Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02HARARE2354
2002-10-28 15:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
Cable title:  

ZANU-PF WINS BY-ELECTION IN INSIZA

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PREL EAID ECON ASEC ZI 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 002354 

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY
PARIS FOR C. NEARY
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2012
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL EAID ECON ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: ZANU-PF WINS BY-ELECTION IN INSIZA


Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d

SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 002354

SIPDIS

NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR J. FRAZER
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY
PARIS FOR C. NEARY
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2012
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL EAID ECON ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: ZANU-PF WINS BY-ELECTION IN INSIZA


Classified By: Political Officer Audu Besmer for reasons 1.5 b/d

SUMMARY
--------------

1. (C) The official media characterized Poloff's recent trip
to the Insiza area ahead of by-elections there as "meddling".
Able to concentrate its resources on one province, and
through a campaign of vote-buying with food, violence,
intimidation, restricting the movements of MDC officials,
theft of MDC campaign resources and denial of wrongdoing
ZANU-PF assured its victory in Insiza. With a famine
looming, food was the main issue. With WFP food distribution
halted in Insiza, and the government's Grain Marketing Board
(GMB) giving it out at ZANU-PF rallies the message was clear,
vote for us, or go it alone. End Summary.


2. (U) Together with diplomats from the U.K. Sweden, and
Spain, Poloff traveled to the Insiza area to take the
political temperature during the October 26-27 by-election
held for a parliamentary seat left vacant after the death of
an MDC M.P. in August. Poloff's trip was covered in the
official media which reported that despite meddling by
foreign diplomats, the election was peaceful and orderly.

ZANU-PF WIN SEALED
--------------

3. (C) MDC officials predicted privately that by controlling
the pre-election period, Zanu-PF would win the election even
though in 2000 the district elected George Ndlovu, from the
recently formed MDC party by a margin of 7,000 votes. That
margin narrowed to 3,000 votes during the March 2002
presidential election. Reports late on October 28 were that
ZANU-PF won the seat with 11,000 votes to MDC's 5,000. There
are reportedly 41,000 registered voters in Insiza.

MDC SUPPORTERS DENIED FOOD
--------------

4. (C) There have been widespread reports that the ruling
party has distributed maize at political rallies, and that
GMB maize is distributed to ZANU-PF cardholders only--charges
that ZANU-PF officials have repeatedly denied. On October

25, Poloff attended a ZANU-PF rally in Bekezela (about 60
kilometers southeast of the constituency capital of Filabusi)
where at least 140 50-kg bags of GMB maize-meal, and an
unknown number of maize seed bags were distributed after the
ZANU-PF candidate, and Politburo member Sikhanyiso Ndlovu,
encouraged a gathering of approximately 200 people to vote
for ZANU-PF. According to a GMB official present for the
distribution, GMB had coordinated all of its recent food
distribution in Insiza with rallies for the ZANU-PF candidate
Andrew Langa. MDC officials reported that on various
occasions, including a registered MDC rally in Maholehole on
October 23, ZANU-PF supporters disrupted MDC rallies by
distributing maize nearby. (Comment: These can be an
effective campaign tactics in an area such as Insiza, which
has been particularly hard hit by food shortages. End
Comment.)

MDC SUPPORTERS ATTACKED
--------------

5. (C) On October 15, ZANU-PF candidate Langa shot MDC youth
Darlington Kadengu, in the back, at a range of 6 meters while
Kadengu was inside Filabusi Police Station making a report of
stolen MDC resources (see below). Kadengu was subsequently
arrested while Langa continued to campaign freely. (Note:
On October 24 Poloff interviewed Kadengu who was in good
condition and due to have the bullet removed shortly. End
Note.) On October 22 in Kwatemba Police severely beat MDC
member Roderick Mtyida while demanding Mtyida reveal the
sources and carriers of MDC money. On October 22, suspected
ZANU-PF supporters fired gunshots at the MDC candidate,
Siyabonga Ncube, as he traveled by car in the district
capital Filabusi. On October 20, ZANU-PF militia members
stoned Ncube's car outside the police station in Filabusi.
MDC leaders described the area as "dangerous" for them, and
cautioned Poloff and his group about traveling there.

MDC SUPPORTERS RESTRICTED ACCESS
--------------

6. (C) On October 22, police stopped MDC candidate Siyabonga
Ncube and other MDC vehicles at a roadblock and forced them
to acquire a police pass to enter Insiza province from the
Officer in Charge at West Nicholson police station. Police
prevented the MDC Vice President, Secretary General,
Elections Chief, Provincial Chairman, and Ncube's campaign
manager from entering Insiza, and denied entry intermittently
to many other MDC officials. The independent press reported
that 23 MDC activists were arrested in Insiza in the run-up
to the elections on a variety of trumped-up charges. There
were no reports of any ZANU-PF supporters arrested.

MDC ELECTION COMMAND CENTER SHUT DOWN
--------------

7. (U) On October 19, ZANU-PF youth attacked the MDC election
command center in Filabusi with stones. MDC youth
effectively repelled the nighttime attack by shining vehicle
headlights at the attackers, and hurling stones back. Police
subsequently raided the command center, and arrested many MDC
activists. The command center was then shut down due to
damage and lack of personnel.

MDC CAMPAIGN RESOURCES STOLEN
--------------

8. (U) On October 15 at 11:00 PM suspected ZANU-PF supporters
forcibly stopped an MDC car and stole 1000 MDC campaign
T-shirts, and about ZWD$5 million (about US$5,000) to have
been used to pay stipends for MDC polling agents. The MDC
members present, including Kadengu, reported the crime at the
Filabusi police station where Kadengu was then shot by the
ZANU-PF candidate (see above).

ZANU-PF IMPORTS TEMPORARY RESIDENTS
--------------

9. (C) On October 25 Poloff spoke with Fundisani Jamela, a
recent graduate of a Border Gezi youth militia training camp
in Mount Darwin who was in Filabusi to 'bolster security' in
the district. Jamela reported that he was staying at the
Pangani Vocational Training Camp in Filabusi with many other
Border Gezi graduates who were assigned to Insiza for the
election period. On October 26, David Coltart, MDC shadow
Minister of Justice and M.P. for Bulawayo South district,
reported that many commercial farmers in the Matabeleland
South province reported that settlers had disappeared from
commercial farms in the past two weeks allegedly to travel to
Insiza and vote for the ruling party. MDC officials
complained that once again, contrary to the Electoral Act,
they had been denied access to voter rolls.

ZANU-PF OFFICIALS DENY WRONGDOING
AND STATE-MEDIA ACCUSE THE VICTIMS
--------------

10. (C) The government-controlled media reported throughout
that preparations for, and voting in the election were
carried out peacefully. Even more cynically, state
television carried police and state journalists' comments
that the only violence in the district was carried out by
MDC. State media also accused the British High Commissioner
of seeking to divert food in Insiza to the MDC, although he
never visited the district. Though Poloff met various
ZANU-PF officials during the visit, including two politburo
members and a Minister, none had any complaints about the
elections. In a meeting with the Electoral Supervisory
Committee (ESC),whose members are appointed by the
President, Poloff raised concerns that food was being used to
induce votes for ZANU-PF, and that the MDC candidate was
being restricted from entering the constituency. Without
investigating, ESC Director Douglas Nyikayaramba dismissed
the food distribution charge saying the gathering in question
at which the ZANU-PF candidate addressed the crowd and asked
for their votes was "not a registered rally" and therefore
not precluded by Zimbabwe's Electoral Act. Nyikayaramba also
denied that the MDC candidate was restricted from entering
the constituency, and when presented with a copy of the pass
issued by the West Nicholson Officer in Charge, denied that
the pass was issued to the candidate.

COMMENT
--------------

11. (C) ZANU-PF is seven votes shy of a two-thirds
parliamentary majority required to pass a constitutional
amendment. Thus the Insiza by-election for a vacant MDC seat
carried extreme importance, revealed by the fact that most
ruling party heavyweights--including at least seven cabinet
members--made campaign appearances. Many observers noted
that a by-election would be impossible for the MDC to win
given that ZANU-PF could concentrate all of its resources on
one district. Even though Insiza elected an MDC M.P. in
2000, through a comprehensive campaign of violence,
intimidation and vote-buying ZANU-PF secured the vacant seat.


12. (C) With a famine looming, food was the main campaign
issue, and ZANU-PF's most potent weapon in its bid to win the
Insiza parliamentary seat. With all GMB maize distributions
coordinated with ZANU-PF rallies, WFP food distribution
halted in the area, and a hot wind drying an already parched
scrubland--the message to voters was clear: vote for ZANU-PF,
and we will feed your children; vote against, and you will go
it alone.


13. (C) State media criticism of U.S. and EU diplomats'
presence in Insiza, notwithstanding meetings with ZANU-PF and
ESC officials and MFA encouragement to visit Insiza, is
likely an effort to preempt expected Western criticism of
ZANU-PF's conduct of the elections.
SULLIVAN