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 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 00612 01 OF 02 311445Z SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE CATERING AND HOTEL WORKERS SIPDIS 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 CONFIDENTIAL 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 SIPDIS 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 CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ5583 PAGE 01 HARARE 00612 02 OF 02 311445Z 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 CONFIDENTIAL 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 >