US embassy cable - 03HARARE1555

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001555 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: CHEGUTU ZANU-PF CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO SUSPEND MDC 
MAYOR 
 
REF: A. HARARE 1491 
 
     B. HARARE 42 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
1. (C) On July 31 the ZANU-PF dominated city council of 
Chegutu voted to suspend the MDC Mayor of Chegutu Francis 
Dhlakama and withdraw all benefits of his office.  Dhlakama 
facilitated an early July Ministry of Local Government audit 
which detailed corruption perpetrated by various members of 
the Chegutu City Council, primarily the ZANU-PF Deputy Mayor 
Phineas Mariyapera.  Under normal circumstances a damning 
government audit, such as this one should be enough to at 
least investigate, if not suspend the city council -- rather 
than the Mayor.  The audit puts the Ministry of Local 
Government in a quandary, how to respect the results without 
further tarring the image of ZANU-PF in Chegutu.  End Summary 
 
Council Votes to Suspend Mayor 
------------------------------ 
 
2. (C) On July 31 the ZANU-PF dominated city council of 
Chegutu voted to suspend the MDC Mayor of Chegutu Francis 
Dhlakama and withdraw all benefits of his office including 
his official vehicle, house, salary, his secretary's salary, 
his guards and his cell phone.  According to Dhlakama, only 
the Minister of Local Government Ignatius Chombo has the 
legal right to suspend him.  Dhlakama expects to receive 
written notification of his suspension on August 1, and for a 
representative of the council to demand his car keys.  He is 
unsure when the other benefits might be withdrawn, but 
believes that will follow soon.  Dhlakama will request a 
meeting with Chombo on August 1 to argue his side of the 
story, hoping to appeal the suspension; however, he expects 
Chombo to uphold it. 
 
Audit Details Fraud by Councilors 
---------------------------------- 
 
3. (C) In early July, a team of Ministry of Local Government 
auditors completed an investigation and report of corruption 
perpetrated by various members of the Chegutu City Council, 
primarily the ZANU-PF Deputy Mayor Phineas Mariyapera, and 
councilor Chigaze for upwards of ZWD$150 million (about 
USD$45,000 at the current parallel rate).  The scheme, 
ongoing since 2001, involved understating taxpayer 
payments--while the full sums were collected from the 
taxpayer, some wound up in private accounts rather than 
public coffers.  The government auditors recommended 
immediate dissolution of the council and police investigation 
of the fraud.  Dhlakama has facilitated the work of the 
auditors and informs us that even ZANU-PF heavyweights are 
annoyed at this crime--perhaps because it was local and they 
did not benefit, perhaps because it has further alienated 
ZANU-PF from the people of Chegutu. 
 
4. (U) Chegutu has been besieged with problems in the recent 
past.  On July 21 ZANU-PF supporters prevented ten 
prospective MDC candidates for the City Council from 
registering their candidacies (Ref A).  Dhlakama himself was 
reportedly beaten on that day.  In November 2002 about forty 
ZANU-PF supporters attacked Dhlakama in his office injuring a 
police officer, a bodyguard and damaging computers and 
furniture (Ref B). 
 
5. (U) The MDC will argue in Harare High Court on August 1 
that nomination courts in Chegutu, Rusape, Bindura and 
Marondera should be re-opened to allow MDC candidates to 
register for the August 30 - 31 urban council and mayoral 
elections. 
 
Comment: 
-------- 
 
6. (C) Under normal circumstances a damning government audit, 
such as the one completed in Chegutu by the same Ministry 
that oversees local government, should be enough to at least 
investigate, if not suspend the city council itself.  But on 
planet Zimbabwe it appears that the MDC mayor will be 
suspended instead, lawfully or not.  The audit does put the 
Ministry of Local Government in a quandary, how to respect 
the results of its own audit without further tarring the 
image of ZANU-PF in Chegutu.  End Comment. 
SULLIVAN