Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08HARARE249
2008-03-31 08:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Harare
how-toVZCZCXRO8696 OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHSB #0249 0910829 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 310829Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2651 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1856 RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1980 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0553 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1257 RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1614 RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2036 RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4467 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1107 RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000249
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: HARARE CALM, RUNOFF LIKELY
REF: HARARE 247 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000249
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: HARARE CALM, RUNOFF LIKELY
REF: HARARE 247 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
1. (C) Two separate sources have told us that President
Robert Mugabe, who appeared ready to have himself declared
the victor yesterday, backed off in the face of large support
for MDC candidate Morgan Tsvangirai and pressure from the
military and within his party. It now appears that the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) will announce that
Tsvangirai has won slightly less than 50 percent of the vote
SIPDIS
and that Mugabe has won slightly over 40 percent. This would
result in a runoff to be held within 21 days. Our sources
also believe that the ZEC will announce that ZANU-PF has won
most of the parliamentary seats, but will be a minority with
candidates allied to Tsvangirai and Simba Makoni gaining the
majority share of seats.
2. (U) At about 6:30 am, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation began coverage of the ZEC announcing the results
of House of Assembly races. Six results were announced; the
MDC won four and ZANU-PF won two. Coverage then stopped; we
do not know when it will recommence.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
3. (C) Harare and the rest of Zimbabwe appear calm. While
the result predicted by our sources is obviously rigged, it
should diffuse tensions that built up yesterday when it
appeared that Mugabe would steal an outright victory. We
will continue to monitor the vote as it comes in today. END
COMMENT.
MCGEE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: HARARE CALM, RUNOFF LIKELY
REF: HARARE 247 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
1. (C) Two separate sources have told us that President
Robert Mugabe, who appeared ready to have himself declared
the victor yesterday, backed off in the face of large support
for MDC candidate Morgan Tsvangirai and pressure from the
military and within his party. It now appears that the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) will announce that
Tsvangirai has won slightly less than 50 percent of the vote
SIPDIS
and that Mugabe has won slightly over 40 percent. This would
result in a runoff to be held within 21 days. Our sources
also believe that the ZEC will announce that ZANU-PF has won
most of the parliamentary seats, but will be a minority with
candidates allied to Tsvangirai and Simba Makoni gaining the
majority share of seats.
2. (U) At about 6:30 am, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation began coverage of the ZEC announcing the results
of House of Assembly races. Six results were announced; the
MDC won four and ZANU-PF won two. Coverage then stopped; we
do not know when it will recommence.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
3. (C) Harare and the rest of Zimbabwe appear calm. While
the result predicted by our sources is obviously rigged, it
should diffuse tensions that built up yesterday when it
appeared that Mugabe would steal an outright victory. We
will continue to monitor the vote as it comes in today. END
COMMENT.
MCGEE