VZCZCXRO6433
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0903/01 2771011
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041011Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1973
INFO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4205
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2220

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 HARARE 000903 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DCHA/FFP FOR WELLER, DOSANJH, PETERSEN 
DCHA/OFDA FOR KLUU, GGOTTLIEB, AFERRARA, 
TDENYSENKO AND CPRATT 
AFR/SA FOR LOKEN, DOBBINS, HIRSCH 
EGAT FOR HOBGOOD, THOMPSON, HESS, MCGAHUEY, GILL, 
RUSHIN-BELL, HURDUS 
STATE/AF FOR HILL 
STATE/PRM FOR MCKELVEY, LANGE 
USUN FOR EMALY 
NAIROBI FOR ESTES, DNIRANGO, PUTNAM 
PRETORIA FOR DISKIN, HALE, WESSEL 
ROME FOR FODAG FOR NEWBERG 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID SOCI PHUM ZI
SUBJECT:  AA/DCHA HESS IMPRESSED BY PROGRAMS, BUT ALARMED BY 
SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE 
 
¶1.  Summary:  USAID Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict, 
and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) Michael Hess, accompanied by 
Special Assistant Amber Brooks, visited Harare, Bulawayo, and rural 
areas September 16-20 to assess humanitarian needs and programs and 
to consult with civil society organizations on the political and 
economic future of Zimbabwe.  Hess met with various groups, from 
civil society to homeless victims of Operation Murambatsvina, to 
USAID staff, emphasizing the linkages between democracy, conflict, 
and humanitarian assistance.  Explaining that poor governance - not 
drought or crop failure - causes famine and economic crisis in a 
country, AA Hess argued that USAID's democracy and governance (DG) 
programs were essential components for transitioning from conflict 
and humanitarian crises and enabling sustainable long-term growth 
and development. AA Hess was struck by the conditions of vulnerable 
urban populations, the victims of organized violence and torture, 
the acute water shortages in Bulawayo and other urban areas, and the 
visible need for continued food assistance programs.  However, he 
also became keenly aware of how easily food and any humanitarian 
assistance can be used as a political tool in such a highly charged 
environment and called for more rigorous measures to prevent 
politicization.  AA Hess affirmed that USAID programs were doing the 
right things in the right places, but acknowledged that gaps do 
exist as increasing numbers of people are in need.  Recognizing the 
need for closer coordination and synergies between humanitarian 
organizations and civil society organizations, Mr. Hess noted that 
USAID could play an even greater catalytic role as facilitator of 
increased dialogue.  AA Hess concurred with USAID/OFDA Senior 
Regional Advisor's plans to continue assessing ways to better 
address the water and sanitation problems in Bulawayo.  This was a 
tightly scheduled and extremely productive visit.  The Mission 
greatly appreciates the insights, interventions, and energy of Mr. 
Hess and Ms. Brooks.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
Hess Impressed by Commitment of Democracy and Governance Partners 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) AA Hess met with many DG partner organizations during his 
visit.  The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) gave him a 
tour of squatter camps where forcibly relocated victims of the GOZ 
Operation Murambatsvina had settled and are struggling to survive. 
Key civil society representatives shared ideas and predictions about 
Zimbabwe's repressive political dynamics and opposition movements. 
A roundtable discussion with board members from the Zimbabwe 
Election Support Network (ZESN) assessed the state of readiness for 
elections, highlighting the significant obstacles to free and fair 
elections scheduled for March 2008.  A second roundtable discussion 
with some of the country's leading pro-democracy activists from 
civil society organizations (CSOs) gave AA Hess a taste of the 
diversity of opinion among CSOs regarding what is the optimal way 
forward toward transition and the tensions that exist among CSOs 
themselves and between CSOs and the political opposition. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) AA Hess visited the Counseling Services Unit (CSU), a 
USAID-funded organization that provides medical and psychological 
care for victims of state-sponsored organized violence and torture. 
He heard first-hand accounts from opposition and civil society 
victims about their ordeals and survival strategies.  Given the 
caseload of over 2000 victims already treated this year, it was 
clear why such a unit is vitally important.  He was also briefed on 
the important work this unit is doing in documenting abuse. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In Bulawayo, representatives from Christian Alliance 
explained the vital role of churches in the Save Zimbabwe Campaign, 
which aims to mobilize civil society actors to press for 
alternatives to current governance systems.  AA Hess met with 
opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) policy chief 
Eddie Cross and MDC Shadow-Minister for Environment and Tourism 
Gertrude Mthombeni to learn the state of play of opposition politics 
and the ongoing negotiations between ZANU-PF and MDC, brokered by 
South African President Thabo Mbeki.  Finally, AA Hess, during a 
breakfast meeting with Bulawayo Agenda, heard a reiteration of 
concerns voiced at both roundtables and during his meeting with the 
 
HARARE 00000903  002 OF 005 
 
 
MDC about the dangers of manipulation and politicization of food 
aid.  (Comment: It should be noted that Mr. Hess' visit came as SADC 
negotiations with the ruling party and opposition were at a critical 
point and as civil society leaders were returning from meetings with 
the RSA negotiators.  The views of opposition and civil society on 
negotiations were quite different.  Mr. Hess encouraged greater 
dialogue and the establishment of clear benchmarks for the 
achievement of acceptable outcomes on negotiated points.  End 
Comment.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) AA Hess's interactions with these key USAID democracy and 
governance program partners produced several important observations, 
conclusions, and ideas for future action: 
 
--  GOZ sanctioned torture and organized violence is real and 
debilitating.  USAID's funding to CSU meets a critical need, 
providing humanitarian assistance and bolstering support among those 
brave enough to challenge the Mugabe regime.  However, the CSU 
program is extremely sensitive, it remains vulnerable to GOZ 
shutdown, and its employees risk their own personal safety. 
 
--  If institutions are not ready and SADC and international 
standards are not met, then pressure should be applied by civil 
society to delay elections to allow proper preparation. 
 
--  USG should encourage civil society organizations (CSOs) to set 
clear benchmarks, prerequisites, and expectations for free and fair 
elections.  Donors need to support these independent 
elections-support initiatives. 
 
--  An agreement was apparently reached by ZANU-PF and MDC to allow 
the creation of an independent electoral commission to monitor the 
preparation and execution of the presidential and parliamentary 
elections.  As watchdogs, CSOs should carefully monitor the 
development and work of this electoral commission. 
 
--  Leadership of democratic organizations should keep donors and 
civil society partners better informed of the MDC and ZANU-PF 
negotiation process so they can reinforce agreements with diplomacy 
or programming.  Democratic organizations cannot expect support if 
they do not communicate needs. 
 
--  Issues important to CSOs are not necessarily the same as those 
of the political parties.  Donors need to view them separately and 
work to increase the linkages and dialogue among them. 
 
--  Human rights groups and other CSOs have a critical role to play 
as information sources for food aid NGOs and donors with regard to 
manipulation and politicization of food aid. 
 
--  AA Hess alerted USAID Mission staff to a DOD civ-mil program 
that provides financial and logistical support for independent radio 
broadcasting capacity.  The Mission and DCHA will follow up with 
EUCOM to investigate possible complementary funding for "Studio 7," 
a USG-funded program in Zimbabwe with Voice of America. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
USAID Humanitarian Assistance Keeping Zimbabweans Alive 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶6. (U) AA Hess also focused attention on the humanitarian programs 
and conditions that make Zimbabwe a complex emergency.  USAID's 
Office of Food for Peace (FFP) partner organizations - UN World Food 
Program (WFP) and the Consortium for Southern African Food Security 
Emergency (C-SAFE) - provided a thorough review of the food 
shortfall, the imminent hungry season, the identification and 
registration of vulnerable individuals, food distribution 
mechanisms, and monitoring mechanisms that attempt to limit abuse 
and politicization of food aid.  In addition, he examined the 
programs funded by USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance 
(OFDA) such as the Joint Initiative and IOM support for the 
internally displaced, addressing the needs of urban vulnerable 
populations, mitigating the effects of drought, and supporting 
 
HARARE 00000903  003 OF 005 
 
 
livelihoods strategies. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The NGO representatives expressed concern to AA Hess that 
the media, and often human rights organizations, does not 
distinguish between GOZ food assistance and international food aid 
when reporting accusations of politicization.  While all partners 
have faced attempts by local politicians to use their food or 
distribution sites for political ends, in every instance they say 
they have successfully dealt with the interference, e.g., by 
expelling the offending parties, repeating registration exercises, 
or suspending distributions.  They also say they investigated and 
resolved accusations of politicization that have come to their 
attention and found that most were unfounded. NGOs did acknowledge 
that more subtle forms of politicization do take place when their 
staff is not present, e.g., marginalized community members being 
discouraged from participation in registrations via intimidation, or 
politicians taking credit for the NGOs' activities.  This year, both 
C-SAFE and the WFP modified their registration and verification 
requirements and procedures to increase their ability to limit abuse 
and politicization of food aid.  The C-SAFE partners welcomed 
information about apparent politicization from other organizations 
or individuals and offered to share their distribution schedules 
with others so that they can monitor jointly. 
 
¶8. (U) AA Hess visited a C-SAFE rural school-based feeding site in 
Chegutu District.  In general, the program was operating well.  Not 
only were out-of-school children encouraged to come to eat, but with 
the school's help many have found financial assistance, enrolled, 
and now attend.  The only observed deficiency was soap.  The 
children washed their hands with water only before eating because 
soap has not been available on the market for the school to 
purchase. 
 
¶9. (U) Mr. Hess paid a courtesy call on Bulawayo's Mayor Japhet 
Ndabeni-Ncube.  He was warmly received by the MDC stalwart who is 
struggling with the economic and humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe's 
second largest city of over 1 million people.  He spoke of having to 
divide the city by three and rotate water service.  Although 
situated in a chronically dry region, Bulawayo does have water 
resources. There are five dams and 77 wells which can service the 
city's water requirements, but due to lack of maintenance and 
investment, only two dams and four wells currently function. 
Although the Mayor has asked the central government for help, none 
is forthcoming, except for a struggle by the central Zimbabwe 
National Water Authority (ZNWA) to take control over local water 
works.  ZNWA has mandated lower tariffs "so as not to penalize the 
poor," but this has stripped the City Council of revenue needed for 
system maintenance.  The Mayor reported, however, that in 
desperation he has engaged ZNWA and the local private sector in an 
agreement to rehabilitate some of the non-functioning boreholes to 
provide some relief.  He also said that UNICEF is putting into place 
a series of water tanks in strategic locations, such as schools, and 
will be tankering water.  In the longer term, Bulawayo is 60 km from 
the West Mlovo aquifer, where a reservoir was constructed in 1996. 
If a pipeline were constructed to link the reservoir to the existing 
dams, the water situation could be vastly improved.  Health is now a 
major concern with poor quality water and lack of sanitation. Basic 
medicines are supplied by the central government and stocks are low 
to non-existent.  The Mayor also commented that their stocks of MOH 
controlled ARVs are declining and that although they are not adding 
new patients to the rolls they are in danger of a stock out. 
 
¶10. (U) Comment:  In many ways, Bulawayo is a severe case of what is 
occurring throughout Zimbabwe.  Most urban areas, including Harare, 
are drying out, with whole segments going without water for weeks on 
end.  Electricity is severely rationed and basic commodities and 
gasoline unavailable, leaving stores empty or closed.  The black 
market is the norm for most purchases.  Zimbabwe receives 30 percent 
of its basic drugs from donors, leaving the other 70 percent 
uncovered.  End Comment. 
 
¶11. (U) In a poor suburb of Bulawayo, Mr. Hess visited millers and 
retail shops that grind and sell subsidized sorghum as part of the 
 
HARARE 00000903  004 OF 005 
 
 
USAID-supported C-SAFE Market Assistance Program (MAP).  This 
program seeks to ensure a constant supply of this low-cost staple 
food for the urban poor.  However, currently, as the program 
struggles to adapt to the dynamic economic conditions, e.g., price 
control induced shortages of all staple foods, MAP is not able to 
keep up with demand to achieve its objective.  At the shops visited, 
shelves were empty or being filled with sorghum for the first time 
in weeks.  Long lines were forming and shop owners reported that the 
day's delivery would be gone within the hour.  Nevertheless, the 
concept still appears to be one of the best ways to reach the urban 
poor in Zimbabwe, and programs like MAP should be expanded and 
replicated to other urban and rural areas, particularly Harare. 
 
¶12. (U) In Bulawayo, Mr. Hess also visited beneficiaries of the 
Joint Initiative, an innovative multi-donor, multi-NGO program 
funded by USAID/OFDA that supports cottage industries such as soap 
making and brick making, as livelihoods for urban vulnerable 
populations.  The groups reported great success finding customers 
and selling their products, except that in the current difficult 
economic situation they have difficulty accessing raw materials, and 
this has severely reduced their output.  Comment:  The water 
shortage was acutely obvious in these suburbs.  Water is being 
rationed throughout Bulawayo as is electricity.  Stores are empty 
and unemployment high.  Residents have been instructed not to water 
their kitchen gardens and so, at the same time as their income is 
limited, their coping mechanism is wilting before their eyes.  End 
comment. 
 
¶13. (U) Several key observations and outcomes emerged from AA Hess's 
interactions with representatives of humanitarian organizations and 
beneficiary populations. 
 
--  When NGO staff complained that WFP registration for food 
distributions is time consuming, AA Hess became concerned that 
operations may be proceeding too slowly to meet the emerging demand 
and distribution timetables.  More information is needed from WFP to 
evaluate the pace and estimated completion date.  C-SAFE began 
registrations earlier, employing a process that is less time 
consuming and will complete all registrations in mid-October. 
 
--  In a roundtable discussion, USAID partners expressed frustration 
about implementing food-for-assets projects in affected communities 
and households that would significantly improve household 
livelihoods.  They lack adequate funding for essential non-food 
materials (e.g., tools, cement or fencing) to support repair or 
construction of assets of sufficient scale and quality. 
 
--  Neither WFP nor C-SAFE produce maps to show the specific 
locations of their various activities.  Both display information 
only at the district level.  Such maps would visually demonstrate 
the extent and coverage of food assistance.  C-SAFE's budgets have 
included mapping software licenses and GPS instruments to enable 
them to produce detailed maps, but they lack the technical capacity 
to use these tools.  Recently, they engaged a consultant to produce 
the maps.  Likewise, WFP agreed that the mapping would be useful but 
they too lack the technical capacity.  Both agreed that technical 
hurdles could be overcome and committed to producing maps before the 
end of September. 
 
--  USAID/Zimbabwe Humanitarian Assistance and Democracy and 
Governance offices will facilitate communication between their 
partners about attempts to politicize food aid and to exchange 
information about vulnerable groups and individuals in need of food 
assistance. 
 
--  Bulawayo's chronic water shortage is reaching acute levels as 
the dry season continues.  New program interventions should be 
considered that would build on existing and low-tech water 
procurement and storage mechanisms such as borehole rehabilitation 
and roof catchment and storage systems. 
 
--  The onset of the rainy season in November could make things even 
worse, as pollutants and sanitation problems spread through poorly 
 
HARARE 00000903  005 OF 005 
 
 
maintained pipes and sewerage systems.  USAID/OFDA's recent grant to 
Oxfam for water and sanitation interventions in Bulawayo and other 
urban areas may help. 
 
--  The NGO Joint Initiative consortium partners support a 
livelihoods program in Bulawayo that makes soap, which will increase 
the availability of this now scarce, but essential, commodity. 
Local production has been limited because of the unavailability of 
raw materials, especially tallow.  USAID/OFDA will work with the 
Joint Initiative and private companies to explore ways to increase 
local soap production.  Oxfam has just received USAID/OFDA funding 
to procure and distribute soap in key urban areas in Zimbabwe.  It 
is hoped this simple, preventative program intervention will reduce 
the spread of disease by enabling proper hygiene. 
 
--  USAID/OFDA Senior Regional Advisor will return to Zimbabwe in 
October to continue working with partners to identify ways to meet 
rapidly growing needs, especially in the water and sanitation 
sector. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
USAID Doing Right Programs in Right Areas, but the Gaps 
are Growing 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶14. (U) Based on his observations and analysis in Zimbabwe, AA Hess 
affirmed that USAID is implementing the right programs in the right 
areas to meet the most critical needs.  Key institutions of 
democracy and human rights are being supported, and many of the most 
vulnerable populations are receiving life-sustaining humanitarian 
assistance.  However, significant and growing gaps were identified. 
Despite programs by USAID and other donors, the needs of vulnerable 
populations in urban areas are not being sufficiently met.  Even in 
these highly politicized environments, greater attention should be 
focused on identifying and assisting those individuals and 
communities that are falling through the cracks of existing, but 
badly overstretched, humanitarian programs.  Partner capacity and 
resource issues are serious constraints, but access restrictions by 
the GOZ are also contributing to these gaps in services.  AA Hess 
encouraged the Mission to examine further areas of need, and he 
pledged to highlight Zimbabwean issues and seek further support in 
Washington.  AA Hess witnessed the important supportive role played 
by USAID in encouraging the promotion of democracy and good 
governance in Zimbabwe.  There is a need for USAID to expand its 
role as facilitator and catalyst between different groups in civil 
society, bringing civil society organizations into more strategic 
and operational engagement with humanitarian organizations. 
 
¶15. (U) This cable was cleared by AA Hess. 
 
DHANANI