Cablegate: More Goz Infighting On Land Issue

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

UNCLAS HARARE 000862

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR AF/S
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER
USDOC FOR AMANDA HILLIGAS
TREASURY FOR OREN WYCHE-SHAW
PASS USTR FLORIZELLE LISER
STATE PASS USAID FOR MARJORIE COPSON, ERIC LOKEN

E. O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EAGR EINV PGOV ZI
SUBJECT: More GOZ Infighting on Land Issue

1. (SBU) Summary: GOZ bickering over land reform has
intensified over the past week, pitting hardliners
against moderates. End summary.

The Daily Herald Barrage
------------------------
2. (SBU) Publicly, this wrangle has taken the form of
attacks from the GOZ's daily Herald on Lands, Land Reform
and Resettlement Minister John Nkomo. He is gingerly
attempting to move some settlers around and possibly
account for multiple farm recipients. On May 17, an
unsigned Herald article quoted an unnamed political
analyst, saying Nkomo actions are "tantamount to a
reversal of the land reform program . . . and will have
far-reaching implications." The May 18 Herald suggested
"not all is well with [land reform] since the splitting
up" of the Agriculture and Lands Ministry into two
separate bodies. Similar reports have followed, with
Nkomo finally denouncing these unnamed sources and
denying he was turning back land reform or returning
farms to whites. Today an unsigned Herald letter-to-the-
editor complained that Nkomo had "bedeviled" the "land
reform program since he took over [from] Minister Joseph
Made."

Comment
-------
3. (SBU) Clearly, Information Minister Jonathan Moyo has
thrown the weight of the official media behind
Agriculture Minister Made, who is upset over losing the
land reform portfolio. Hardliners Moyo and Made may want
to purge remaining white farmers. As major land reform
beneficiaries, they may also seek to scuttle any
crackdown on multiple farm recipients. Even with
encouragement from Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono,
Nkomo - from the minority Ndebele ethnic group - has been
too timid to assert himself. Hardliners recently
prevailed over moderates in taking over Charleswood
Estate and Kondozi farms, skirting numerous judicial
decisions. Should Gono eventually assert himself more
publicly on the land issue, it may be more difficult for
Made and Moyo to steer the process and debate. For now,
these hardliners seem to be coming out on top.

Sullivan

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