe flight 
that made an emergency landing at Johannesburg on June 8. 
 
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Comment 
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7.  (C) There was little new or encouraging in this address. 
The prominent condemnation of the West contrasts with 
Mugabe's notably more moderate parliamentary opening last 
year and undoubtedly reflects pique at our condemnation of 
the election.  Mugabe's portrayal of the economy and his 
economic prescriptions are pure fantasy.  The huge municipal 
working capital fund, for example, was announced just before 
the March 31 election but none of the mayors we know have 
seen a dime of it nor do they have any expectation they will. 
 Mugabe laid down the indigenization marker in last year's 
speech and it is not clear how or when the government intends 
to follow through on it.  Nonetheless, its mere mention, like 
so much else in the speech and GOZ policy in general, 
underscores the government,s penchant for micromanagement 
and its unwillingness to countenance any meaningful political 
or economic reforms. 
 
8.  (C) Recently rumored to be ill or dead, Mugabe appeared 
to be fit and steady in his delivery.  Also rumored to be ill 
or dead, Vice President Joseph Msika joined fellow Vice 
President Joyce Mujuru in attendance. 
SCHULTZ