MEDIA REACTION MUGABE WINS POLL; HARARE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000672 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION MUGABE WINS POLL; HARARE ¶1. PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE'S VICTORY IN THE JUST- UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00672 01 OF 03 141108Z ENDED PRESIDENTIAL POLL IN ZIMBABWE IS FODDER FOR EDITORIALS PUBLISHED IN THE MARCH 14 EDITIONS OF THE LEADING NEWSPAPERS IN THE COUNTRY. THE EDITORIALS WERE UNANIMOUS IN CALLING ON PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE TO ADDRESS THE PRIMARY CHALLENGES FACING THE COUNTRY. EXCERPTS FOLLOW: ¶2. UNDER HEADLINE "BEYOND THE VOTE" THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "THE FINANCIAL GAZETTE" (03/14) COMMENTS: "THAT ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WOULD NOT BE FREE AND FAIR WAS NOT IN DOUBT FROM THE VERY START. . . THE UNEVEN PLAYING FIELD, MARKED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S ABUSE OF THE STATE MEDIA, ITS USE OF HASTILY CRAFTED UNDEMOCRATIC LAWS WHICH WERE CHANGED VIRTUALLY EVERY HOUR TO SUIT ONE CANDIDATE, ITS REFUSAL TO ACCEPT INDEPENDENT MONITORS AND OBSERVERS AND ITS DECISION TO CUT POLLING STATIONS IN URBAN AREAS, WAS BOUND TO PRODUCE A PRE- DETERMINED RESULT. . . ZIMBABWEANS WHO VOTED IN THEIR MILLIONS TO TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THEIR HARROWING LIVES AND TO RESCUE THEIR COUNTRY FROM ITS RAPID DESCENT INTO THE ABYSS WERE BOUND TO BE DISAPPOINTED AND ANGERED, BUT THAT IS NOW WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE. THEY WILL FIGHT ANOTHER DAY. UNFORTUNATELY FOR ZIMBABWEANS, THE POLL RESULT SPELLS MUCH MORE PAIN AND SUFFERING BECAUSE, FROM NOW ON, THE ENTIRE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL TREAT THIS COUNTRY AS A PARIAH WHICH IT IS. . . FOR PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE AND HIS BACKERS, THIS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00672 01 OF 03 141108Z ELECTION WILL BE INTERPRETED AS A FINAL AND HEROIC VINDICATION OF HIS BLACK NATIONALIST CREDENTIALS AND HARD-LINE STANCE ON THE UNRESOLVED LAND QUESTION WHICH HE SAYS HE MUST PUT TO REST ONCE AND FOR ALL. MANY IN THE LAND AND BEYOND WILL BE SEARCHING FOR CLUES TO SEE IF, IN HIS LAST PRESIDENCY IF IT STANDS, HE WILL REDEEM HIMSELF AND PULL HIS TROUBLED COUNTRY BACK FROM THE BRINK. ". . .MUGABE MUST NOW BEGIN TO CHART A NEW AND DIFFERENT VISION FOR ZIMBABWE COMPARED TO THE ONE HE RAMMED THROUGH THE NATION FOR TWO DECADES, NO MATTER HOW LATE. HE MUST WORK ASSIDUOUSLY TO HEAL A NATION DEEPLY FRACTURED BY BLOODY CONFLICT, UNPRECEDENTED ECONOMIC RUIN AND MASS HUNGER IN ONE OF AFRICA'S RICHEST COUNTRIES. HE MUST TAKE A LONG PAUSE OVER HIS SEIZURE OF PRIVATE COMMERCIAL FARMS AND INSTEAD LAUNCH TRANSPARENT, LEGAL AND FAIR LAND REFORMS WHICH GUARANTEE FOOD SECURITY FOR ALL IN THE LAND. . .HE MUST RE-LOOK THE MANY HURRIED LAWS WHICH HE AUTHORIZED JUST BEFORE THE BALLOT. . .ABOVE ALL, HE MUST MOVE SWIFTLY AND DECISIVELY TO RESTORE LAW AND ORDER AND PUNISH WITHOUT COMPUNCTION ALL HIS FOLLOWERS WHO BECAME A LAW UNTO THEMSELVES DURING AND BEFORE THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. . . HE MAY ALSO WANT TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER. . .FORMING A GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY TO STAVE OFF MORE BUT NEEDLESS BLOODSHED, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE HUGE DISSENTING VOTE RECORDED. . . WHETHER ZIMBABWEANS AND THE WORLD EVENTUALLY ACCEPT MUGABE'S DEEPLY FLAWED VICTORY WILL LARGELY DEPEND UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 00672 01 OF 03 141108Z UPON HOW HE TACKLES THESE AND MANY OTHER OUTSTANDING ISSUES WHICH CRY OUT FOR MORE THAN URGENT ATTENTION. THE IMMEDIATE OUTLOOK FOR HIS DAUNTING TASK IS VERY GRIM. . . ONE ONLY HOPES THAT MUGABE WILL READ THE EXPLOSIVE MOOD WITHIN AND OUTSIDE ZIMBABWE CORRECTLY AND ACT WISELY NOT JUST FOR HIS SAKE BUT FOR ZIMBABWE. ¶3. UNDER HEADLINE "NATION BUILDING IS THE WORK OF ALL," THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" (03/14) COMMENTS: "NOW THAT THE ISSUE OF THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP OF THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN SETTLED FOLLOWING YESTERDAY'S DECLARATION OF MUGABE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE, AFTER THREE DAYS OF POLLING, IT IS TIME NOW FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN NATION BUILDING. THERE IS NO DENYING THE FACT THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR, LIKE ANY OTHER ORDINARY ZIMBABWEANS, HAD TAKEN POLITICAL POSITIONS. BUSINESS HAD ALMOST GROUND TO A HALT AS UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTO4085 PAGE 01 HARARE 00672 02 OF 03 141108Z ACTION INR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- 746A45 141108Z /38 P 141057Z MAR 02 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1208 INFO NSC WASHDC AMEMBASSY PRETORIA AMEMBASSY LUSAKA AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK AMEMBASSY GABORONE AMEMBASSY LILONGWE AMEMBASSY LONDON UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 000672 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION MUGABE WINS POLL; HARARE MOST PROGRAMS HAD BEEN SUSPENDED BUT FOCUS SHOULD UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00672 02 OF 03 141108Z NOW SHIFT TOWARDS SOLVING THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AFFLICTING THE COUNTRY. . . WITH THE ELECTORATE MANDATING MUGABE TO LEAD THE COUNTRY FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS, POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS SHOULD NOW BE PUT ASIDE AS THE GOVERNMENT, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND ORDINARY CITIZENS PUT HEADS TOGETHER IN SEEKING SOLUTIONS TO THE COUNTRY'S ECONOMIC WOES. . . THE RE-ELECTION OF PRESIDENT MUGABE SHOULD NOW SEE BUSINESS PEOPLE COMING OUT OF THEIR SHELLS TO TAKE FIRM POSITIONS IN NATION BUILDING. NOW IS THE TIME TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE ENDEAVOR TO PROP UP THE ECONOMY AND THIS REQUIRES THE INVOLVEMENT OF ALL CITIZENS REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION. . . WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE PEOPLE AND MOVE SWIFTLY TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS. WE ARE QUITE SURE THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE FOUND WANTING IN THIS REGARD. . . WE ALL AGREE THAT THE SITUATION IS BAD BUT THE PROBLEMS ARE NOT INSURMOUNTABLE. IF THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE GOVERNMENT WORK TOGETHER IN MAPPING OUT SURVIVAL STRATEGIES, WE WILL NOT GO WRONG. . . ." ¶4. UNDER HEADLINE "PRESIDENT FACES DAUNTING TASK," A SPECIAL EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" DEDICATED ITS MARCH 13 FRONT PAGE EDITORIAL TO ENCOURAGING ZIMBABWEANS TO TURN THEIR "SWORDS INTO PLOUGHSHARES" AND "RALLY BEHIND" PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE IN REBUILDING THE NATION AFTER A HOTLY-CONTESTED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. EXCERPTS: UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 00672 02 OF 03 141108Z "THE MOST BITTERLY FOUGHT ELECTION SINCE INDEPENDENCE IS OVER. PRESIDENT MUGABE HAS WON A NEW MANDATE. HIS WIN WAS COMFORTABLE AND DECISIVE. HOWEVER, AS HE PREPARES FOR A NEW SIX-YEAR TERM OF OFFICE, HE DOES SO AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A HIGHLY POLARIZED NATION. FOR TWO YEARS ZIMBABWE HAS BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN THAT RESEMBLED A BATTLEFIELD OR A CIVIL CONFLICT. HAVING OVERCOME THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF HIS POLITICAL CAREER, THE PRESIDENT FACES THE DAUNTING TASK OF BRINGING TOGETHER A DIVIDED NATION THAT HAS FOR YEARS EXISTED UNDER A FACADE OF RACIAL HARMONY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY WHILE HIDING THE DEEP DIVISIONS BETWEEN WHITE AND BLACK COUNTRYMEN AND THE GROWING POVERTY AMONG ITS PEASANTRY. . . THE CHALLENGE IS BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE RICH COMMERCIAL FARMERS. . .AND THE POOR MAJORITY WHO HAVE WAITED FOR OVER 20 YEARS TO RECLAIM THE COUNTRY TO MOVE FORWARD. FOR AS LONG AS THE MDC LEADER, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, CONTINUES TO ASSUME THE POSTURE OF A GUERILLA LEADER AND NOT AN OPPOSITION LEADER, THE OUTSIDE FORCES THAT HAVE SUBJECTED THIS COUNTRY TO THE MOST TORRID TIMES WILL HAVE AN EXCUSE TO PERPETUATE THEIR NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES. THE FIGHTING IS OVER AND IT IS TIME TO REBUILD THE COUNTRY LOOKING AT THE REALITIES THAT CONFRONT THIS NATION. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BURY OUR HEADS IN THE SAND AND PRETEND THAT THERE ARE NO FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES THAT ARE CRYING OUT TO BE REDRESSED. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 00672 02 OF 03 141108Z "THE QUESTION OF LAND WAS THE MAJOR CAMPAIGN ISSUE IN THIS ELECTION, WHICH WAS AFFIRMED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE ELECTORATE WHO VOTED FOR PRESIDENT MUGABE. . . IT IS NOW INCUMBENT UPON ALL THE PLAYERS TO ACCEPT THIS REALITY. . . THE REALITY IS THAT LAND REFORM CAN NOT BE REVERSED. . . THE FOLLOWING FEW DAYS WILL BE TELLING IN TERMS OF THE DIRECTION THE COUNTRY WILL BE TAKING. THE CRUCIAL POINT, HOWEVER, IS THAT IT IS NO LONGER NECESSARY FOR CITIZEN TO BE FIGHTING CITIZEN. LET US ALL RALLY BEHIND THE PRESIDENT AND TURN OUR SWORDS INTO PLOUGHSHARES. THE VIOLENCE THAT MARRED THE POLITICAL PROCESS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS WAS WRONG. . . WE NEED TO LEARN AS A COUNTRY TO OPERATE A NORMAL TWO-PARTY SYSTEM. THIS DOES REQUIRE A GENERAL ACCEPTANCE OF DEMOCRATIC RULES. THE TWO MOST VITAL ARE THAT LOSERS SHOULD ACCEPT THAT THERE IS A PERMANENT OPPOSITION GENERATING NEW IDEAS AND WAITING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE A MISTAKE. IN OTHER WORDS, A MAJORITY PARTY AND AN OPPOSITION PARTY SHOULD NOT SEE EACH OTHER AS UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTO4086 PAGE 01 HARARE 00672 03 OF 03 141108Z ACTION INR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /003W -------------- 746A48 141108Z /38 P 141057Z MAR 02 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1209 INFO NSC WASHDC AMEMBASSY PRETORIA AMEMBASSY LUSAKA AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK AMEMBASSY GABORONE AMEMBASSY LILONGWE AMEMBASSY LONDON UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 000672 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION MUGABE WINS POLL; HARARE ENEMIES. THEY ARE OPPONENTS, AND POLITICS IS NOT UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00672 03 OF 03 141108Z AN OCCUPATION FOR THE THIN-SKINNED OR FAINT- HEARTED. BUT THERE ARE RULES AND THESE RULES SHOULD BE FOLLOWED." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >