WikiLeaks: CIO boss falsified reports to Mugabe

By Wongai Zhangazha

Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) Director-General Happyton Bonyongwe has been accused of “doctoring” reports compiled by the agency’s operatives meant for President Robert Mugabe’s attention, mainly prior to the March 2008 elections.

This sensational charge was made by Zanu PF politburo member and former Information minister Jonathan Moyo to ex-US ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell at a meeting on March 30 2007, according to leaked American embassy cables.

One of the cables dated March 30 2007 says Moyo told Dell Bonyongwe supported former Zanu PF politburo member and ex-Finance minister Simba Makoni who was challenging Mugabe during the 2008 polls.

Moyo, the cable says, claimed Bonyongwe had held discussions with the late former army commander General Solomon Mujuru over his support for Makoni. Other cables say Mujuru and former Zanu PF politburo member and ex-Home Affairs minister Dumiso Dabengwa initiated the Makoni candidacy.

“With regard to the CIO, Moyo said Mugabe had received information that CIO Director-(General) Happyton Bonyongwe had been conferring with Solomon Mujuru,” the cable reads.

“Furthermore, he (Moyo) had received information from CIO sub-directors that Bonyongwe was doctoring information.  Believing Mujuru to be involved with both military and CIO dissension, Mugabe had summoned Mujuru. 

According to Mugabe, Mujuru had not yet responded. Meanwhile, a massive shakeup was underway in the security services, with many re-assignments within and between agencies being made in order to break up potential coup-plotting networks.”

Furthermore, Moyo said most people in Zanu PF, including Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa, wanted Mugabe to step down and pave way for a new leader, as they believed that Mugabe would be defeated in the 2008 elections.

Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF allies, including Moyo, were said to have thought of forming a breakaway party after the Tsholotsho debacle in 2004, according to the cables. They also said later Moyo was the architect behind plans to form another new party, the New Patriotic Front. He suggested either Makoni, telecoms mogul Strive Masiyiwa or Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono could be the leader.

In a related matter, NMB managing director James Mushore, who is said to be a nephew of Mujuru, met US embassy officials on February 28 2008 and also indicated that Bonyongwe and his uncle supported Makoni’s candidacy.

“Mushore mused about an ideal scenario under which Solomon Mujuru and CIO chief Happyton Bonyongwe came out for Makoni two days before the election, insinuating Bonyongwe’s support for Makoni as well,” one of the cables say. Zimbabwe Independent