ZIMBABWE RULING PARTY DEMAGOGUES ARE TURNING UP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 006388 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/10 TAGS: PGOV PHUM ZI ZANU PF SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE RULING PARTY DEMAGOGUES ARE TURNING UP CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06388 01 OF 03 150527Z THE HEAT ON JUDICIARY REFTEL: HARARE 6330 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: ZANU-PF DEMAGOGUES ARE TURNING UP THE HEAT ON ZIMBABWE'S JUDICIARY IN AN ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE THE ONLY GOVERNMENT INSTITUTION THAT STILL RETAINS SOME INDEPENDENCE FROM THE RULING PARTY. SO FAR, THE THREATS ARE RHETORICAL IN NATURE, BUT THEY ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT AND DIRECT. ZIMBABWE'S SUPREME COURT IS CURRENTLY HEARING A CASE BROUGHT BY THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS ON THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE GOVERNMENT'S FARM SEIZURES, WHICH HAS LED TO CALLS BY ZANU-PF FOR CHIEF JUSTICE GUBBAY'S RESIGNATION. OTHER JUDGES ARE INCREASINGLY FEARFUL THAT GOVERNMENT HARASSMENT OR THREATS AGAINST THEIR PERSON ARE JUST AROUND THE CORNER. UP UNTIL NOW, THE GOVERNMENT HAS IGNORED COURT RULINGS THAT COULD DISRUPT THE RULING PARTY'S PLANS TO STAY IN POWER, AND MAY SEE LITTLE REASON TO AGGRESSIVELY INTIMIDATE JUDGES, AS IT HAS OTHER OPPONENTS. HOWEVER, PRESIDENT MUGABE, INCREASINGLY DESPERATE TO CLING TO POWER, IS MORE APT TO LASH OUT AT PERCEIVED ENEMIES, AND ATTACKS ON THE JUDICIARY BEAR CLOSE WATCHING. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) ON NOVEMBER 1, MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY JONATHAN MOYO CALLED FOR THE RESIGNATION OF SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE ANTHONY GUBBAY. GUBBAY CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 06388 01 OF 03 150527Z IS HEARING THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION'S (CFU) LEGAL CHALLENGE TO THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE GOVERNMENT'S FAST-TRACK LAND RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM. MOYO STATED THAT IF GUBBAY DOES NOT RESIGN, HE SHOULD REMOVE HIMSELF FROM THE CFU CASE AND OTHERS ON WHICH HE HAS ALREADY COMMENTED PUBLICLY, CITING GUBBAY'S 1991 COMMENTS ABOUT THE UNFEASIBILITY OF LAND REFORM IN ZIMBABWE. TO ADD PRESSURE ON GUBBAY, TWO ZANU-PF PARLIAMENTARIANS, PHILIP CHIYANGWA AND RICHARD MAJANGE, ARE DRAWING UP A MOTION, WITH THE HELP OF A 12-MEMBER ZANU-PF LEGAL COMMITTEE, THAT CALLS FOR PRESIDENT MUGABE TO SET UP A TRIBUNAL TO INVESTIGATE GUBBAY'S "ABUSE OF POWER." THE DRAFT MOTION DOES NOT LIST ANY SPECIFIC CHARGES, ACCORDING TO THE NOVEMBER 2 "THE FINANCIAL GAZETTE." THE MOTION WAS DUE TO BE TABLED IN PARLIAMENT WHEN IT RECONVENES NOVEMBER 16 TO CONSIDER THE BUDGET, BUT A CHECK WITH PARLIAMENT OFFICIALS REVEALED THAT THE MEASURE HAS YET TO BE LISTED ON PARLIAMENT'S AGENDA. ¶3. (C) IN A CONVERSATION WITH DCM AND POLOFF ON NOVEMBER 2, HIGH COURT JUSTICE YUNUS OMERJEE REPORTED THAT HE IS INCREASINGLY FEARFUL THAT GOVERNMENT HARASSMENT AND INTIMIDATION ARE JUST AROUND THE CORNER. THE LATEST ROUND OF RHETORICAL ATTACKS AGAINST THE JUDICIARY HAS REDUCED MORALE TO AN ALL-TIME LOW, ACCORDING TO OMERJEE. JUDGES ARE AFRAID TO BE SEEN WITH AMERICANS AND OTHER WESTERNERS OUT OF FEAR OF COMING UNDER GREATER SCRUTINY BY THE SECURITY SERVICES. THEY ARE TRYING TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE AT LEAST UNTIL THE CURRENT COURT SESSION FINISHES AT THE END OF NOVEMBER. OMERJEE STATED THAT HE DOES NOT KNOW OF ANY JUDGES WHO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 06388 01 OF 03 150527Z HAVE RECEIVED THREATS OR WHO HAVE BEEN HARASSED, BUT HE BELIEVES THAT IT MAY NOT BE LONG BEFORE IT STARTS. ¶4. (C) UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR JOHN MAKUMBE CHARACTERIZED THE LATEST UPTURN IN ATTACKS ON THE JUDICIARY AS MUGABE PLAYING THE "RACE CARD." MUGABE IS SO INFURIATED WITH WHITE ZIMBABWEANS, HE IS GOING TO MAKE ALL THEIR LIVES MISERABLE, MAKUMBE OPINED (MOST OF ZIMBABWE'S HIGH COURT AND SUPREME COURT JUSTICES ARE WHITE). MAKUMBE BELIEVES THAT IF MUGABE CANNOT FORCE JUDGES TO RESIGN OUTRIGHT, HE WILL "PAUPERIZE" THEM ONCE THEY RETIRE. HE CITED THE CASE OF A JUDGE WHO RETIRED A FEW YEARS AGO AND HAD MADE CONTROVERSIAL JUDGEMENTS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. THE GOVERNMENT VIRTUAL CUT OFF HIS PENSION AND STOPPED PROVIDING THE PERKS HE WAS ENTITLED TO UNDER HIS RETIREMENT CONTRACT. THE JUDGE WAS FORCED TO SELL HIS HOME AND FURNISHINGS AT AUCTION, AND NOW LIVES IN POVERTY, ACCORDING TO MAKUMBE. (COMMENT: MAKUMBE MAY HAVE BEEN REFERRING TO FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE ENOCH DUMBUTSHENA, ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE NOW-DEFUNCT FORUM PARTY. END COMMENT.) THREE JUDGES WILL BE COMING UP FOR RETIREMENT IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, MAKUMBE ADDED. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ9197 PAGE 01 HARARE 06388 02 OF 03 150528Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-02 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /010W -------------- 9F059E 150528Z /38 P 150527Z NOV 00 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7618 INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY NAIROBI C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 006388 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/10 TAGS: PGOV PHUM ZI ZANU PF SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE RULING PARTY DEMAGOGUES ARE TURNING UP CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06388 02 OF 03 150528Z THE HEAT ON JUDICIARY ¶5. (C) POLOFF MET HIGH COURT JUSTICE FERGUS BLACKIE NOVEMBER 9 TO GET HIS ASSESSMENT OF THREATS AGAINST THE JUDICIARY. BLACKIE IS KNOWN RECENTLY FOR HIS DECISION TO PROHIBIT ZANU-PF FROM SPENDING THE MDC'S SHARE OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR POLITICAL PARTIES UNTIL A RULING IS MADE. (AT A NOVEMBER 14 HEARING, THE GOVERNMENT WAS DUE TO PRESENT EVIDENCE THAT THE MDC DID NOT SUBMIT THE PROPER PAPERWORK FOR GOVERNMENT FUNDING BY THE JUNE DEADLINE.) BLACKIE SAID THAT NEITHER HE NOR ANY OF HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE RECEIVED THREATS AGAINST THEIR PERSON-- YET. HE BELIEVES INSTEAD THAT THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION (CIO) IS CONDUCTING "RESEARCH" TO DIG UP DIRT ON THE JUSTICES TO DISCREDIT THEM OR BLACKMAIL THEM INTO RESIGNING. IT WOULD BE EASIER THAN DISMISSING THEM BECAUSE JUSTICES CAN BE DISMISSED ONLY AFTER A LONG, CUMBERSOME PROCESS THAT REQUIRES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRIBUNAL, BLACKIE STATED. ¶6. (C) IT IS NO SECRET THAT GODFREY CHIDIYASIKU, THE JUDGE PRESIDENT OF THE HIGH COURT, IS A ZANU-PF LOYALIST, AND HIS ADMINISTRATION OF THE COURT HAS BEEN BIASED, BLACKIE CONTINUED. (THE JUDGE PRESIDENT IS CHARGED WITH ASSIGNING COURT CASES.) THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO OTHER HIGH COURT JUSTICES, OUT OF 15, WHO HAVE PRO- GOVERNMENT LEANINGS, BLACKIE BELIEVES. HIGH AND SUPREME COURT JUSTICES ARE APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT TO TERMS THAT EXTEND UNTIL RETIREMENT; JUSTICES MUST RETIRE AT THE AGE OF 65 UNLESS THEY GET A MEDICAL PERMIT STATING THAT THEY ARE MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY FIT, IN WHICH CASE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 06388 02 OF 03 150528Z THEY CAN SERVE UNTIL 70. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT HE SEES THE JUDICIARY AS THE ONLY THING STANDING BETWEEN ZIMBABWEANS AND A "SLIDE INTO DICTATORSHIP." ¶7. (C) SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE ANTHONY GUBBAY (STRICTLY PROTECT) TOLD POLOFF NOVEMBER 10 THAT HE BELIEVES HE IS IN A MORE VULNERABLE POSITION THAN THE OTHER JUSTICES. THE PRESIDENT CAN SUSPEND THE CHIEF JUSTICE ON ANY GROUNDS, BUT HE CANNOT SUSPEND THE OTHER SUPREME AND HIGH COURT JUSTICES--ONLY THE CHIEF JUSTICE CAN, AND ONLY FOR MALFEASANCE OR INCOMPETENCE, ACCORDING TO GUBBAY. THIS LEAVES GUBBAY PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO THE WHIMS OF THE PRESIDENT, BUT HE DOES NOT THINK THAT MUGABE WILL ACT AGAINST HIM IN THE NEAR FUTURE, DESPITE THE GOVERNMENT RHETORIC CALLING FOR HIS RESIGNATION. (GUBBAY IS DUE TO RETIRE IN 2002.) VISIBLY PERTURBED, THE CHIEF JUSTICE CHARACTERIZED JONATHAN MOYO'S STATEMENT ABOUT HIS 1991 REMARKS ON LAND REFORM AS "COMPLETELY FALSE" AND SAID THAT THE JUSTICE'S FULL STATEMENT PRINTED IN "THE HERALD" UNWITTINGLY PROVED THAT MOYO WAS LYING ABOUT THE CHIEF JUSTICE'S RECORD. ¶8. (C) GUBBAY WENT ON TO SAY HE WAS RELIEVED THAT VOTERS REJECTED THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSED CONSTITUTION IN THE FEBRUARY REFERENDUM BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE REMOVED THE SUPREME COURT'S AUTHORITY TO HEAR CONSTITUTIONAL CASES. IT WOULD HAVE ESTABLISHED A SPECIAL CONSTITUTIONAL COURT THAT MUGABE WOULD HAVE BEEN FREE TO PACK WITH HIS SUPPORTERS. THE DRAFT CONSTITUTION WOULD ALSO HAVE INCREASED THE SUPREME COURT'S NUMBERS FROM CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 06388 02 OF 03 150528Z FIVE TO 11 AND GIVEN MUGABE THE ABILITY TO PACK THAT COURT AS WELL. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT IGNORING THE SUPREME COURT'S ORDERS, GUBBAY EMPHASIZED THAT THE GOZ HAS ONLY RECENTLY IGNORED RULINGS PERTAINING TO LAND, AND HAS GENERALLY FOLLOWED THE COURT'S ORDERS. ¶9. (C) THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO THE SUPREME COURT'S NOVEMBER 10 RULING (REFTEL) THAT THE FARM OCCUPATIONS ARE ILLEGAL AND MUST END HAS BEEN SURPRISINGLY LACKLUSTER. SOME MINISTERS, SUCH AS LANDS, AGRICULTURE AND RESETTLEMENT MINISTER JOSEPH MADE WENT AS FAR TO SUGGEST THE GOVERNMENT WOULD COMPLY WITH THE SUPREME COURT'S ORDER. INFORMATION MINISTER JONATHAN MOYO, WHO HAS MADE A HABIT OF ATTACKING THE JUDICIARY, PASSED UP THE OPPORTUNITY THIS TIME AND INSTEAD PORTRAYED THE RULING AS A REAFFIRMATION OF WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH ALL ALONG ON LAND REFORM. THE SUPREME COURT IS NOT OUT OF THE WOODS, YET, HOWEVER, AS THE RECENT RULING WAS ONLY A RESPONSE TO AN URGENT APPLICATION BY THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION (CFU) ON THE LEGALITY OF THE FARM OCCUPATIONS. THE CHIEF JUSTICE TOLD POLOFF THAT THE CFU'S CHALLENGE ON THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE GOVERNMENT'S WHOLE RESETTLEMENT SCHEME IS STILL BEFORE THE COURT. GUBBAY SAID THAT THE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ9198 PAGE 01 HARARE 06388 03 OF 03 150528Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-02 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /010W -------------- 9F05A3 150528Z /38 P 150527Z NOV 00 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7619 INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AMEMBASSY NAIROBI C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 006388 SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH LONDON FOR CHARLES GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS PASS USTR FOR ROSA WHITAKER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/10 TAGS: PGOV PHUM ZI ZANU PF SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE RULING PARTY DEMAGOGUES ARE TURNING UP CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 06388 03 OF 03 150528Z THE HEAT ON JUDICIARY CASE WILL LIKELY TAKE MONTHS TO RESOLVE, AND A RULING WON'T BE FORTHCOMING UNTIL JANUARY AT THE EARLIEST. ¶10. (C) COMMENT: ALTHOUGH WE ARE ENCOURAGED THAT THE GOVERNMENT APPEARS TO BE WITHHOLDING JUDGMENT FOR THE TIME-BEING ON THE COURT'S RULING, THE JUDICIARY OPERATES IN A MORE HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT NOW THAN IT DID TWO MONTHS AGO. MANY JUSTICES ARE RELUCTANT TO BE SEEN IN PUBLIC WITH AMERICANS AND OTHER WESTERNERS OUT OF FEAR OF COMING UNDER GREATER SCRUTINY FROM THE SECURITY SERVICES. ALL HAVE TOLD US THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S VERBAL ATTACKS HAVE ADDED PRESSURE TO THEIR ALREADY STRESSFUL JOBS, AND THEY FEAR THAT IT COULD STILL TURN INTO OUTRIGHT INTIMIDATION. UP UNTIL NOW, THE GOVERNMENT HAS IGNORED COURT RULINGS THAT WOULD DISRUPT ITS LAND REFORM PROGRAM, AND IT MAY SEE LITTLE REASON TO AGGRESSIVELY INTIMIDATE JUDGES, AS IT HAS OTHER OPPONENTS. HOWEVER, PRESIDENT MUGABE, WHO SEES HIMSELF AS UNDER SIEGE FROM ALL SIDES, IS MORE LIKELY TO TURN THE FORCES OF VIOLENCE ON HIS PERCEIVED ENEMIES THAN EVER BEFORE. HE HAS YET TO CROSS THAT LINE WITH THE JUDICIARY, BUT ANY ATTACKS ON THE LAST BASTION OF OBJECTIVE GOVERNMENT IN ZIMBABWE BEAR CLOSE WATCHING. WE WILL CONTINUE TO ACTIVELY MEET WITH JUSTICES TO SHOW THEM SUPPORT AND CONCERN. END COMMENT. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 06388 03 OF 03 150528Z CONFIDENTIAL >