MPINGA: MNANGAGWA PLAYS BOTH ENDS AGAINST THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002102 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S SUSAN RICE AND AF S/E HOWARD WOLPE FROM AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR PFLAUMER PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2010 TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL ZI CG SUBJECT: MPINGA: MNANGAGWA PLAYS BOTH ENDS AGAINST THE MIDDLE CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS EMMERSON MNANGAGWA TOLD ME APRIL 14 THAT HE HAS KNOWN SOUTH AFRICAN/CONGOLESE BUSINESSMAN KALAA MPINGA FOR FOUR YEARS. MPINGA, WHOSE AGE HE GUESSED TO BE 38- 40, IS THE NEPHEW OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO'S MINISTER OF STATE FOR PETROLEUM, PIERRE-VICTOR MPOYO, AND IS ORIGINALLY FROM KASAI ORIENTALE PROVINCE. ACCORDING TO MNANGAGWA, MPINGA IS A "POLITICAL INFANT," WHO CLAIMS TO BE THE HEAD OF 600 CONGOLESE INTELLECTUALS AND PROFESSIONALS IN THE DIASPORA (IN EUROPE AND CANADA) WHO CONSTITUTE HIS "BODY POLITIC." MPINGA, WHO LAST CALLED ON MNANGAGWA "ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO," CLAIMS THAT HE IS IN CONTACT WITH JEAN-PIERRE BEMBA, WHOM HE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 02102 01 OF 02 151004Z DESCRIBES AS "UNRELIABLE, UNPREDICTABLE, AND A MAN OF CHAOS." ¶2. (C) MPINGA ASKED MNANGAGWA WHAT INTERESTS ZIMBABWE HAD IN THE CONGO, TO WHICH, AFTER A LENGTHY PREFACE ON THE REASON FOR ZIMBABWE'S INTERVENTION IN THE DROC, THE MINISTER REPLIED THE COSLEG COMPANY, WHICH HE CHARACTERIZED AS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN THE "ECONOMIC ARMS" OF THE ZIMBABWEAN AND CONGOLESE ARMIES. THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER CAUTIONED HIM THAT THOSE ECONOMIC INTERESTS DID NOT AFFECT "OUR STAYING OR LEAVING; WE ARE ANXIOUS TO LEAVE." MPINGA THEN REPORTEDLY TOLD MNANGAGWA THAT HIS GROUP HAD ANALYZED THE CURRENT SITUATION AND CONCLUDED THAT ZIMBABWE'S INTERESTS IN THE CONGO SHOULD BE HONORED. ¶3. (C) MNANGAGWA EXPRESSED CURIOSITY THAT MPINGA, WHOM HE DESCRIBED AS AN "EMPLOYEE" IN CONTRAST TO MY REFERRING TO HIM AS A "BUSINESSMAN" BECAUSE BUSINESSMEN PAY SALARIES, SEEMED TO HAVE FEW PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE AROUND SO FREELY. ACCORDING TO THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER, MPINGA REVEALED THAT ANGLO-AMERICAN, HIS EMPLOYER, PUT A PLANE AT HIS DISPOSAL AND GAVE HIM AN UNLIMITED EXPENSE ACCOUNT. MPINGA REPORTED THAT HE HAD HELD DISCUSSIONS WITH BOTH THE REBELS AND THE GOVERNMENT. ACCORDING TO MNANGAGWA, MPINGA'S PLAN IS TO CREATE A NEW NATIONAL LEADERSHIP THAT WOULD EXCLUDE BOTH KABILA AND BEMBA, OF WHICH HE, MPINGA, WOULD BE PART. THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER TOLD ME HE WARNED MPINGA NOT ENTERTAIN THE VIEW OF SEEING THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT GOING AGAINST KABILA. RATHER, HE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 02102 01 OF 02 151004Z COUNSELED MPINGA TO SEEK UNITY, BECAUSE BY EXCLUDING KEY FIGURES HE WON'T GET FAR. HE ADVISED MPINGA TO FORM A PARTY AND CONTEST ELECTIONS, AND NOTED THAT ZIMBABWE WOULD ACCEPT THEIR RESULTS, EVEN IF KABILA WERE REMOVED BY THEM. ON THAT POINT, MNANGAGWA THOUGHT THAT IF AN ELECTION WERE HELD IN THE CONGO TODAY, KABILA WOULD WIN, TAKING FIVE KEY PROVINCES, ALTHOUGH HE WOULD FACE SUBSTANTIAL OPPOSITION. NEVERTHELESS, "WE ADVISE [KABILA] HOW TO STAY IN OFFICE," THE JUSTICE MINISTER JOKED. ¶4. (C) MNANGAGWA THEN TOLD ME THAT HE HAD NOT REVEALED TO KABILA THAT MPINGA IS AGAINST HIM, BUT RATHER INFORMED THE CONGOLESE PRESIDENT THAT THE YOUNGER MAN WAS LIKE A UNIVERSITY STUDENT, FULL OF "WILD DREAMS," AND READY TO RIOT AGAINST ANYTHING. TO THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER'S KNOWLEDGE, MPINGA HAS MET KABILA 2-3 TIMES AND ONLY HIMSELF IN THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT. MPINGA PLANNED TO RETURN TO ZIMBABWE IN EARLY MAY TO RESUME HIS QUEST TO SECURE SUPPORT FOR HIS PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS, ACCORDING TO MNANGAGWA. THE ZIMBABWEAN MINISTER EXPRESSED SUSPICION OF ANGLO AMERICAN'S CLAIM, AS VOICED BY MPINGA, THAT IT SUPPORTS A MIDDLE FORCE TO BRING CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ0004 PAGE 01 HARARE 02102 02 OF 02 151004Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-01 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /010W -------------- 4C317A 151004Z /38 P 151009Z APR 00 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5770 INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA AMEMBASSY KIGALI AMEMBASSY KINSHASA AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY LUANDA AMEMBASSY LUSAKA AMEMBASSY MAPUTO AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY PRETORIA AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK USMISSION USUN NEW YORK C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 002102 SIPDIS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 02102 02 OF 02 151004Z DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S SUSAN RICE AND AF S/E HOWARD WOLPE FROM AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR PFLAUMER PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2010 TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL ZI CG SUBJECT: MPINGA: MNANGAGWA PLAYS BOTH ENDS AGAINST THE MIDDLE KABILA AND THE REBELS TOGETHER. "ANGLO AMERICAN IS MORE EXPERIENCED THAN THAT," A MILDLY ANNOYED MNANGAGWA CONCLUDED. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: IN OUR JUDGMENT MNANGAGWA KEEPS HIS DOOR OPEN TO MPINGA BECAUSE HE DOES NOT VIEW HIM AS A THREAT TO THE INTERESTS OF ZIMBABWE OR HIS OWN. BY CONTINUING TO RECEIVE HIM, HE KEEPS MPINGA VISIBLE AND MORE EASY TO MONITOR. IF MPINGA SOME DAY AMOUNTS TO SOMETHING IN THE CONGO (NOT AN IMPOSSIBILITY GIVEN HIS LINEAGE),MNANGAGWA WILL HAVE THE INSIDE TRACK TO HIM, MUCH AS HE DOES TO KABILA TODAY. IF HE DOES NOT, NO GREAT LOSS. IN SUM, MNANGAGWA IS DOING THE POLITICALLY PRUDENT THING WITH MPINGA, BUT, TO THE EXTENT WE CAN DETERMINE, NOT PLAYING BALL. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 02102 02 OF 02 151004Z CONFIDENTIAL >