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(TALKZIMBABWE) WikiLeaks: Chamisa, Gutu say Tsvangirai is weak and inept

WikiLeaks: Chamisa, Gutu say Tsvangirai is weak and inept
Posted by By Our reporter at 3 September, at 22 : 58 PM

TWO of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s closest confidants labelled him an inept and indecisive leader during a meeting with US embassy officials, a secret cable released by the whistle-blowing website, WikiLeaks, revealed last week.

The cable shows that the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Nelson Chamisa, and the Deputy Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Senator Obert Gutu, questioned Tsvangirai’s leadership credentials during a meeting with US ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles Ray, in January 2010.

While many perceive Chamisa as a Tsvangirai loyalist, the cable shows that in private, the MDC-T’s organising secretary made the disparaging remarks against his boss whom he described as a weak leader.

Chamisa allegedly said that the Prime Minister “is weak and has failed to play a co-ordinating role for Government ministries”.

According to the cable, Senator Gutu concurred with Chamisa on Tsvangirai’s ineptitude during the same meeting with US embassy officials.

The two senior MDC-T officials also took a swipe at Tsvangirai’s right-hand man and chief of staff, Ian Makone, whom they said was a bad influence on the Prime Minister.

“Gutu also stated that Tsvangirai had a tendency to listen to the wrong people. He pointed to Ian Makone, Tsvangirai’s chief of staff, and Makone’s wife, Theresa, who is the Minister of Public Works.

“He opined that neither was a good strategist, and that the Office of the Prime Minister was weak due to Ian Makone’s lack of leadership,” reads the cable.

Gutu also claimed that Tsvangirai practised nepotism and cronyism when it came to appointing senior people to party and Government positions.

“Gutu noted that (Murisi) Zwizwai and Tsvangirai are cousins and this is another example of friendship getting in the way of governance,” reads the cable.

Zwizwai was then the Deputy Minister of Mines and is now the Deputy Minister of Media, Information and Publicity.

Makone is now the co-Minister of Home Affairs while her husband has maintained his influential position.

The cable is one of the hundreds released by WikiLeaks last week and is likely to sow the seeds of discord within the ranks of the MDC-T.

Labels: IAN MAKONE, MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NELSON CHAMISA, OBERT GUTU, WIKILEAKS

posted by MrK @ 7:59 PM