Cablegate: Media Reaction Election Aftermath; Harare

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS HARARE 000972

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND
SCHLACHTER, AF/W, AF/RA, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI
FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ELECTION AFTERMATH; HARARE

1. Under headline "Wade has joined the bootlicking
brigade," the government-controlled daily
"Chronicle" dedicated its May 22 editorial to
denouncing Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade for
"discrediting" the outcome Zimbabwe's presidential
election. Excerpts:

2. "Senegalese President Mr. Abdoulaye Wade recently
let the cat out of the bag when he joined the chorus
led by Britain and its Western allies in discrediting
Zimbabwe's presidential elections. He became the only
African head of state to make an adverse statement
about the polls that everybody else in their right
minds has declared free and fair. His outburst leaves
us wondering what the basis of his opinion is, since
his country did not participate in the polls. . . An
old adage says money is the root of all evil. We know
that Mr. Wade has decided to join the bootlicking
brigade of countries in the West for a few pieces of
silver. What he appears to be oblivious of is the fact
that by becoming the bad apple in the African basket,
he has pressed a button of self-destruction. We would
like to advise Mr. Made to lick the boots of his
Western masters without dragging the name of Zimbabwe
in mud.

"The Senegalese leader should be warned that
history has shown that Western countries are good
at using African leaders and dumping them as and
when it suits them. . . We are also aware that
these remarks were made against the background of a
meeting to promote the New Economic Partnership for
Africa's Development (NEPAD). Maybe Mr. Made was
just trying to be a good boy. We would like to
urge African states to avoid being divided by
Western countries for the sake of donor funds. We
do not have to sell each other's souls in order to
get funding for NEPAD."

WHITEHEAD

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