Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Hebert Zharare 11 December 2010
A ZANU-PF official has been exposed as giving information against President Mugabe and the party, justifying illegal economic sanctions and attacking the land reform programme during secret meetings with Western diplomats, a US classified cable released by WikiLeaks website has revealed.
The official also blamed the land reform programme for national food insecurity. There are about 2900 more cables yet to be released by the whistle-blowing website on Zimbabwe and speculation abounds that more officials will be unmasked.
Zanu-PF national chairman, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, yesterday said the party took the matter seriously and would discuss the issue during the Politburo meeting on Monday. "The matter is of serious concern to the party and we are going to discuss it during our Monday Politburo meeting . . . The Politburo will definitely have interest in it," he said.
A February 10, 2010 cable titled "Observations on the Political Landscape and US- Zimbabwe relations," sent to Washington by American Ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray, reveals details of a meeting with a Zanu-PF official identified as Mudarikwa.
Some reports posted on the Internet are implicating Uzumba House of Assembly Member Cde Simba Mudarikwa.
However, Cde Mudarikwa yesterday dismissed the reports as baseless, arguing those implicating him wanted to dent his political image ahead of elections. "I do not hold trademark to the name Mudarikwa and I am not a senior person in Zanu-PF. I am just a provincial member. By the time this was written in February, I was just a provincial secretary for transport. There are so many Mudarikwas in the party and all of them are at provincial level . . . We have been in Zanu-PF and we will remain Zanu-PF. For 27 years, I have been State Master of Ceremonies . . . How could I have done that? I do not know that Charles Ray and I am sure he does not know me as well," he said.
Cde Mudarikwa said he did not have children and any interests in America.
However, Mr Ray said he had a lengthy discussion on various topics on Zimbabwe including the state of Zanu-PF, the indigenisation programme and the anticipated general elections with the Zanu-PF official.
The official told Ambassador Ray that Zanu-PF was seriously divided.
"It was like a stick of TNT, susceptible to ignition and disintegration. Zanu-PF was holding together because of the threat of MDC-T and foreign pressure. He likened Zanu-PF to a troop of baboons incessantly fighting among themselves, but coming together to face external threat," wrote Ambassador Ray.
Commenting o the state of Zanu-PF, Ambassador Ray quoted the Zanu-PF official as saying the party was not going to have leadership renewal until President Mugabe and other hardliners were out of the picture.
"New leadership was essential and would emerge as soon as some of the old timers, including (President) Robert Mugabe, left the scene." View the original article here
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