Zimbabwe court grants bail to two union leaders

May 19, 2008, 14:48 GMT

Harare - A Zimbabwe High Court judge on Monday granted bail to two trade unionists who have been in jail for about two weeks on allegations of inciting people to revolt again President Robert Mugabe's government

Justice Ben Hlatshwayo ordered the release on bail of Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Lovemore Matombo and secretary-general Wellington Chibebe on 20 billion Zimbabwe dollars (80 US dollars at official rates) bail each.

Matombo and Chibebe are accused of inciting people to revolt over speeches they made on May Day in Harare.

Hlatshwayo ordered them not to address any gathering until their case had been finalized. A lower court last week denied the two bail after the state said it was likely the duo would reoffend.

Commenting on the ruling Alec Muchadehama, lawyer for the two, said he was 'delighted that justice has prevailed.'

The arrests of the ZCTU leadership is part of a wider crackdown since March 29 elections by the government on voices of dissent. Scores of opposition activists, trade unionists, lawyers and journalists have been arrested but usually released within days.

Hundreds of opposition supporters have also been attacked and around 40 killed in over a month of militia attacks on people who 'voted wrongly' in the election.

Mugabe's Zanu-PF party was defeated by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai in the parliamentary component of the vote. Tsvangirai also took more votes than Mugabe in the presidential vote, but not enough to end the 84-year-old leader's 28-year rule outright.

The two political leaders are scheduled to square off in a second round of voting for president on June 27.

Tsvangirai, 56, had been expected to return to Zimbabwe at the weekend to begin campaigning but postponed his return indefinitely after allegedly receiving information of an assassination plot against him.