ZIMBABWE LABOR FEDERATION OFFICIAL INSISTS THAT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000612

SIPDIS

ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD
LONDON FOR CGURNEY
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA,
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR

E.O. 12958: DECL 01/31/11
TAGS: ELAB PGOV PHUM PINR
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE LABOR FEDERATION OFFICIAL INSISTS THAT
LABOR STILL BACKS OPPOSITION MDC

REF: HARARE 573

CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR
REASONS 1.5 (B/D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE
ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS (ZCTU) BELIEVES THAT
THE LABOR FEDERATION WILL MAINTAIN ITS CLOSE TIES TO THE
OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) PARTY
AFTER ITS FEBRUARY CONGRESS. HE IS ALSO OF THE OPINION
THAT THE CONGRESS WILL PUBLICLY AFFIRM THAT THE
FEDERATION HAS NO FORMAL LINKAGE TO ANY POLITICAL PARTY,
THAT ZCTU EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD NOT BE SENIOR
OFFICIALS IN POLITICAL PARTIES, AND THAT INDIVIDUAL
MEMBERS ARE FREE TO SUPPORT THE POLITICAL PARTY OF THEIR
CHOICE. HOWEVER, HE PREDICTS THAT PRO-MDC PERSONNEL
WILL BE ELECTED TO FEDERATION LEADERSHIP, AND TRADE
UNIONISTS AND THE URBAN ELECTORATE WILL SUPPORT THE MDC
CANDIDATE IN THE 2002 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. END
SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) ON JANUARY 25, LABOFF MET WITH ONE OF TWO
ASSISTANT SECRETARIES-GENERAL OF THE ZCTU, NICHOLAS
MUDZENGERERE. MUDZENGERERE IS ALSO THE SECRETARY-
GENERAL OF THE ZIMBABWE CATERING AND HOTEL WORKERS
UNION, AND A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF
THE MDC. MUDZENGERERE HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN UNION
ORGANIZATION HIS ENTIRE PROFESSIONAL LIFE. HE HAS BEEN
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PAGE 03 HARARE 00612 01 OF 02 311445Z
SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE CATERING AND HOTEL WORKERS

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UNION SINCE 1995 AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE
ZCTU SINCE 1985.


3. (C) MUDZENGERERE TOLD LABOFF THAT THE ZCTU CONGRESS
WOULD AFFIRM THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE LABOR FEDERATION
FROM ANY ONE POLITICAL PARTY, BUT ALSO INSISTED THAT THE
CONGRESS WOULD ELECT PRO-MDC UNION LEADERS TO THE
EXECUTIVE AND GENERAL COUNCIL. HE STATED THAT THE
CONGRESS WILL AFFIRM THAT MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL CANNOT ALSO BE SENIOR OFFICIALS OF POLITICAL
PARTIES. THIS IS BECAUSE THE ZCTU CONSTITUTION STATES
WHILE "EVERY MEMBER AND OFFICER OF A UNION, AND THE
ZCTU, IS FREE TO JOIN A POLITICAL PARTY OF THEIR CHOICE,
THAT RELATIONSHIP SHOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH HIS DUTIES
TO THE UNION AND CONGRESS." THIS CONSTITUTIONAL
PROVISION IS NOT NEW, AND COMES FROM THE COMMON SENSE
BELIEF THAT "ONE HEAD CANNOT WEAR TWO HATS," REMARKED
MUDZENGERERE.


4. (C) MUDZENGERERE CLARIFIED THAT THE ZCTU CONGRESS
WILL INTERPRET THE "NO INTERFERENCE WITH DUTIES" CLAUSE
AS ONLY EXCLUDING PARTY OFFICIALS AND LEADERS WHO HAVE
FULL-TIME AND NATIONAL PARTY RESPONSIBILITIES. LABOFF
ASKED IF THIS WOULD EXCLUDE HIM FROM REELECTION TO THE
ZCTU EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BECAUSE HE IS A MEMBER OF THE MDC
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. MUDZENGERERE ANSWERED THAT
THIS WAS THE TYPE OF PARTY JOB THAT WAS NOT FULL TIME,
AND THEREFORE WOULD NOT PRESENT A CONFLICT. HE
INDICATED THAT MEMBERS OF BOTH HIS UNION AND OTHERS HAVE
ALREADY APPROACHED HIM PROPOSING THAT HE RUN FOR THE
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PAGE 04 HARARE 00612 01 OF 02 311445Z
POSITION OF SECRETARY-GENERAL. MUDZENGERERE IS
SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING THIS OPTION, HE INFORMED US.


5. (C) LABOFF ASKED MUDZENGERERE'S OPINION OF THE
VERACITY OF RUMORS THAT THE ACTING SECRETARY-GENERAL OF
THE ZCTU, ISIDORE ZINDOGA, WAS PRO-ZANU-PF, AND THAT THE
PARTY WAS PAYING THE DUES ARREARAGE OF CERTAIN UNIONS TO
THE ZCTU IN ORDER TO ENSURE ZINDOGA'S ELECTION AS
SECRETARY-GENERAL. MUDZENGERERE WOULD NOT DIRECTLY

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ANSWER THE QUESTION. RATHER, HE STATED THAT THE ZCTU IS
NOT OPPOSED TO ZANU-PF AS A POLITICAL PARTY. THE ZCTU
IS AGAINST THE CORRUPT OFFICIALS WHO CURRENTLY CONTROL
ZANU-PF AND BELIEVES THAT THEY ARE OUT OF IDEAS FOR
RUNNING ZIMBABWE. THE CURRENT NATIONAL LEADERSHIP HAD
BECOME SO ARROGANT, AND THEIR POLICIES SO ANTI-WORKER,
THAT THE ZCTU HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ITS MEMBERS TO
TAKE THE LEAD IN FORMING THE MDC AS AN ALTERNATIVE. HE
CONTINUED THAT UNION MEMBERS KNOW THIS, AND THEY WILL
ELECT EXECUTIVE AND GENERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE PRO-
MDC.


6. (C) MUDZENGERERE INDICATED THAT THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE
ZCTU CANNOT BE BOUGHT OFF BY ZANU-PF. HE STATED THAT
ZIMBABWEANS IN GENERAL ARE VERY FAITHFUL TO THE TOP MAN,
BUT ONCE THEY FEEL BETRAYED AND DECIDE TO ABANDON A
LEADER, THEY WON'T GO BACK TO HIM. THIS IS WHAT HAS

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ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 COME-00
CTME-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00 DS-00
EB-00 EUR-00 EXIM-01 E-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00
FRB-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 ITC-01 LAB-01
L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01
OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00
SSO-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01
DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /013W
-------------- BE6354 311445Z /38
R 311443Z JAN 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8156
INFO DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000612

SIPDIS

ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD
LONDON FOR CGURNEY
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA,
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR

E.O. 12958: DECL 01/31/11
TAGS: ELAB PGOV PHUM PINR
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 00612 02 OF 02 311445Z
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE LABOR FEDERATION OFFICIAL INSISTS THAT
LABOR STILL BACKS OPPOSITION MDC

HAPPENED WITH THE UNIONIZED WORKERS IN ZIMBABWE. THEY
HAVE BEEN BETRAYED BY MUGABE AND WILL THEREFORE NOT
SUPPORT HIM AGAIN. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT UNIONS WILL
NOT BE INTIMIDATED INTO SUPPORTING MUGABE IN HIS
PRESIDENTIAL BID. THE RURAL ELECTORATE, LESS EDUCATED
AND MORE ISOLATED THAN VOTERS IN URBAN AREAS, IS EASILY
INTIMIDATED. ONE TACTIC PRACTICED BY ZANU-PF, ACCORDING
TO MUDZENGERERE, IS TO SHOW A PEASANT A CELL PHONE WITH
THE PEASANT'S NAME ENTERED INTO IT, AND TELL THE PEASANT
THAT THIS "MACHINE" WOULD TELL WHO THE PEASANT VOTES
FOR. UNION WORKERS ARE TOO EDUCATED AND CONNECTED TO
THE MODERN WORLD TO FALL FOR THIS TYPE OF TRICK. THEY
WILL VOTE FOR THE MDC NO MATTER WHAT ZANU-PF DOES.


7. (C) COMMENT: MUDZENGERERE MAY BE OVERLY OPTIMISTIC
REGARDING THE INABILITY OF MUGABE AND ZANU-PF TO GARNER
A PERCENTAGE OF UNION VOTES ONCE THEY PULL OUT ALL THEIR
DIRTY TRICKS AND IMPLEMENT AN "URBAN" STRATEGY. A
COMBINATION OF BRIBES, OFFERS OF PATRONAGE, AND COERCION
IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION IN THE RUN UP TO 2002.
HOWEVER, WE AGREE WITH HIS ASSESSMENT THAT ZANU-PF WILL
NOT WIN THE DAY AT THE UPCOMING FEBRUARY CONGRESS.
UNION WORKERS, INCLUDING THOSE IN MUDZENGERERE'S
CATERING AND HOTEL WORKERS UNION, HAVE BEEN HAMMERED BY
THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BROUGHT ON BY MUGABE AND ZANU-PF.
THE WORKERS BELIEVE THEY HAVE BEEN BETRAYED, AND WILL
LIKELY ELECT A PRO-MDC EXECUTIVE AND GENERAL COUNCIL IN
FEBRUARY. IN OUR OPINION, THE ONLY CHANCE ISIDORE
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PAGE 03 HARARE 00612 02 OF 02 311445Z
ZINDOGA HAS OF BEING ELECTED TO THE TOP SPOT IS IF THERE
ARE MULTIPLE CANDIDATES FOR THE POSITION, THEREBY
SPLINTERING THE PRO-MDC VOTE. IT IS TOO EARLY TO TELL
HOW MANY CANDIDATES WILL EMERGE IN THE NOMINATION
PROCESS FOR THE POSITION OF SECRETARY-GENERAL, BUT WE
HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MDC LEADERS ARE WORKING BEHIND-THE-
SCENES TO ENSURE ZINDOGA FACES A SINGLE OPPONENT. END
COMMENT.

IRVING

CONFIDENTIAL

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