Mugabe spoke for maybe 20 minutes in honor of a local chief. He spoke clearly and told a few funny stories. He appeared completely lucid and in control. He said that he was committed to working with the opposition party. At one point (and only one point), one or two protesters started yelling. Mugabe seemed slightly flustered and repeated the same phrase a few times, probably in an effort to drown out the protests.
By and large, the event seemed quite relaxed. People came and went freely -- and they climbed every available tree to get a good look at the proceedings. A few people were escorted out by police with batons, but for the most part, there was no strong police presence. I was able to walk to within 25 meters of Mugabe, and nobody said a word.
I am on a bus to Lusaka in 45 minutes...
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