Meanwhile, over at the Associated Press:

The government commandeered buses and state railroad cars to carry President Robert Mugabe’s supporters from across the country for a march and rally near Harare Friday.

The rally was a show of strength for Mugabe before a party meeting next month at which his continued leadership was likely to be debated, and before presidential elections next year in which he was expected to run.

“The people will speak. Outsiders must keep their hands off,” Mugabe said to cheers from supporters.

He also ridiculed Britain, the former colonial power, for “discussing us every week in their stupid parliament.”

An estimated 40,000 supporters marched from downtown Harare to a one-time sports field in the nearby township of Highfield, where they were joined by thousands more rural supporters carrying umbrellas against seasonal rains.