VZCZCXRO2890
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #1262 2911259
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181259Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0716
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1341
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1192
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1345
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0096
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0606
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0971
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1399
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 3777
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1168
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1820
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUFGNOA/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1562
UNCLAS HARARE 001262
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR S. HILL
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL ZI
SUBJECT: MDC SUSPENDS TROUBLESOME MP
REF: A. A) HARARE 1247
B. B) HARARE 1216
1. (U) The anti-Senate faction of the MDC on October 15
suspended Tafara-Mabvuku MP Timothy Mubawu from his official
party positions due to his connection to the attack on
pro-Senate MDC MP Trudy Stevenson (ref B) and his sexist
remarks in Parliament (ref A). MDC Secretary General Tendai
Biti on October 17 told poloff that the party's national
executive council suspended the MP from his position as
director of elections for Harare provincial because of his
links to the attack on the pro-Senate officials, while he was
also removed from the national executive council because of
his comments against the Domestic Violence Bill.
2. (U) Biti said that Mubawu's case had been referred to the
party's disciplinary committee for further review at a yet
undermined time. Biti said that the committee would hold a
hearing to decide if Mubawu should be expelled from the party
completely ) as opposed to his current suspension from party
office. If Mubawu were expelled from the party, Biti noted
that the MP would lose his seat in parliament, thus prompting
a by-election.
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Comment
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3. (SBU) Mubawu's connection to the Stevenson attack and his
regressive comments on gender equality were a blemish on the
opposition's reputation that has now been addressed.
Moreover, the manner in which the MDC is handling Mubawu
shows the party's commitment to due process; the referral to
the disciplinary committee is a far more transparent means of
addressing the problem than simply expelling Mubawu.
SCHULTZ