US embassy said MDC stay-away was a PR failure

TSVANGIRAI BAIL HEARING PENDING

SIPDIS

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¶4. (SBU) AS OF LATE THIS AFTERNOON, JUNE 9, JUDGE GARWE WHO

IS PRESIDING OVER THE ONGOING TREASON TRIAL BEFORE THE HIGH

COURT DISMISSED THE GOVERNMENT'S APPLICATION TO AMEND CURRENT

BAIL CONDITIONS WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED TSVANGIRAI FROM

SPEAKING IN PUBLIC. HE REFUSED, HOWEVER, TO ENTERTAIN THE

DEFENSE'S APPLICATION FOR BAIL ON THE NEW CHARGES SAYING THAT

THE MAGISTRATES COURT HAS JURISDICTION IN SUCH MATTERS UNLESS

THERE IS CONCURRENCE WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. THE

DEFENSE AND THE A.G. REACHED AGREEMENT ON THIS ISSUE AND BAIL

WILL BE CONSIDERED TOMORROW MORNING BY THE HIGH COURT JUDGE

ON DUTY.

MUGABE CLAIMS VICTORY, WARNS OUTSIDERS ABOUT INTERFERING

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¶5. (SBU) BY LAST WEEK'S END, PRESIDENT MUGABE WAS CLEARLY

FEELING THAT HE HAD COME OUT AHEAD. AT A RALLY IN THE

COUNTRYSIDE ON FRIDAY, JUNE 6, HE JOKED WITH AN AUDIENCE OF

SUPPORTERS ABOUT THE MDC AND WAS SCORNFUL OF TSVANGIRAI'S

ASPIRATIONS TO THE PRESIDENCY. ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT

OWNED HERALD, HE WAS QUOTED AS LIKENING THE MDC LEADER TO A

MAN REJECTED BY A WOMEN WHO NONETHELESS CONTINUES TO PURSUE

HER. ON SATURDAY AT THE FUNERAL OF MAMA MAFUYANE, WIDOW OF

THE LATE VICE-PRESIDENT JOSHUA NKOMO, THE PRESIDENT TOOK THIS

RATHER INAPPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE BRITISH AND US

EMBASSIES TO STOP HELPING THE MDC ACHIEVE AN ILLEGAL

OBJECTIVE AND TO WARN THAT "THEIR INSTIGATION CANNOT BE

TOLERATED FOREVER BY MY GOVERNMENT." A THOUSAND OR SO

ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS IN THEIR BRAND NEW "NO TO MASS ACTION"

T-SHIRTS APPLAUDED ENTHUSIASTICALLY.

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