THE DIVINE COMRADE M

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001518

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2009
TAGS: PGOV KPAO SOCI ZI
SUBJECT: THE DIVINE COMRADE M


Classified By: Ambassador Christopher W. Dell under Section 1.5 b


1. (U) An op-ed piece in the September 1 edition of the
GOZ-controlled Herald newspaper declared President Mugabe to
have been divinely appointed. Drawing from the books of
Daniel, Romans, Amos, Timothy and John, the rambling piece
suggests that God speaks to Mugabe (COMMENT: but, inquiring
minds want to know, does Mugabe listen?) and that Mugabe's
public addresses are prophetic (COMMENT: if tedious).
Critics of the President are therefore defying God, and
attacks on the head of state are attacks on "the church." An
editorial on the same page, "Bill on NGOs, Churches Timely,"
identifies the culprits, castigating the leadership of the
Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) and other religious
leaders for working with NGOs and others critical of the GOZ.



2. (C) COMMENT: Like many rulers before him, President
Mugabe seems increasingly obsessed with legacy issues as he
ages. Now past 80, Mugabe has seen many friends and comrades
pass away. The op-ed piece offers a window into how his
courtiers flatter him as his inevitable end approaches -
mixing religion and politics in an absurd yet dangerous
formula.
Dell